Aylesbury

NESS003 - Aylesbury NESS003: Aylesbury NESS 1. This 529.7-hectare site, as shown on the Policies Map, is located to the north of Aylesbury, the heart of Buckinghamshire. The site is allocated for approximately 9,080 dwellings in this Local Plan, with 3,650 dwellings to be delivered in the plan period and fifteen net additional serviced Gypsy/ Traveller pitches. 2. The site is allocated as a residential-led mixed-use development, including approximately 3,500 sqm of town centre uses, supporting infrastructure and community facilities. Development requirements 3. Planning permission will be granted where development accords with the requirements below and are supported by a comprehensive site-wide masterplan and phasing strategy: Place-making and Design. 4. Development must adopt a landscape-led approach which: a) Responds positively to the site’s edge of town and rural transition character. b) Reflects the existing field pattern and mature landscape features; and c) Integrates development into the surrounding townscape and countryside. 5. Development must establish a high-quality, distinctive and functional place and must: a) Respond to local context, including topography, landscape, habitats and ecological features. b) Retain and incorporate trees, hedgerows and existing green infrastructure as part of a connected network. c) Avoid areas of highest flood risk, including Flood Zones 2, 3a and 3b, and areas at significant risk of surface water flooding. d) Incorporate multifunctional sustainable drainage systems as part of the design and layout. e) Safeguard and enhance watercourses, including provision of appropriate buffers to the River Thame. f) Take account of infrastructure constraints, including provision of appropriate easements and stand-off distances. g) Maintain separation from nearby settlements, including Bierton to prevent coalescence and protect settlement character. h) Conserve and enhance the setting of the Bierton Conservation Area; and i) Be informed by up-to-date site-specific evidence, including flood risk and environmental assessments. 6. Development should: a) Re-use existing farm buildings, where they make a positive contribution to local character and where viable and feasible to do so. Movement and Connectivity 7. Development must deliver a comprehensive movement strategy which prioritises sustainable transport and must: a) Provide the Northeast Aylesbury Link Road as the principal movement ccA418.or. Deliver a network of internal streets and connections to the A413 and A418. b) Ensure all highway infrastructure is informed by proportionate transport modelling and supports the safe operation of the network. c) Provides high quality public transport infrastructure and services, including: i. New or reconfigured bus services linking the site with Aylesbury town centre and railway station; and ii. Supporting infrastructure, including bus priority measures where appropriate; and d) Prioritise walking, cycling and public transport to reduce reliance on the private car. Community Facilities 8. Development must provide a comprehensive range of community infrastructure, proportionate to its scale, including: a) Local centres providing retail, community, cultural and service uses, designed as accessible focal points. b) Land and buildings for four primary schools (6-15FE total). c) Land and buildings for a secondary school. d) On-site primary healthcare facilities, delivered in partnership with the Integrated Care Board (ICB). e) Contributions towards off-site healthcare and other strategic infrastructure as required; and f) Indoor and outdoor sports facilities, play space and recreation areas in accordance with Policy SE5: Sport, Leisure and Recreation and relevant standards. Green and Blue Infrastructure 9. Development must deliver a comprehensive and connected network of green and blue infrastructure which: a) Integrates watercourses, hedgerows, ecological features and areas of flood risk. b) Enhances biodiversity and ecological connectivity; and c) Reinforces local landscape character. 10. Development must: a) Maintain a strategic green gap to the north associated with the River Thame floodplain. b) Maintain a strategic green gap to the south to: c) Prevent coalescence with surrounding settlements including Bierton; and d) Protect the setting of the Bierton Conservation Area. e) Development must provide multifunctional green infrastructure, including: f) Public open space, including land for SuDS. g) Outdoor sports facilities. h) Walking and cycling routes. i) Allotments; and j) Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) and contributions to Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM), in accordance with Policies NE12 and NE13, and the Chilterns Beechwoods SAC Mitigation Strategy. Implementation, Phasing and Delivery 11. Development will only be permitted where it is supported by a comprehensive and coordinated masterplan and phasing strategy for the entire site, to be submitted to and approved by the Council prior to the determination of any planning application. 12. The masterplan and phasing strategy must: a) Demonstrate how development will be delivered in a coordinated and comprehensive manner across the site. b) Demonstrate coordinated and comprehensive delivery of off-site necessary infrastructure. c) Show how each phase integrates with the overall design and place-making principles. d) Identify the timing and provision of infrastructure necessary to support each phase. e) Include infrastructure delivery triggers and mechanisms, including use of planning obligations where necessary; and f) Demonstrate how piecemeal or uncoordinated development will be avoided. 13. The scale and timing of infrastructure provision must be informed by viability and deliverability considerations, to be agreed with the Council. Aylesbury NESS Site 003 6.4 Land identified on the Policies Map and Indicative Diagram as Aylesbury NESS Site 003 is allocated to deliver a strategic, mixed-use urban extension to Aylesbury. At approximately 529.7 hectares, the site represents one of the most significant growth opportunities in Buckinghamshire and will play a key role in meeting housing and infrastructure needs over the Plan period and beyond. 6.5 The allocation will deliver approximately 9,080 homes in total, of which around 3,650 are expected within the Plan period. Development will continue beyond the Plan period, reflecting the scale and long-term nature of the site, and will be considered in future plan-making. 6.6 There were no extant planning permissions for residential development on the site as of June 2026. Site Context and Key Characteristics 6.7 The site lies to the north-east of Aylesbury, between the A413 and A418, and adjoins the Watermead development. It is near the settlements of Hulcott and Bierton. The site is agricultural in character, comprising large arable fields with a relatively open structure, interspersed with hedgerows, watercourses and Public Rights of Way. 6.8 The River Thame forms a strong northern boundary and is a key environmental and landscape feature. Parts of the site are affected by fluvial and surface water flood risk, particularly within the river corridor and in lower-lying areas. These areas present both constraints and opportunities for the incorporation of green and blue infrastructure within the development. 6.9 The site sits within a low-lying clay vale landscape, characterised by open views and a gently undulating landform. It forms an important transition between the built-up area of Aylesbury and the surrounding rural landscape. The setting of nearby settlements, particularly Bierton, and the Bierton Conservation Area are sensitive considerations which will influence the form and disposition of development. 6.10 Existing infrastructure constraints, including utilities and strategic infrastructure corridors, will need to be carefully integrated into the design and layout of development. Opportunities also exist to re-use existing farm buildings where they contribute positively to local character and can be successfully incorporated. Development Strategy and Design Approach 6.11 The site will be developed as a comprehensively planned urban extension, with a strong emphasis on landscape-led design and high-quality place-making. Development will be required to respond positively to the site’s edge-of-settlement context and to create a series of well-connected neighbourhoods with a clear sense of identity. 6.12 Green and blue infrastructure will form a structuring element of the development, with watercourses, floodplain areas, hedgerows and other landscape features integrated into a multifunctional network. This approach will support biodiversity enhancement, recreation, climate resilience and flood risk management, whilst reinforcing local character. 6.13 Strategic green gaps will play an important role in the spatial framework of the site. Land to the north associated with the River Thame floodplain will remain undeveloped, while a further gap to the south will be maintained to prevent coalescence with Bierton and to protect its setting. These areas will also contribute to green infrastructure provision and visual separation. Infrastructure and Community Provision 6.14 Given the scale of development proposed, the site will be required to deliver a comprehensive range of supporting infrastructure and services to create a sustainable and self-contained community. 6.15 This will include the provision of new local centres, acting as accessible focal points for retail, community, cultural and service uses. These centres will serve the day-to-day needs of residents and reduce the need to travel. 6.16 Education provision will include four primary schools and one secondary school, with sites identified through the master planning process to ensure accessibility and integration with surrounding neighbourhoods. 6.17 Healthcare infrastructure, including primary care facilities, will be delivered in partnership with the Integrated Care Board. The scale, specification and timing of provision will be informed by ongoing engagement and updated evidence at the planning application stage. 6.18 Indoor and outdoor sport, recreation and play facilities will be provided across the site, contributing to health and wellbeing and aligned with local standards and policy requirements. 6.19 In addition to on-site provision, development will be expected to contribute towards off-site infrastructure where necessary, including healthcare, emergency services, and other strategic requirements, in accordance with relevant policies and evidence. Transport and Movement 6.20 The transport strategy for the site is therefore designed to support sustainable growth whilst addressing existing congestion issues within Aylesbury and the surrounding area. 6.21 A key element of this strategy is the delivery of the Northeast Aylesbury Link Road, which will provide a direct connection between the A413 and A418 and enable movement around the town. This will help to reduce pressure on the town centre and existing radial routes. 6.22 Development will also be required to promote sustainable travel patterns, including enhanced public transport provision and a comprehensive network of walking and cycling routes. These measures will support modal shift and reduce reliance on the private car. 6.23 Detailed transport assessments and modelling, to be agreed with the Council as the Highway Authority, will be required at the planning application stage to inform the design of the movement network and the identification of any necessary mitigation measures. Environmental Considerations and Mitigation 6.24 A site-specific, risk-based approach to flood risk will be required, informed by the most up-todate evidence, including the Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and subsequent detailed assessments. Development will be directed away from areas of highest flood risk, with these areas utilised as part of the green infrastructure network where appropriate. 6.25 Sustainable drainage systems will be integrated throughout the site to manage surface water, improve water quality and provide wider environmental benefits. 6.26 The site lies partly within the Zone of Influence of the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Development will therefore be required to deliver or contribute towards Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) and Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Measures (SAMM), in accordance with the Council’s mitigation strategy. 6.27 SANG is expected to be delivered on site where feasible, making use of existing landscape features and the wider green infrastructure network. Alternative or supplementary provision may be made through strategic SANG where appropriate. 6.28 Planning applications will need to be supported by sufficient information to enable the Council to undertake an Appropriate Assessment where required. Delivery, Masterplanning and Phasing 6.29 Given the scale, complexity and multiple ownerships of the site, a comprehensive and coordinated approach to delivery will be essential. 6.30 Development will be guided by a site-wide masterplan and phasing strategy, which will establish the overall spatial framework, land use distribution, infrastructure requirements and delivery sequence. 6.31 The masterplanning process will ensure that development is integrated across the site, with infrastructure provided in a timely manner to support each phase and to avoid piecemeal or uncoordinated development. 6.32 A design code will be required to secure high-quality and consistent design outcomes across all phases of development. This will be aligned with the Buckinghamshire Design Code and will guide the detailed form and appearance of development. 6.33 The delivery of the site, including housing trajectories and infrastructure provision, will be monitored through the Council’s monitoring framework to ensure that the development comes forward as anticipated and contributes effectively to the overall strategy of the Local Plan. Figure 7: Aylesbury NESS Concept Masterplan Figure 8: NESS Concept Masterplan Key