Neil Blake addresses 'misconceptions' about Garden Town Status

Neil Blake has penned an open letter to Aylesbury, where he addresses several misconceptions about Aylesbury's new garden town status.
AVDC leader Neil Blake addresses misconceptions about garden town statusAVDC leader Neil Blake addresses misconceptions about garden town status
AVDC leader Neil Blake addresses misconceptions about garden town status

"There have been a few misconceptions about what Garden Town status means for Aylesbury and I’d like to set the record straight. The status, confusingly I’ll admit, has little to do with gardens. It comes from the Garden City movement of urban planning created back in the late 1890s and into the 20th Century. The concept is based on well-planned, sustainable and self-sufficient towns, highly accessible with significant green spaces. This ideal applies to our modern world just as much as it did in the past and the name has stuck.

"It’s important to stress that this status won’t bring more housing to Aylesbury but will let us better develop the growth already set out in our emerging local plan. Developers will have to take our Garden Town status into account when proposing new developments through the local plan process. They’ll need to include more affordable housing, green spaces, trees, walking and cycle ways and we’ll do the same whenever we renovate and improve an area.

"Traffic is an area of concern for many people. Garden Town status will let us tackle traffic issues more effectively as we’ll have extra funds to invest. The housing set out in the draft local plan is committed with transport improvements incorporated and the Aylesbury Transport Strategy is being created to better provide for the town’s transport needs.

"This status will let us fine tune our long-term masterplan and delivery framework for Aylesbury’s growth with detailed proposals for transport, green and community infrastructure improvements.

"Our ambition is quite simple – to ensure the developments across Aylesbury offer the best of town and country living, creating truly desirable communities with new affordable housing, in an environment to make us proud."

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