The Central and North Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee met on Wednesday 3 September 2025, and approved the change of use of a dwelling house to a children's home, and a retrospective application for the change of use of land to residential for one Gypsy Traveller family, while refusing an outline application for a residential development. Councillor Patrick Fealey, Chair of the Committee, stepped down from the meeting for part of the proceedings due to a declared conflict of interest.

Land South Of Bourton Road, Buckingham

An outline application for a residential development on land south of Bourton Road, Buckingham, was refused. The application, numbered 24/03426/AOP, included plans for affordable dwellings, a pre-school/nursery, SuDS¹ attenuation, public open space with a children's play area, access arrangements off Bourton Road, landscaping, infrastructure and ancillary development.

The reasons for refusal were that the proposed development would represent a major incursion of built development into open countryside beyond the clearly defined and established settlement boundary, the A413 in a manner unrelated to the existing pattern of development or settlement as a whole . Councillors also considered the application to be in conflict with policies S1, S2, S3, D3 and HP1 of the council's development plan, and the emerging Buckingham Local Plan, which does not allocate this site for development.

Due to the application having been deferred from the meeting held on 23rd July 2025, public speaking was not permitted, in line with the council's constitution. Councillor Raj Khan BEM left the meeting during this discussion.

The Old Stables, Cooks Hill, High Street, Weedon

A retrospective application, numbered 24/01053/APP, for the change of use of land to residential for one Gypsy Traveller family at The Old Stables, Cooks Hill, High Street, Weedon, was approved, subject to conditions. The plans included one static caravan, one touring caravan, and parking for two cars, with associated development and infrastructure.

Councillor Joanna Rose spoke on behalf of Weedon Parish Council, Pippa Cheetham spoke as an objector, and Jo Jones spoke on behalf of the applicant.

The conditions set out in section eight of the Case Officer's report were amended to remove the electric vehicle charging requirement, and to insert a condition requiring a noise assessment to be undertaken, with the recommendations of that assessment to be adhered to.

23 Waring Crescent, Aston Clinton

Application 25/01672/APP, for the change of use of a dwelling house to a children's home at 23 Waring Crescent, Aston Clinton, was approved, subject to the conditions set out in section eight of the Case Officer's report. Tony Ryan spoke on behalf of the objectors, and Jo Baschnonga spoke on behalf of the applicant.

Prior to discussion of the application, Councillor Patrick Fealey noted that all councillors had previously been briefed on the Buckinghamshire Council investment strategy involving the acquisition of buildings for conversion into children's homes. He confirmed that individual declarations from members would not be required unless they believed their impartiality regarding the application had been compromised.

Declarations of Interest

Councillor Patrick Fealey declared a prejudicial interest in application 24/03426/AOP as a Trustee of the Campfire Trust Academy, which had been identified in the Case Officer's report as a potential end user of the proposed on-site nursery or pre-school facility. He left the room for the duration of deliberation on the item, and Councillor Frank Mahon, Vice-Chairman of the Committee, chaired the meeting from that point.