High-quality homes for local people near Buckingham

The site is located east of Buckingham in Bourton. The site is bordered by the A413 and Badgers estate to the west, the A421 and farmland to the south, and a solar farm to the east.

Suitably situated in a sustainable location on the edge of Buckingham, the site benefits from a range of amenities within walking distance, including several schools, two leisure centres, as well as a range of supermarkets and other retail outlets on London Road.

Bloor Homes is bringing forward proposals for around 200 high quality homes to help meet Buckinghamshire Council meet the identified local housing need. Following extensive consultation with the local community, Bloor Homes intends to submit an outline planning application to the Council in October 2024, with determination anticipated in early 2025.

An outline application is used to determine whether the principle of a development is acceptable. As such, it is less detailed than a full planning application, with specific details know as ‘reserved matters’ such as appearance, materials and exact layout and scale being considered as part of a future application.

Outline planning permission is subject to the condition that reserved matters are approved before works can commence on site. While illustrative design will be shown as part of the consultation and application process, fixed detailed design will therefore come forward as part of future reserved matters applications and will be the subject of further public consultation.

Buckingham is identified in the Local Plan as one of the most sustainable settlements and a preferred location for meeting the need for new homes. The site is free of major constraints and within close proximity to a range of existing amenities within walking and cycling distance, reducing car dependency. This includes an existing café, farm shop and restaurant on site, which will remain open to the wider community enabling linked trips and increased patronage. Wider land is also available in this location providing an opportunity to create a well landscaped and attractive development and deliver new countryside access and wildlife areas.

Bloor was established in 1969 when John Bloor founded the company and built its first home. Every possible detail was taken into consideration to create a beautiful home. The same is still true today. More than fifty years later, it is one of the largest privately owned house-building groups in the UK.

Bloor gives as much careful consideration to its locations and the surrounding environment of its sites as it does to the new community it ultimately creates. Its ethos is to make every effort to conserve the natural balance of each location, including heritage conservation, the conservation of wildlife, and the preservation of natural features.

Bloor Homes is adopting a proactive approach to sustainability, committing to bringing forward the proposals for Manor Farm in line with the Government’s Future Homes Standard. From an already impressive standard, the Future Homes Standard will deliver a 75-80% improvement in energy performance and a more sustainable environment for all, with no fossil fuels used to provide heating and hot water.

Bloor Homes is committed to working with Buckinghamshire Council to deliver the right types of homes in order to meet local demand, with a combination of affordable and market housing included within the proposals. Policy compliant affordable housing provisions of at least 25% of the new homes on site will be made available through a range of affordable tenure types, providing support for those otherwise unable to get onto the housing ladder.

While adhering to a clear design code for the entire site, the proposals will include the provision of land for custom/self-build homes.

Primary vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access will be located to the north of the site off Bourton Road, with links to existing pedestrian and cycle routes to Lace Hill and Buckingham town centre.

A toucan crossing on the A413 will also help to provide safe and convenient access to existing schools, retail and leisure facilities, as well as wider public transport services.

Initial assessment undertaken suggests that there is sufficient highways capacity to accommodate the number of new homes proposed and the proposals are not expected to have a material impact on local traffic flows. We will continue to work with Buckinghamshire Council to ensure the proposals are acceptable in terms of highways and access.

The Outline planning application submitted to Buckinghamshire in September will seek to establish the principle of development of the site and agree the proposed access off Bourton Road.

Further details around design, such as the exact number of new homes, materials and house sizes will form part of a future Reserved Matters planning application. Nevertheless, Bloor Homes is committed to ensuring that the scale, density and design of the proposed development will be sensitive to the surrounding area and make the best use of the land available without compromising on quality.

The exact number of car parking spaces will be determined during a future Reserved Matters application once the finalised housing mix is known. Nevertheless, the planning process will consider not only housing need but also associated parking provision, and Bloor Homes is committed to working closely with Buckinghamshire Council to ensure a parking provision in line with adopted standards.

Given the site’s historic use as agricultural land, the proposals will have minimal impact on the landscape. The proposals have nevertheless been designed to be ecological sensitive, with a commitment to retaining and enhancing key landscape features, as well as the creation of new ecological habitats to enhance biodiversity and enhance the character of the area. The proposed duck pond will also serve as a haven for local wildlife while provision an attractive gateway feature into the development.

The proposals will see a considerable increase in biodiversity, with a net gain of at least 10%, supporting ecologically valuable habitats.

While the number of homes proposed is not sufficient to warrant significant dedicated infrastructure provision on site, the proposals include the provision of a nursery and pre-school on site for use by both the growing number of existing young families in the area and those moving to the development.

Bloor Homes is committed to working with Buckinghamshire Council and the local Integrated Care Board to ensure the proposals are compliant with existing capacity.

As part of the planning process, applicants are typically required to provide monetary contributions through Section 106 contributions and the Community Infrastructure Levy, used towards local infrastructure such as school places, road improvements and healthcare provision.

In addition to high quality new homes, the proposals include ample amenity space which will be accessible for both new and existing residents. This includes extensive open green space equating to around a third of the site, equipped play areas for children and a duck pond to serve as an attractive gateway feature into the development while helping to support local wildlife.