Infrastructure & utilities

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy seeks at least 40% affordable housing on all development creating one or more extra homes, split 70% for rent and 30% for affordable home ownership. Major schemes in the Green Belt (10 or more homes, or 0.5 hectares or more) must provide at least 50%. Small sites of one to nine homes may pay a financial contribution instead. Affordable homes must look the same as market homes and be spread across a site. Most types are allocated to people with a local connection, and First Homes carry a permanent discount of at least 30%.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy addresses accommodation for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. The council's 2025 assessment identifies a need for 37 pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and 6 plots for Travelling Showpeople who meet the national planning definition, plus further need from households whose status is undetermined. Applications will be judged against criteria covering flood risk, impact on wildlife, heritage, landscape and Green Belt openness, access to services and the road network, site design and servicing, and the scale of the site relative to the settled community. Existing sites are safeguarded while a need remains.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section contains the full Policy DS.4 and its justification. Every New Settlement and Strategic Growth Location must agree a masterplan with the council before any planning application, deliver roads, schools, healthcare and utilities early with clear trigger points, and secure developer contributions through legal agreements. Sites must create walkable 20-minute neighbourhoods, provide affordable housing and deliver Gypsy and Traveller pitches before a set share of market homes are occupied. New settlements will deliver at least 4,000 homes, and delivery will be overseen by boards, site delivery officers and community champions, with long-term stewardship of community assets.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the purpose of the strategy for economic growth. It aims to support a resilient, sustainable and competitive economy by ensuring enough land is available in the right locations to meet employment needs. It seeks to grow high-value, high-productivity sectors by identifying and protecting well-connected strategic employment sites, in line with the Buckinghamshire Economic Growth Plan, and to support the regeneration of town centres as economic hubs.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets the strategy for economic growth. The Plan must allocate at least 219 hectares of employment land to 2045, and after committed sites are counted, about 147 hectares of additional land is allocated. Major locations include expansion at Westcott Venture Park and new employment land at the Winslow, Buckingham and Turweston new settlements, plus town centre sites in Aylesbury and High Wycombe. Research and development floorspace is strongly supported, and no new employment development is allowed in the highest flood risk zone (Flood Zone 3b).

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy allows renewable and low carbon energy schemes, including micro-renewables such as small wind turbines, micro-hydro and solar panels, and decentralised energy like combined heat and power. Support depends on an assessment of impacts on residential and workplace amenity, visual and landscape character, air and water quality, the natural, built and historic environment, biodiversity, public access to the countryside, and the openness of the Green Belt. The council will consider both individual and cumulative impacts of such applications.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all new homes to be net zero in operation. Dwellings must achieve at least a 63% improvement on the 2021 Building Regulations target emissions rate through energy efficiency, with fabric improvements from 12% for end terraces to 24% for flats. Meeting absolute targets of 35 kWh per square metre a year total energy, and 15 for space heating, earns positive weight. Fossil fuels and gas connections are ruled out except in exceptional cases, and on-site renewables must match predicted energy use, with offset payments a last resort. Larger schemes report energy data for five years.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy allocates sites for mixed-use, leisure, community and town centre purposes. The extract covers Tachbrook Country Park at Bishop's Tachbrook, a multifunctional green space on land next to the Tach Brook. The park will provide a green buffer between the village and new housing off Harbury Lane, promote ecology and habitat diversity, potentially help with flood alleviation, and offer a well-connected park for walking, cycling and informal leisure as part of a wider green corridor.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports the regeneration of High Wycombe town centre as a major economic, cultural and transport hub. Development should strengthen the town's role as a competitive regional centre, deliver a diverse mix of uses, intensify underused or vacant sites, conserve heritage including the historic High Street, and prioritise walking, cycling and public transport, with better access to the railway station. Key opportunity areas include the Western and Eastern quarters, Cressex Industrial Estate and Cressex Island, and the Riverside and Rye Park corridor.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the purpose of the infrastructure policy: making sure new development is backed by coordinated, resilient transport, telecoms, utilities and waste facilities. It sets out how the policy will work in practice through the detailed rules in Chapter 7, which cover things like transport requirements, parking, public rights of way, water and telecoms infrastructure, plus wider policies on design, biodiversity, flooding and drainage.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy aims to make sure transport, telecoms, utilities and waste infrastructure is delivered to support planned growth. Priorities include a transport network that puts walking, cycling and public transport first, gigabit-capable broadband, water and energy networks, and waste facilities that support a circular economy. Developments must show there is enough infrastructure capacity, be phased so infrastructure arrives alongside or before homes, and avoid unacceptable knock-on effects. Land needed for strategic routes and networks will be protected from other development.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the purpose of the renewable energy policy: supporting the move to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future through energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and careful use of natural resources. It describes how delivery will be supported by the detailed Chapter 7 policies on matters such as water, flooding, biodiversity, landscape, Green Belt, design and heritage, so that renewable energy schemes are well located and protect Buckinghamshire's environment.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the purpose of the community facilities policy: making sure communities can reach the services, facilities and social infrastructure they need. It describes how the policy will be delivered through the detailed Chapter 7 rules on infrastructure delivery, health impact assessment, community, sport and leisure facilities, food growing and fast food outlets, alongside wider policies on design, transport, biodiversity and flooding, so facilities are accessible and support healthy, inclusive communities.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires communities to have access to health, education, and social, cultural and community facilities, from GP surgeries to schools, libraries and meeting spaces. Major developments must show how they support healthy, inclusive communities and provide new or improved facilities on site or through financial contributions. Existing facilities are protected: they can only be lost if equivalent or better provision is made, or the facility is shown to be no longer needed or viable. Locating services together, especially in town centres, is supported.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the purpose of the natural environment policy: conserving and enhancing Buckinghamshire's biodiversity, landscapes, water and green spaces while strengthening resilience to climate change. It sets out how delivery will run through the detailed Chapter 7 policies on matters such as water quality, biodiversity gain, green infrastructure, trees, protected sites, Green Belt, landscape character, flood risk and drainage.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires qualifying development to deliver at least 10% measurable biodiversity net gain, meaning the site must be left better for nature than before, measured with the Government's statutory metric. Gains should be delivered on site first, then off site, with buying statutory credits a last resort, secured by monitoring plans lasting at least 30 years. Protection of wildlife sites is weighted by importance, from international down to local, and loss of irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodland will normally be refused. New housing must provide on average at least one swift brick per dwelling for nesting birds.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the purpose of the healthy communities policy: promoting healthy, inclusive and safe places and helping to reduce health inequalities across Buckinghamshire. It describes how delivery will work through the detailed Chapter 7 policies on health impact assessment, community and sports facilities, food growing and fast food outlets, plus wider rules on design, transport, green infrastructure and environmental quality.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers a 529.7-hectare site north of Aylesbury for around 9,080 homes, with 3,650 delivered in the plan period, plus 15 Gypsy and Traveller pitches and 3,500 sqm of town centre uses. It requires four primary schools, a secondary school, healthcare facilities and the Northeast Aylesbury Link Road connecting the A413 and A418. Development must avoid the highest flood risk areas near the River Thame, keep green gaps to prevent merging with Bierton, and follow a site-wide masterplan and phasing strategy.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy seeks a net gain in the quality and quantity of green and blue infrastructure, the network of green spaces, waterways and natural features across the district. Priorities include the chalk streams and corridors of the Rivers Chess, Colne and Gade, the Grand Union Canal, the Chilterns National Landscape, the Colne Valley Regional Park and Rickmansworth Aquadrome. New development must contribute to new and improved green space and better links between assets, with management and maintenance plans required. Public rights of way should be protected, ideally with 20 metre buffers, and development must not fragment the network.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy safeguards existing open spaces, sports facilities, allotments and children's play areas. These can only be lost in exceptional cases, such as where equivalent or better replacement is provided nearby or an assessment shows no shortage would result. New or improved sport and recreation facilities are supported where a need is shown, with shared community use encouraged. Developments of 25 or more homes, or sites of 0.6 hectares or more, should normally provide open space and play space on site, unless existing open space lies within 300 metres or play space within 720 metres.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation sets out a 342.1-hectare site next to Cheddington, near Leighton Buzzard, for a minimum of 5,090 homes, with 3,650 expected in the plan period, plus 12 Gypsy and Traveller pitches and 3,500 sqm of town centre uses. Requirements include three primary schools, a secondary school, the Horton Bypass and a new railway bridge at Station Road. Development must protect the setting of Mentmore Towers and the Grand Union Canal, reuse the former railway line as a green corridor, and follow a site-wide masterplan.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers a 293.6-hectare site adjoining Haddenham for a minimum of 6,610 homes, with around 3,545 in the plan period, plus 7 Gypsy and Traveller pitches and 3,500 sqm of town centre uses. It requires three primary schools, a secondary school, improved access to Haddenham and Thame Parkway station and better bus services. Development must integrate Snakemoor Nature Reserve, protect Haddenham Conservation Area, and manage odour and other impacts from the nearby wastewater treatment works. A site-wide masterplan is required.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy manages flood risk and water use. Development in flood risk areas must pass national tests that steer building to the safest available land, and no new development is allowed in Flood Zone 3b, the functional floodplain. Floor levels in Flood Zones 2 and 3 must sit at least 300mm above predicted maximum flood levels, and major schemes need sustainable drainage limiting runoff to greenfield rates. Buildings must stay 10 metres from main rivers and 5 metres from other watercourses. As the district is seriously water stressed, new homes must use no more than 110 litres per person per day.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation sets out a 217.5-hectare site south-west of Buckingham for a minimum of 4,700 homes, with around 2,235 in the plan period, plus 10 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, about 1.7 hectares of employment land and around 2,000 sqm of town centre uses. It requires three primary schools, a secondary school and the Buckingham South Spine Road linking the A413 to the A421. Development must protect the setting of Gawcott Conservation Area with a green buffer, manage flood risk around the River Great Ouse and Padbury Brook, and follow a site-wide masterplan.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers a 177.2-hectare urban extension to Princes Risborough delivering up to 2,895 homes within the plan period, plus 11 Gypsy and Traveller pitches and a local centre with 300 to 400 sqm of shops and around 500 sqm of business space. A central requirement is the Princes Risborough Relief Road, a complete new alternative route to the A4010. The site must also provide two primary schools, contributions to secondary education, a green corridor along the Crowbrook, and keep a gap between the town and Longwick.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires new development to provide waste and recycling facilities in line with the council's 2024 storage and collection guidance, sited so they are easy to access and do not harm the street scene or block sight lines. Development should reduce waste by reusing materials, enabling on-site sorting, using modern construction methods such as prefabricated and modular building, and providing proper storage for kerbside collection and composting. Major schemes must submit a Site Waste Management Plan including a Circular Economy Statement, and developers should consider extracting usable minerals from a site before building.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation sets out a 103.2-hectare site south of Stoke Mandeville for a minimum of 1,650 homes within the plan period, plus around 1,500 sqm of town centre uses. Higher densities are focused near the railway station, which will be enhanced as a transport hub with a new pedestrian and cycle crossing of the railway. Requirements include a primary school, the South Spine Road, buffers along the HS2 corridor, protection of the setting of Stoke House, and a site-wide masterplan and phasing strategy.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy controls lorry traffic in the Vale of Evesham Control Zone. Business proposals that would increase heavy goods vehicle traffic by 5% or more must show that the economic benefits outweigh the traffic impact, that the development cannot go on a site with better access to the county's lorry route network, and that the proposed delivery routes are the least harmful to local communities. An HGV is defined as a lorry over 7.5 tonnes, and permissions will cap the number of lorry movements through conditions or legal agreements that bind future occupiers.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the background to the Vale of Evesham Control Zone. The policy is carried over from the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy with the county council's support, and similar designations exist in neighbouring South Worcestershire and Cotswold district plans, though Wychavon proposes to drop it. The 5% threshold has proved appropriate because small schemes have little effect on lorry movements. Larger increases are only acceptable where benefits, such as gains for the local economy, outweigh the traffic impact.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section opens the chapter on delivering infrastructure. During consultation, residents consistently raised concerns that existing infrastructure lacks capacity and that new development would make things worse. The plan therefore requires housing and employment growth to be supported by the infrastructure needed to serve it, including roads, schools, health services and community facilities, with development contributing to that provision.