The Central & North Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee of Buckinghamshire Council met on Wednesday 09 September 2026 to discuss a planning application for outline permission for up to 36 dwellings on land off Barnett Way, Bierton. After extensive debate and consideration of updated national planning policy, the committee resolved to defer and delegate the decision to the Service Director of Planning and Environment for approval, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement and conditions.

Outline Planning Application for Land off Barnett Way, Bierton

The committee considered an outline planning application for up to 36 dwellings on land off Barnett Way, Bierton. The application, initially for 60 dwellings, had been revised to 36, with development now contained within a single pastoral field to the east of a mature hedgerow. This revision aimed to address concerns regarding landscape, heritage, and visual impacts.

Key Discussions and Concerns:

• Principle of Development and Policy Conflict: The site lies outside the defined development boundary in the Bierton Neighbourhood Plan and the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP). This creates a conflict with local planning policies. However, the Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply (currently 3.73 years) significantly influences the decision-making process, engaging the presumption in favour of sustainable development under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The revised NPPF, published on 17 August 2026, introduced new decision-making policies, with Officers concluding that the recommendation to approve remained unchanged. Policy S5 of the revised NPPF supports development outside settlements that addresses an evidenced unmet housing need, which this proposal does.
• Landscape and Visual Impact: The Council's Landscape Officer identified a permanent Major Adverse effect on the landscape character of the eastern parcel of the site and adverse visual effects on local residents and users of public rights of way. Despite amendments reducing the scale of development, significant negative weight was afforded to these harms.
• Heritage Impacts: The development was found to cause lower-end less-than-substantial harm to the setting of the Bierton Conservation Area and low-level harm to the setting of Barnett House, a non-designated heritage asset. There would also be the total loss of some ridge and furrow earthworks. While substantial weight was given to the conservation of heritage assets, as required by the NPPF, the public benefits of the development were considered to outweigh this harm.
• Infrastructure and Sustainability: Significant concerns were raised by councillors, the Parish Council, and residents regarding the strain on local infrastructure. These included:
  • Healthcare: Surgeries in Bierton are oversubscribed, and while a financial contribution was proposed, questions were raised about its adequacy and the feasibility of accessing alternative facilities like Mandeville Surgery.
  • Education: Bierton's primary school is oversubscribed, leading to children being bussed to schools outside the area.
  • Transport: Residents highlighted existing traffic issues on the A418 and concerns about increased congestion from the development, particularly given the narrowness of Barnett Way and the existing traffic calming measures. Public transport was described as infrequent.
  • Drainage: Concerns were raised about surface water runoff and potential flooding, with the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) initially having concerns, though ultimately raising no objection subject to conditions.
• Biodiversity and Ecology: The development is adjacent to the Bierton Pits SSSI. Natural England raised no objection, subject to conditions ensuring an ecological buffer and a Construction Environmental Management Plan. Concerns were also raised regarding great crested newts, reptiles, badgers, and the impact on hedgerows and woodland buffers, with conditions proposed to mitigate these.
• Agricultural Land: The development would result in the loss of approximately 1 hectare of Grade 2 (Best and Most Versatile) agricultural land. While this conflicts with policy, the applicant argued it was a small proportion of the wider area, supported by an appeal decision.
• Public Speaking: Councillor Julie Ward and Councillor Kathy Gibbon, representing the ward councillors, spoke against the application, highlighting policy conflicts and infrastructure concerns. John Sylvester, representing the Bierton Action Group, also spoke against the application, citing policy non-compliance and environmental harm. Robert Taylor, representing Bierton Lakes Ecology and Arts Club, spoke in favour of the application on the condition that the development was moved further west, expressing concerns about the impact on Bierton Lakes. Mr. Wishart, Seed, and Bennett, representing the applicant, Storey Homes, presented the case for the development, emphasising the revisions made to address concerns and the benefits of delivering much-needed housing.

Decision:

The committee resolved to defer and delegate the decision to the Service Director of Planning and Environment for approval, subject to:

• Satisfactory completion of a publicity period, during which the application would be publicised as a departure from the Development Plan.
• A suitable Section 106 agreement being agreed to secure various matters, including affordable housing (25%), education contributions, healthcare contributions, public open space, sports and recreation facilities, bus service contributions, and badger mitigation.
• The imposition of numerous planning conditions covering matters such as reserved matters submissions, energy strategy, arboricultural protection, construction management, contamination, drainage, archaeology, biodiversity net gain, and lighting.

If these conditions and the S106 agreement were not satisfactorily achieved, the application would be refused. The decision was carried by five votes to five, with the Chairman's casting vote in favour of approval.