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Inspector reveals 'serious concerns' over Bierton development
Villagers in Bierton appear to have won their fight against thousands of new homes being built on their doorsteps.
Independent Government inspector Geoff Salter has revealed he has 'serious concerns' about Aylesbury Vale District Council's plans to build new homes to the north and south of Bierton.
In his interim report into the council's core strategy, which sets out where 10,000 homes should be built around Aylesbury, he says he favours development near Weston Turville and has ordered AVDC to look at the possibility of combining this with a site in Fleet Marston and 'one other site'.
However, the council is refusing to do more work on the core strategy until the impact of new legislation proposed by the coalition government becomes clearer.
The new government says it will abolish regional housing targets, which forced the district council into planning for 26,000 homes in the Vale, including the 10,000 in Aylesbury.
This could mean that the level of housing in the district is reduced and therefore not all the sites in the core strategy is needed.
Councillor Michael Edmonds, deputy leader of the council, said: "We welcome the opportunity that the new coalition government's plans to abolish regional plans and housing targets brings.
"This will give us the chance to look again at the level of growth that is right for Aylesbury Vale.
"We have already pressed the Secretary of State to clarify the government's plans as soon as possible and until that happens it would be wrong to spend substantial amounts of time and money doing more studies and testing, as requested by the inspector."
Tony Strevens, co-leader, Bierton, Broughton, Hulcott and Watermead residents action groups, said: "We are delighted that the voice of local residents has finally been heard.
"It is clear to us that the eastern arc is now terminally ill and we await the announcement in due course that it is dead."
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Weather for Aylesbury
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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