Fleet Marston, Buckinghamshire

Jam was instructed by Barwood, with Project: Sustainable Urban PHA Consult, to prepare a Sustainability Extension Statement for an outline planning application for Fleet Marston, a sustainable Jam: Sustainability Statement, urban extension to Aylesbury in Sustainability Appraisal Buckinghamshire. and Review, Expert Witness for EiP The site is situated to the north west of Aylesbury, alongside the A41 (a primary Client: public transport corridor) and the railway Barwood LaSalle Land Ltd Partnership line and covers approximately 176ha. The application proposed an exemplar Consultants: CgMs sustainable development comprising: Connect • up to 3,150 dwellings “Our vision is to create David Lock Associates • 30,000 sqm of employment floorspace Duncan Thomas a new, distinctive, Halcrow • a primary school and a reserve second Mishcon de Reya primary school Motion • up to 3,050 sqm of retail floorspace connected, sustainable PHA Consult • 60 bed care home and 20 ‘close-care’ Pre-Construct urban extension with Archaeology apartments Robert Adam Architects • 1,300 sqm multi-functional community varied traditionally Turley Associates space inspired character Date Completed • a doctor’s surgery March 2010 • a gym areas, in a landscape • a community recycling facility Core Strategy Withdrawn • 97ha of multi-functional green setting, which will be an October 2010 infrastructure vehicular access from up alternative to continuous to five locations along the A41 • internal roads, streets, lanes, squares, sprawl around footpaths and cycle ways • a railway station. Aylesbury.” Barwood Fleet Marston, Buckinghamshire

The sustainability principles that The review examined the entire SA guided the proposals were: process from 2006-2009, in particular, The sustainability • Promote the right development the selection of options for sites “ in the right place to protect the allocated for development within the appraisal should identify character of Aylesbury plan. The review identified some • Enhance the existing advantages significant flaws in the SA process any likely significant of connectivity and sustainable and reports. adverse effects and transport • Reflect local character and Jam also undertook a Sustainability measures envisaged to distinctiveness Appraisal of the proposals for Fleet • Provide public access to the Vale Marston to show that Fleet Marston prevent, reduce and, as floor and wealth of open spaces would not have a negative impact fully as possible, offset • Design and deliver memorable upon the Council’s Core Strategy, places should the site be included. In fact them. The sustainability • Provide homes, jobs, schools, the reverse was found to be the case. community facilities in a framework appraisal must of open spaces integrated within The findings of Jam’s review consider all reasonable the surrounding landscape and the SA of Fleet Marston were • Efficient and responsible use of submitted as representations on alternatives and assess natural resources the Core Strategy and used in the them in the same level • Adapt to climate change and work Examination in Public (EiP), where towards zero carbon buildings Jam attended as an expert witness. of detail as the option • A healthy place to live and work A preliminary report on the findings • Deliver a sustainable community of the Examination issued by the the plan-maker proposes Planning Inspector concluded that Sustainability Appraisal he had serious concerns regarding to take forward in the Jam was appointed separately to the Council’s strategy for growth, Local Plan (the preferred undertake a review of Aylesbury which could lead to a finding that Vale District Council’s Sustainability the Core Strategy was unsound. The approach). ” Appraisal (SA) process and reports Inspector, therefore, requested that National Planning Practice Guidance: that had been produced in the the Council consider an alternative SEA/SA para. 018 development of the Council’s Core option for growth that included the Strategy - the development plan for Fleet Marston site. The Core Strategy the area. was subsequently withdrawn.