Buckinghamshire Local Plan Watch - Spring 2024

Positive steps have occurred in both Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire. Milton Keynes have released their emerging growth options, with the Draft New City Plan consultation expected in Summer 2024. Similarly, Buckinghamshire have outlined their emerging growth scenarios that will guide plan-making in the County and develop the draft Strategy, scheduled for Quarter 3/4 of 2024.

Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) are progressing with the technical evidence base to underpin the draft MK City Plan 2050. At the Planning Cabinet Advisory meeting held in February 2024, MKCC presented the Emerging Growth Options for the plan to Members. At the meeting, Members were presented with the emerging preferred growth options that would deliver an additional circa 33,000 homes by 2050. 14 broad areas for development have been identified, with the preferred options for development being Central Milton Keynes (CMK), Bletchley, brownfield redevelopment and the Southern, Eastern and Western Expansion Area(s) continuation. Interestingly within CMK, potential for circa 15,500 homes has been indicated.

Continued engagement and outstanding technical work will be considered before the preferred spatial strategy for the MK City Plan is finalised, ahead of consultation on a draft plan in Summer 2024.

The roadmap for the Emerging Local Plan for Buckinghamshire (LP4B) anticipates publication of the Growth Scenarios for Buckinghamshire within Q2 2024 and publication of the Draft Strategy later in the year. Following the earlier slippage, submission of the Local Plan is now timetabled for 2026 with adoption in 2027.

At the Buckinghamshire Council Agent’s Forum Meeting in March 2024, seven high-level growth scenarios were outlined to be developed further in the forthcoming technical evidence work. It is anticipated that the Growth Scenario consultation will go to the Cabinet Meeting in May 2024. This will give insight into how and where the Council are planning to meet their calculated local housing need. There remains an opportunity for Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire Councils to work together on plan making in the north of Buckinghamshire. This is likely to be a key area for consideration given the extent of Green Belt and other environmental constraints in the south of Buckinghamshire which have been given greater weight through the new NPPF (2023).

Buckinghamshire Council are continuing to develop Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANG) to mitigate impacts to the Chiltern Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This will remain a challenge to unlock development opportunities in Buckinghamshire.