Campaigners to have their day in court fighting approved development in Aylesbury

Campaigners announced last Tuesday (January 27), that their judicial review case against the Hampden Fields development in Aylesbury would be heard in court.

Bucks Council has already approved the 3,000-home development, 900 of which developers say will be affordable.

On February 23 and 24 the Hampden Fields Action Group (HFAG), Bucks Council and representatives from the Hampden Fields Consortium (HFC) will meet in court.

Campaigners advise at this point it is unclear whether the case will be heard in open court or by internet link.

HFC's plans were unanimously approved by the council back in March 2021, alongside further development work agreed in the area.

Alongside the housing contract, developers promised £72 million worth of resources would be built in Aylesbury to assist residents.

This includes a new dual carriageway Southern Link Road between A413 Wendover Road and A41 Aston Clinton Road.

A section 106 agreement would see two new primary schools, a new doctor’s surgery capable of future further expansion, employment land for up to 1,200 new jobs, over 109 hectares of green open space, sports and play facilities, allotments and community growing spaces, HFC state.

However, a groundswell of support built among community groups trying to block the plans.

The tens of thousands of pounds needed for the legal funding of the court case was crowdfunded last year.

HFAG has raised several concerns with the lack of healthcare support that will be available to residents at the new build.

Campaigners believe that the greenlit plans do not include suitable healthcare facilities.

Further gripes laid out in the group's action plan include: the potential overcrowding of the main road which HFAG believes will see 48,000 vehicles per day using the road, and the speed at which the development was approved.

A spokesman from HFC told the Bucks Herald: "Hampden Fields will deliver a wide range of significant benefits such as the essential Southern Link Road and a significant amount of social infrastructure comprising two new primary schools, a health centre, community facilities and extensive public open space.

“The Hampden Fields Consortium has engaged and worked closely with the Council and stakeholders to agree the infrastructure package, including traffic calming schemes for Weston Turville and Bedgrove, as well as an agreement to enable the Parish Council to take responsibility for the open space and leisure facilities within the development."

In the immediate aftermath of the protests, a Bucks Council spokesman commented on the vocal opposition to the development, saying: "The matters raised by Hampden Fields Action Group were discussed at length during the planning committee meeting on February 24 2021, which is publicly available."

In July 2021, Bucks Council informed the Bucks Herald that it wouldn't be commenting on the ongoing case until its completion.

HFAG leader Phil Yerby told the Bucks Herald: "It is the culmination of 11 years work for me and fulfils a promise I made to constituents as a councillor.

"Should we lose there will be no healthcare facilities on any of the Hampden Fields, Woodlands, Kingsbrook or Halton estates."

Developers state, the legal challenge has slowed progression on side projects agreed by the council along with the housing, such as: traffic calming measures in Weston Turville and Bedgrove.

The other sections of the orbital link road are likely to still be delivered as planned, HFC report.