Last week it was reported that at our recent Full Council meeting, we agreed to take the Buckingham Neighbourhood Development Plan into its next phase of consultation.
Why should this interest you?
Well the BNDP is a document of how we see our town growing in the next 17 years (until 2031), showing areas on maps where WE would place more employment, sports, leisure facilities, education, open spaces, transport, communication and most importantly new homes.
Just because a developer bought a field years ago, that doesn’t justify putting a large estate on it, they don’t have local knowledge on how our roads are used, they don’t live here, don’t work here and often don’t know where “here” even is (according to Windsor Park in Buckingham and Buckingham Park in Aylesbury…say no more!).
Even though the whole process takes a long time, if/when adopted by AVDC our Plan will have the same legal status as AVDC’s Local Plan in determining planning applications, so finally we will have a voice which is something I’m looking forward to.
I can’t explain how frustrating it is to listen to developers’ ideas at a Town Council meeting, then get asked for our feedback, to then hear weeks later they took nothing on board and are doing it their way anyway, why waste our time?
With that in mind, the Town Council will be hosting drop-in sessions and events throughout the next five weeks; so keep an eye on our website: www.buckingham-tc.gov.uk and hopefully our very fine local newspaper will help us advertise events too.
Dates for your diary
Consultation events with Town Council officials and Councillors
Saturday, 26th July, 9am-1pm – Council Chamber
Saturday 2nd August , 9am-1pm – Market Stall
Saturday 9th August, 9am -1pm – Market Stall
Watch out for our additional “pop-up” events at the markets.