Council Adopts Strategy to Protect its Green Belt

The Council has endorsed a key planning strategy for South Bucks to ensure that its Green Belt is strongly protected for many years to come.

At a meeting of the Council last night, the South Bucks Core Strategy was formally ‘adopted’ for planning purposes.

This follows the receipt of a report last month from a Government Inspector, who agreed that the Core Strategy “provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the District over the next 15 years”, and that with only a small number of changes, all of which were proposed by the Council themselves, the strategy was “sound”.

The Inspector added that "there is therefore no need for a comprehensive review of green belt boundaries at this time, nor any need to look further for other housing land in the green belt to ensure the flexibility or deliverability of the core strategy, or the protection of existing townscape."

South Bucks District Councillor Roger Reed, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Development said, “The significant investment made by the District in the preparation of our Core Strategy makes its adoption great news. It will enable South Bucks to continue to protect our Green Belt and the character of our District, which is what our residents have made clear they expect from us. It will also ensure that more affordable housing is made available for local people.”

In preparing the Core Strategy, the Council listened carefully to the wide ranging views expressed by residents and as a result, we worked to ensure that our Core Strategy reflected local concerns and aspirations. The plan was submitted to the Government last July, with examination hearings held in November 2010. The Inspector presented her report to the Council on 31st January and the Core Strategy was adopted on 22nd February. The Core Strategy will now be used to assess planning applications - guiding the future scale, form and distribution of new development in South Bucks up until 2026.

To find out more about the Core Strategy and to see the Inspector’s Report, click here.