Planning application seeks to address need for more affordable housing in Bucks
Buckinghamshire Council has submitted an outline planning application seeking to build up to 100 new homes on council owned land at the site of the former Buckinghamshire County Council Sports and Social Club in Stoke Mandeville.
The club closed in 2017 and the site has since remained empty. In a bid to redevelop the site in a practical and resourceful way, the planning application will include at least 30% affordable housing, a greater percentage than the statutory requirement imposed on new development sites.
In addition to the new housing, the proposed scheme also provides green open space for leisure and informal sports facilities, a central garden square with children’s play facilities, a new road that links Booker Park School with Lower Road and much improved access onto Lower Road.
John Chilver, Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources explained: “This site has never been open to the public. Since the sports and social club closed in 2017 it has lain empty. We are proposing a new development which will transform this disused and defunct land into an attractive and multi-functional space which will benefit the whole community.
John continued: “Not only will the new housing provide much needed new homes on a brownfield site, at least one third will be allocated for affordable housing which is over and above the usual requirements for a site like this. The proposed development has been designed to provide local residents with a new open space and improved road access.”
The outline planning application will go before the council’s Strategic Sites Planning Committee for decision. Although the application is being submitted by Buckinghamshire Council, it is still subject to the same level of scrutiny and will be determined in accordance with all relevant planning regulations and requirements in the same way as any other application. Stakeholders and local people will be able to feed in views on the plans as part of this process.
John Chilver continued: “As a council we are committed to supporting our communities, ensuring there is enough affordable housing here in Bucks for our residents. We also want to protect our environment and would prefer to develop existing council owned sites where possible, rather than build new homes on greenfield sites. This proposed application seeks to do just that and will now be subject to the usual scrutiny and decision making as part of the planning process.”
Buckinghamshire Council carried out a consultation with the local community earlier this year prior to submitting the outline planning application.