High Court blocks Bucks Council's plans to construct 100 homes at former Aylesbury sports hub

Controversial plans to build 100 homes on the grounds of the former Buckinghamshire County Council Community Sports and Social Club site on Lower Road in Stoke Mandeville were approved in 2024.

It was also confirmed in the summer of last year that the Secretary of State would not be calling in the plans for further scrutiny.

Bucks Council was however challenged legally by a team representing campaigners and Stoke Mandeville Parish Council who raised three key issues they found with the council’s conclusions and application processes.

Two of those three grounds for objection was upheld in High Court by Mrs Justice Lieven who said the application must be quashed and redetermined at a hearing on Friday.

She agreed with lawyers representing the campaign group who argued that not enough consideration had been made to a separate bid made by the parish council to save the community centre from being transformed into another development. She said that council officers had “materially misled” committee members voting on whether or not to approve the major housing scheme.

Another complaint regarding the council’s interpretation of its housing plan was also upheld in the High Court. With Mrs Justice Lieven agreeing that the criteria upon when sports sites could be built on had been misinterpreted.

The other grounds for appeal laid out by the parish council’s representatives were thrown out.

Residents banded together to challenge the council’s bid to turn the former sports club and fields into housing, arguing that the area had too few recreation grounds and that this part of Aylesbury was already subject to several major housing developments that were already underway or approved for the coming years.

However, Bucks Council disagreed with this interpretation of the area, noting that the sports club had not been opened to the public in recent years and that its proposals contained plans for free community facilities and other much needed services in the area.

Campaigners noted that the community hub, which was closed to the public in 2017, had community asset status, which they argued should protect it from being turned into a development.

Under the council’s plans the area would be transformed into a site consisting of 40 per cent affordable housing and would replace green space lost. A new link road between Booker Park School and Lower Road was also included in the council’s masterplan.

Councillor Gaurav Shrivastava, who led on the parish council’s challenge, said: "This judgment vindicates the strong view of the parish council and local community that this valuable community asset should not be lost to housing development without proper consideration of viable alternatives. We remain committed to preserving this important space for sports and recreation use for current and future generations of our community."

Chair of the community campaign group Mungo Duncan added that the decision was a “tremendously positive step, and although there’s still quite a way to go this legal decision is extremely welcome”.

Bucks Council has been approached for comment.