The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers planning for town centres. Aylesbury and High Wycombe are centres of regional importance, supported by smaller centres across the county. The Plan identifies a need for 59,000 sqm of floorspace for retail, food and drink, and leisure and cultural uses by 2035. The first focus is bringing vacant units back into use; cutting vacancy rates to 10% would provide 14,300 sqm. Longer term, most new floorspace will come through large mixed-use allocations linked to population growth.
Town centres & shops
High streets, town centres, shops, markets, food and drink, and leisure uses.
43 sections of the plan, in document order.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets out retail and leisure provision. It makes provision for 59,210 sqm of floorspace for retail, food and drink, and leisure and cultural uses by 2035. Needs are met first through sites already built or with permission, then by reducing town centre vacancy rates to 10%, which can provide at least 14,300 sqm, mainly in High Wycombe and Aylesbury. The Plan also allocates around 10,100 sqm of new retail space, and large development sites must provide local centres for day-to-day needs.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports town centre regeneration, particularly in Aylesbury, Chesham and High Wycombe, by directing development to brownfield sites within town centres. Proposals on key sites must take a comprehensive, design-led approach that supports the Buckinghamshire Regeneration Framework, provides business space, delivers high-quality public realm and enhances heritage. Losing or reconfiguring public car parks requires evidence of parking demand and suitable alternatives. Proposals for main town centre uses outside defined centres must pass a sequential test, which checks town centre sites first.
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 Aylesbury as Buckinghamshire's principal town centre, identified as a sub-regional centre for development, regeneration and investment. Proposals should deliver a balanced mix of retail, leisure, culture, employment, community and residential uses, make efficient use of underused sites, contribute financially to improving Aylesbury Bus Station capacity, and protect heritage including the historic core and Market Square. Key opportunity areas include Friars Square, Hale Leys, the old and new County Offices, Waterside North and the Exchange Street car park.
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 policy supports the regeneration of Chesham town centre as a local hub for independent and creative retail, urban living and community activity. Development should deliver a mix of uses, intensify underused sites, conserve heritage including the historic High Street, maintain the attractive traffic-free high street, improve access to Chesham Underground station, and strengthen links to Lowndes Park. Key opportunity areas include Star Yard Car Park, UK House and sites adjoining the town centre.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the arts and culture policy. It applies the agent of change principle, meaning whoever introduces new development near an existing venue is responsible for managing its impact on that venue. Arts and cultural facilities include performing and visual arts studios, creative workspaces, museums, theatres, cinemas and music venues. The plan notes that arts and culture are important to the local economy and identity, and supports temporary use of empty buildings for pop-up exhibitions and performances.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers The Gateway, a 20.6-hectare brownfield site in Aylesbury currently occupied by Council offices and surface car parking, a twenty-minute walk from the train station. It is allocated for 4,000 sqm of town centre and office floorspace plus an assumed 1,455 homes, with new public spaces and potentially fewer parking spaces. Development should bring culture and leisure-led uses, landmark buildings designed to soften the impact of height, active ground-floor frontages and better pedestrian links towards the town centre. An early masterplan is required.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers the Exchange Street car park in Aylesbury town centre for a mixed development of 2,000 sqm of town centre uses, 2,000 sqm of offices, around 450 homes, new public realm and 150 parking spaces. The site has been a surface car park since around 2010 and sits next to Hale Leys Shopping Centre and The Exchange leisure quarter. Development must enhance the setting of listed buildings in Market Square and the Aylesbury Conservation Area, keep the mature horse chestnut trees on Exchange Street, and improve pedestrian links across the town centre.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers the Royal Mail delivery office site, just over one hectare next to Aylesbury town centre, for an assumed 80 homes and 420 sqm of town centre retail. New buildings should match neighbouring heights and follow a design brief reflecting the local area. Access would be from a single upgraded junction off Upper Hundreds Way, with a new at-grade pedestrian crossing near the existing subway. Because of past uses, a contamination investigation is required, along with ecological assessments for birds and bats and a noise assessment.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers Hale Leys Shopping Centre, a 0.6-hectare site in the heart of Aylesbury town centre, for a mixed development of 4,821 sqm of employment space, 4,821 sqm of retail and an assumed 220 homes. Ground floors should stay in retail use with apartments above. Development must provide active frontages towards Market Square and the High Street, enhance the setting of nearby listed buildings and the conservation area, and follow a design brief consistent with Aylesbury Garden Town principles. Keeping retail on the site is seen as vital for a vibrant town centre.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains how the employment site protection policy works in practice. Marketing must run for at least 12 months, followed by a further 6 months at a lower price if no interest emerges. Decisions on changes of use will consider alternative employment sites nearby, effects on neighbouring uses and town centres, and demand for other non-residential uses. The policy is informed by the South Warwickshire Affordable Business Study (2026) and follows national policy on supporting economic growth.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation sets out plans for an assumed 375 homes and up to 7,000 square metres of employment space at Sword House and 11 Duke Street in High Wycombe town centre. The 0.86 hectare site includes the Totteridge Road car park and sits a few minutes from the railway station. Sword House would be kept for employment use, mature boundary trees retained, and any lost public parking spaces replaced unless shown to be no longer needed. Better walking and cycling routes to the station are also required.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation supports redeveloping the Easton Street multi-storey car park in High Wycombe for an assumed 160 homes with around 660 square metres of shops or other commercial uses at ground level. The 0.33 hectare site is next to the railway station, so a high-density scheme with fewer parking spaces is expected. The existing parking has been shown to be surplus and does not need replacing. Flood risk is a major constraint, so bedrooms and living spaces should be on the first floor or above.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the town centre policies. Town centres serve local communities, support economic growth and act as focal points for retail, commercial, cultural, leisure, community and civic life. Changing habits, including the growth of internet shopping and the effects of the Covid pandemic, are reshaping high streets. The plan therefore aims for a flexible framework that keeps town centres vital and viable, encourages a wider mix of uses and improves the quality of the public realm.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy promotes the vitality of town centres and their Primary Shopping Areas, the defined retail cores shown on the Policies Map. Within these areas, employment land cannot change to non-employment uses unless shown to be unviable, ground floor retail units are restricted to commercial uses, and housing is only permitted on upper floors. New town centre uses must suit the centre's scale and character. Edge-of-centre and then out-of-centre sites are only considered when no suitable central site exists, with impact evidence required for proposals over 280 square metres.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains how the town centre policy will be applied. In the main urban centres, at least 50% of units in Primary Shopping Areas should remain in retail use. It sets out the hierarchy of centres, with Leamington Spa and Stratford the most significant, Warwick and Kenilworth serving more local needs, and smaller rural towns such as Alcester and Southam acting as Local Centres. Evidence shows a need for 7.1 hectares of office land, about 57,900 square metres, up to 2050, to be met mainly through conversions rather than new site allocations.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation sets out a mixed redevelopment of the Chilterns Shopping Centre at Frogmoor, High Wycombe, with an assumed 300 homes above flexible shops and commercial space at ground level. Flooding is the main constraint: 91% of the 1.06 hectare site is in the highest risk flood zone, so off-site flood storage would be needed and no building is allowed in those areas. The site is in a conservation area, and Grade II listed buildings must be kept and enhanced.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the protection given to homes in town centres. Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick both have large numbers of houses and apartments within their town centre boundaries, which add diversity and vitality but create pressure where different uses sit side by side. Uses such as small offices, dental surgeries and children's nurseries may be acceptable in these residential areas, provided the residential character and appearance of the building and area are not altered. The council will also consider the cumulative effect of such changes.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects the predominantly residential areas within the town centres of Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick, as defined on the Policies Map. Within these areas, a change of use from residential to non-residential will only be permitted where the proposed use maintains the residential character of the area. It sits alongside the wider town centre policies that encourage people to live in and around town centres.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section opens the Communities chapter of the plan and begins with housing mix. It explains that building the right number of homes is not enough: new homes must also meet the diverse needs of current and future residents. That means providing the right sizes of homes, the right split between market and affordable housing, and homes large enough to offer good living conditions.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets a preferred mix of home sizes for new development, using percentage ranges for affordable rented, affordable ownership and market homes. For example, 2-bed homes should make up 35-45% of affordable rented housing and 25-30% of market housing, while 1-bed homes are capped at 10% or less for affordable ownership. The stated person capacities, such as four people in a 2-bed home, are mandatory for affordable homes and recommended for market homes. Ranges give flexibility, and applicants are advised to start from the midpoint.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the evidence behind the housing size mix policy. The Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2026 recommended different size mixes for market housing, rented affordable housing and affordable home ownership, and these are reflected in the policy. Rented affordable homes are allocated by need under bedroom entitlement rules, so bedrooms should be doubles or twins wherever possible. Because buyers often choose larger homes than they need, 1-bed affordable ownership homes can be hard to sell, so the policy allows up to 10% rather than setting a fixed figure.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the affordable tenure choices. Evidence found a need for 60% Social Rent, 20% Affordable Rent and 20% affordable home ownership, but the councils prioritised Social Rent because Affordable Rent is less affordable and can leave households relying on housing benefit. Shared Ownership was raised to 40% to help viability, and is seen as the most suitable ownership tenure locally as buyers can now purchase as little as 10% equity. Discounted Market Sale was found to need at least a 40% discount to be affordable here, and single-level homes respond to the ageing population.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation proposes an assumed 240 homes at Star Yard, one of the main car parks serving Chesham town centre. The 0.59 hectare site has the culverted River Chess running beneath it and sits within Flood Zone 2. Public parking must be kept on site or replaced nearby unless evidence shows less is needed, and pedestrian routes to the High Street retained. Because the site is near the Chilterns Beechwoods protected area, permission will not be granted until green space and visitor management mitigation is in place.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation supports an assumed 30 homes at Albany Place Car Park in central Chesham. The 0.35 hectare site includes the 330-seat Elgiva Theatre, which must be re-provided in a suitable town centre location, and seventy-one parking spaces that must be replaced unless shown to be unnecessary. Flood risk is significant, with off-site flood storage required and no housing allowed in the highest risk zone. Permission also depends on mitigation being in place for the nearby Chilterns Beechwoods protected area.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation proposes an assumed 55 homes at Water Meadow Car Park, one of Chesham's main long-stay town centre car parks. Public parking must be kept on site or replaced centrally unless evidence shows fewer spaces are needed, and existing walking routes retained. The site is in the Chesham Conservation Area, so designs must protect its character. Contributions towards Lowndes Park open space and play areas are required, along with flood risk measures and mitigation for the Chilterns Beechwoods protected area.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the Build to Rent policy. Build to Rent is purpose-built housing that is typically 100% rented out, usually with tenancies of three years or more and professional management. The affordable units must be Affordable Private Rent, discounted by at least 20% against local market rent including service charges, and kept under the same ownership and management as the market homes. The councils will avoid excessive concentrations of Build to Rent in one location, and the evidence supported broad backing for the tenure rather than setting a fixed target.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation supports employment development in the High Wycombe Central Business Centre, at the heart of the town centre near the railway station. It seeks approximately 0.4 hectares of high-quality business floorspace, including offices and research and development, with around 1 hectare of new business space identified as a wider regeneration opportunity. Small-scale community and town centre uses are also supported where they add jobs and footfall without reducing the employment space delivered.