Homes & housing

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains why a new Local Plan is needed. Buckinghamshire became a single unitary council in April 2020, and this is the first plan to cover the whole county under one framework. The old district plans are increasingly out of date, and national policy has changed. National policy identifies a housing need of about 4,344 homes a year up to the end of March 2045. The county must balance this growth with protecting assets such as the Chilterns National Landscape and the Green Belt.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes the stage the Plan has reached. It is at the Regulation 19 stage of the formal plan-making process. Early engagement ran from 2021 to 2022, followed by consultation on the vision and objectives in 2023 and several Call for Sites exercises. Regulation 18 consultation on the draft plan took place in September and October 2025, with Regulation 19 consultation between July and September 2026. The Plan was submitted for independent examination in December 2026.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes the evidence base behind the Plan. A wide range of technical studies covers housing and employment needs, transport, infrastructure, climate change, sustainability, health and design. Key studies include the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) and the New and Expanded Settlement Study (NESS), which test whether promoted sites are suitable, available and achievable. Other evidence covers flood risk, water, renewable energy, retail and gypsy and traveller accommodation. A full list is on the Council's website.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the national and strategic context for the Plan. It has been prepared under the December 2024 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which requires plans to cover at least 15 years and to balance economic, social and environmental aims. Using the Government's standard method, Buckinghamshire's housing need is 4,344 homes a year, or about 91,230 homes over the plan period to 2045. The Council has worked with neighbouring authorities on cross-boundary issues and aligned the Plan with the Local Transport Plan.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers population and communities. Buckinghamshire has around 553,000 people, up 9.5% since 2011, which is faster than the 6.6% growth for England. Aylesbury and High Wycombe are the main urban centres, supported by market towns such as Amersham, Buckingham, Chesham and Marlow. The population is ageing, with residents aged 65 and over up 23.2% between 2011 and 2021. Life expectancy in the most deprived areas is about 5.4 years lower than in wealthier areas.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section opens the Development Strategy chapter with the plan's vision for 2050. It pictures South Warwickshire as a flourishing, healthy and vibrant place where new settlements thrive alongside existing communities, with homes and jobs in accessible, well-connected locations and a bigger, greener economy driving towards net zero carbon. The vision is backed by strategic objectives, beginning with delivering infrastructure in the right place at the right time and providing homes that meet the needs of all communities, including affordable and specialist housing.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section presents the plan's vision for 2050 and its ten strategic objectives. The objectives act as a golden thread running through the plan. They cover timely infrastructure, homes for all communities, jobs and a greener economy, effective use of land, net zero carbon, well-designed places, heritage and culture, health and wellbeing, better connections through walking, cycling and public transport, and protecting environmental assets while working towards environmental net gain.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers housing and affordability. Buckinghamshire has about 220,727 households, with around 71% owning their home. Average house prices were around £479,000 in April 2026, and in 2024 the affordability ratio was 11.6, meaning prices are over eleven times average earnings, among the least affordable in England and Wales. The standard method identifies a need of about 4,344 homes a year, around 91,230 homes to 2045. Meeting this while protecting the county's character is a major challenge.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section calculates how much development South Warwickshire needs. For employment, 321.1 hectares of non-strategic land and 225 hectares of strategic land are needed; after existing commitments, 233.7 and 125 hectares remain to be found. The Government's standard method sets housing need at 2,197 homes a year, or 54,925 over the 25-year plan period from 2025 to 2050, with 44,980 still to find after commitments. The plan must also provide 129 Gypsy and Traveller pitches and 20 Travelling Showpeople plots.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the overall Development Strategy, which directs large-scale growth to the most sustainable locations. Seven spatial options were narrowed through consultation to a hybrid strategy based on sustainable travel and the economy, and three priority areas were mapped using proximity to urban land, rail and bus stops, jobs and community needs. Growth broadly follows the A46 corridor and is focused on a small number of strategic sites and new settlements. Because many sustainable locations sit in the Green Belt, the plan carefully releases some Green Belt land.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out Objective 3, on new housing. It aims to meet housing needs for all groups, including affordable, accessible and specialist homes, key worker housing and self-build opportunities. The national standard method calculates a need of 4,344 new homes a year, about 91,230 homes over the plan period. The Plan must also meet an identified need of 681 pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and 38 plots for Travelling Showpeople.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the full policy and justification for meeting development needs to 2050. Provision is made for a minimum of 54,925 homes between 2025 and 2050, with a total identified supply of 57,610, a headroom of about 4.9%. It also provides 129 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, 20 Travelling Showpeople plots and 35 boat dweller moorings. Each district will maintain its own five-year housing land supply, based on 1,112 homes a year in Stratford-on-Avon and 1,085 in Warwick, with detailed year-by-year delivery trajectories for every allocated site.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the strategic policies in Chapter 5. These form the core of the Local Plan, setting the overall spatial strategy for the pattern, scale and quality of development, and how needs for housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental protection will be met. They provide for homes including affordable housing, economic development, community facilities and the conservation of the natural, built and historic environment, and form the basis for the more detailed policies in Chapter 7.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets out how the Council will apply the presumption in favour of sustainable development. It will take a positive approach, working with applicants to find solutions so proposals can be approved wherever possible. Applications that accord with the Local Plan should be approved without delay unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. Where relevant policies are absent or out of date, permission will be granted unless the harm would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under national policy.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains Buckinghamshire's housing need and how land will be provided. The Local Housing Needs Assessment (2026) identifies a need of 4,344 homes a year, or 91,230 homes over the 21-year plan period from 2024 to 2045, a 38% increase in the county's housing stock. Just over 21,500 homes are already committed through existing plans and permissions, leaving around 70,000 new homes still to be found. National policy also requires a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets the housing strategy. It provides for 91,287 new homes between 2024 and 2045, with a stepped requirement of 2,150 homes a year to 2029/30 and 5,222 a year from 2030/31. Growth is prioritised on brownfield land, where 107 allocations will provide 7,599 homes, and at 10 new and expanded settlements (NESS sites) including Aylesbury North, Winslow and Cheddington, each planned for up to 3,650 homes. Further greenfield sites are allocated according to a settlement hierarchy, with no allocations in the Green Belt.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy provides for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation. The identified need over the plan period is 681 pitches and 38 plots, of which 516 pitches and 30 plots are needed in the first 10 years. The Council will allocate 280 pitches and 14 plots towards this, through a mix of new sites and the intensification or expansion of existing sites, with further pitches on NESS sites in later years. Existing lawful sites are safeguarded, and delivery will be monitored with more sites identified if needed.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy allocates housing sites at local growth locations, each with an indicative minimum capacity and site-specific requirements. The extract covers Alcester and Barford: 286 homes south of Allimore Lane, avoiding Flood Zones 2 and 3; 79 homes north of Captains Hill on grey belt land (lower-performing Green Belt land that national policy may allow for development); 34 homes south of Westham Lane; and 122 homes east of Wellesbourne Road, where nearby minerals workings require a sensitive layout.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports low-carbon development and asks applicants to follow an energy hierarchy: cut energy demand first, supply energy efficiently, then use renewable sources. Schemes of 100 or more homes (50 or more in off-gas areas) and non-residential buildings of 1,000 sqm or more should assess district heating. Opportunity areas for wind, solar and battery storage are mapped, with tests on landscape, wildlife, heritage, amenity and road safety. It notes the Future Homes Standard from March 2027, cutting new homes' carbon emissions by around 75 to 80%.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all development to support residents' physical and mental health and reduce health inequalities. It lists what healthy places should provide, including safe and accessible spaces, quality affordable homes, local services, healthy food options, green space, active travel routes and access to jobs and education. The supporting text notes Buckinghamshire is one of England's least deprived areas, ranking 141 out of 153, but has pockets of deprivation in places such as Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Chesham. Six healthy planning themes underpin the approach.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports certain types of housing in the countryside, outside allocated sites and settlement boundaries. It allows rural exception affordable housing led by local communities, small self-build and custom-build schemes, and conversions of redundant brick or stone buildings that are listed or of historic merit. It also supports replacement dwellings, homes tied to agricultural or rural businesses where a functional need is proven, small expansions of existing mobile home and Traveller sites, and new single homes of exceptional quality and design.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section gives the full Rural Housing policy with its detailed conditions and justification. Before a historic building can become a home, evidence of robust marketing for business use is needed, and homes tied to rural businesses require a business plan, occupancy conditions and functional and financial tests. The justification notes that rural services have declined, public transport is poor or absent in many villages, and house prices are out of reach for many rural workers, so the plan aims to balance protecting the countryside with meeting local needs, including affordable housing.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the full densification policy and its reasoning. Major housing schemes in Main Urban Areas within 1km of a railway station must achieve at least 60 dwellings per hectare unless robustly justified otherwise, and schemes near stations elsewhere must show density has been optimised. Reusing redundant buildings, converting upper floors, infill plots and adding storeys are all supported. The policy also backs Advanced Methods of Construction, such as modular building, for their speed and sustainability, provided designs follow an agreed Design Code.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires electric vehicle charging infrastructure that exceeds national minimum standards. Delivery is prioritised in public car parks and in areas of terraced or social housing where home charging is not possible, with access for all tenures. Housing schemes with communal or unallocated parking must provide active charging points for at least 20% of unallocated spaces, with all remaining spaces wired for future connection. Non-residential developments with 10 or more spaces must provide charging appropriate to the use, going beyond Building Regulations requirements.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the electric vehicle infrastructure policy in full and its evidence. New public car parks near the strategic road network must include rapid or ultra-rapid chargers, well lit and clearly signed. The justification cites the national ban on new petrol and diesel car sales and a projection that electric vehicles will make up 75% of cars and vans locally by 2035, up from 2.64% in 2024. Requiring passive wiring in all communal spaces avoids costly retrofitting, and accessible charging bays must meet the PAS1899 standard.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy aims to reduce flood risk from new development. South Warwickshire has a history of flooding from many sources, and climate change is expected to make floods more frequent and severe. Recent canal failures elsewhere have also highlighted a residual risk of flooding from canals, which should be considered in Flood Risk Assessments where relevant. Flood risk should be avoided where possible and managed effectively where development is needed, using nature-based solutions and green and blue infrastructure. Assessments should follow the latest strategic evidence and advice from the Lead Local Flood Authority.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out water efficiency rules for new development. South Warwickshire is classed as an area of serious water stress, so new homes must be designed to use no more than 100 litres of water per person per day. Homes with gardens must have a water butt of at least 200 litres. Non-residential buildings over 1,000 square metres must meet the BREEAM Excellent water standard and assess options for reusing rainwater or greywater. Extensions, changes of use and farm irrigation reservoirs are also covered.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the individual policies for housing allocations of more than 200 homes, including mixed use sites. It explains that sites have been allocated in line with the settlement hierarchy and are grouped by the tier in which each settlement sits in the Settlement Review. The text here is a short fragment that leads into the tier listings that follow.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers around 225.5 hectares south of the A41 at Aylesbury, mainly Hampden Fields, for approximately 3,000 homes plus a sixty-bed care home or extra care facility. It includes about 6.90 hectares of employment land, two primary schools with pre-schools, a local centre, a health facility and 108.34 hectares of green infrastructure. A dualled Southern Link Road between the A413 and A41 is required, along with town-wide flood defences. Outline permission has been granted and work has started, with careful phasing needed across the merged sites.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation describes Kingsbrook, a 306.6-hectare urban extension east of Aylesbury delivering 2,460 homes, 10 hectares of employment land, two primary schools, land for a secondary school, a neighbourhood centre and a major wetland park. Outline permission was granted in 2013 and the site is built as three villages. As of March 2025, 1,922 homes were complete with 538 remaining, and the Eastern Link Road and Stocklake Link have been finished. The whole development is expected to be complete by 2028.