UPDATED: Wave of objection to Hampden Fields development

So far the application has attracted more than 100 comments objecting to the scheme.

Aylesbury Town Council objected to the scheme saying that while provision was made for two primary schools in the plans, none was made for the extra secondary school places that would be required.

The town council also raised ‘great concern’ over the impact on the roads network, and said that promised healthcare facilities must also be provided for existing residents in the area.

Natural England also objected on the grounds of ‘likely significant impact on the purposes of designation of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.

Weston Turville Parish Council brought up the issue of traffic in their opposition letter, and also said that the development would cause coalescence between Weston Turville, Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville.

The parish council claimed that this loss of a dividing green space would ‘ruin the characteristics of the villages’.

This notion was shared by Lesley Ellis of Wendover who said: “It will have an unacceptable impact on the countryside and villages that surround the site.

“Far from being an urban extension of Aylesbury, it completely swamps all the surrounding villages and settlements into a giant amorphous mass.”

A giant collection of responses, compiled by the Hampden Fields Action Group will be delivered later this week.

Campaign chairman Chris Webbley said: “As Churchill would have said, ‘this is not the end, nor even the beginning of the end… But it may be seen as the end of the beginning!’

“There will be much to do in the coming weeks leading up to the council’s decision on this crucial development.”

A spokesperson for the Hampden Fields Consortium said: “We understand and respect people’s right to object to new development and we will review and address specific issues of concern that are raised during the planning process.

“We are aware that the Hampden Fields Action Group has been very effective in generating objection to the planning application. The Group has cited a number of issues in the pro forma objection letters that it has circulated and we will be addressing these issues fully.

“It is widely acknowledged that the lack of housing supply is a major issue. There is an identified need for new housing in Aylesbury Vale of up to 31,000 new homes between 2013 and 2033. Hampden Fields is a suitable and sustainable site to help meet this need and help local people onto the housing ladder.

“Unlike many housing developments promoted within the District, Hampden Fields will deliver a major package of new infrastructure including a new link road, affordable housing, employment space, schools, community facilities and public open space. The detail of the infrastructure package will be confirmed and publicised next month.”