Local Government and Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will determine the result of a public inquiry over a planning appeal in Winslow.
Gladman Developments’ application to build 211 homes on land at Glebe Farm, off Verney Road, was turned down by Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC).
After Gladman appealed, a four-day public inquiry is scheduled to start at 10am on Tuesday, March 18, at AVDC’s Gateway offices.
Now Secretary of State Mr Pickles has ‘called in’ the inquiry, meaning he himself will make the final decision on the matter.
The inquiry will go ahead as planned but, instead of the planning inspector making a decision, his or her report and recommendation will be forwarded to Mr Pickles for the final verdict.
The Glebe Farm proposal is for land not earmarked for development in the draft Winslow Neighbourhood Plan, which instead allows provision for housing development in other parts of the town.
Winslow Neighbourhood Plan committee member Roy van de Poll said next week’s inquiry can be seen as a landmark case, pitting an advanced neighbourhood plan, with its significant planning weight, against a situation where there is no current up-to-date local plan, following the failure of the Vale of Aylesbury Plan.
Neighbourhood plan committee chairman Llew Monger urged local residents to attend at the start of the inquiry and exercise their right to speak.