MP tight-lipped on rumours of new 10,000 home town coming to North Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire-based have said they believe an area in North Buckinghamshire will be selected for a major housing project.

But MP for Buckingham and Bletchley, Callum Anderson, declined to comment on the concerns that a major development could be built within his constituency.

A Labour source said no decisions over locations have been made.

Conservative politicians have voiced their concerns over the impact they believe Labour’s ambitious housing plans will have on the county.

Labour announced plans, soon after taking over the Government, to construct 370,000 homes a year during the current Parliamentary cycle.

This scheme forms the key part of the Government’s objective to address the UK’s housing crisis with so many adults unable to get on the property ladder.

As part of the ambitious housing project, the Government has set up New Towns Taskforces, that will earmark large areas suitable for new communities of at least 10,000 households.

Labour believes creating new towns across the country will boost economic growth and provide more people with opportunities to enter the housing market.

It is believed that one of these taskforces held its first meeting in Milton Keynes last month to explore possible areas suitable for a housing expansion.

Sources within the council expect one of these new towns to be constructed in North Buckinghamshire, but a source within Labour highlighted that the final reports from taskforce groups are not due until July 2025, meaning no final decisions have been made at this time.

The new Government has coined the phrase ‘Grey Belt’ saying it will target areas of land, currently protected from construction that do not deserve green belt status.

Buckinghamshire’s Council leader, Councillor Martin Tett said the Government expects housebuilding to increase by 42% in the county.

Conservative MP Greg Smith, whose newly created Mid Buckinghamshire constituency includes part of Aylesbury Vale, said: “Any talk of a new town in Bucks from this land grabbing, countryside destroying Labour government needs to be opposed vigorously. We have already built a new town in Bucks, it’s now a city called Milton Keynes – and we don’t need or want another one. Bucks Labour MPs need to come clean on whether they stand with their government or stand with Buckinghamshire.”

Buckinghamshire Council adopted a 20-year housing strategy, set out in 2013, to build over 30,000 new homes in the Aylesbury Vale area over a 20-year period.

Councillor Tett added: “There is a strong possibility they'll look at a site in North Buckinghamshire for a new town. There aren't details of the infrastructure that will be needed. We have a really serious situation. We need to see the local Labour opposition putting county before party. They must protect our countryside from overdevelopment and fight any plans for a new town in Bucks."

Previously, the councillor has criticised the new Government’s ‘Grey Belt’ strategy. He said in July: “Nobody knows what Grey Belt is. It is described as a petrol station in Tottenham. I have significant concerns about reclassifying Green Belt.”

Labour says a large number of new towns are expected to be urban extensions, but standalone areas will also be considered.