Opposition continues to grow over housing development on leafy Buckingham lane

About 50 Maids Moreton residents attended a public meeting in the village hall on Thursday, June 15, over plans to build 15 self-build houses on the east field of leafy Scotts Lane.

Scotts Lane, which is within the designated Maids Moreton Conservation Area, is a valued and peaceful cut-through from Avenue Road to Main Street for local pedestrians and dog walkers.

It has been maintained for the past 20 years by the Maids Moreton Conservation Group, with weekly working parties caring for the wild flowers, shrubs and trees, monitoring the wildlife, raking up leaves, cutting and clearing grasses and invasive species and supplying seasonal hand-painted information boards.

The meeting was chaired by Maids Moreton Parish Council vice-chairman Patrick Hardcastle, with MP for Buckingham Greg Smith in attendance along with Buckingham Town Councillors Mark Cole and Anthony Ralph.

Residents, councillors and their MP agreed unanimously to object to the planning application. More than 150 objections have already been submitted via the Planning Portal.

The meeting heard that the deadline for comments has been set as July 6. The reference number for comments on the Planning Portal is 23/01306/APP.

On Saturday, June 17, 14 members of the Maids Moreton Conservation Group spent the day cutting and clearing the cow parsley in Scotts Lane.

Group founder Lyn Robinson said: “Because this beautiful but invasive plant is now seeding, it must be removed. This is part of the annual routine of management in Scotts Lane.

"Maids Moreton Conservation Group is grateful to Paragon Tool Hire Ltd for the loan of equipment.”