Buckinghamshire Liberal Democrat Councillors Call for Rigorous Scrutiny of Draft Local Plan
Buckinghamshire Liberal Democrat Councillors are urging residents, businesses and community groups to participate in Buckinghamshire Council’s Regulation 19 consultation on the Draft Local Plan, which is open until 6 September 2026.
Buckinghamshire has needed an up‑to‑date Local Plan for many years. Years of delay by the Conservative‑led Council have left the county without a five‑year housing land supply and vulnerable to speculative development.
Government intervention forced the Plan onto a fixed timetable, with much of the final drafting completed at breakneck pace and with limited opportunity for public engagement.
Liberal Democrat Group Leader Susan Morgan said: “Different parts of Buckinghamshire face very different pressures. Our responsibility at this stage is to scrutinise the Draft Plan rigorously, ensure residents’ concerns are fully represented, and make sure the Planning Inspector has the strongest possible evidence base.”
Regulation 19 is the stage where comments go directly to the Planning Inspector, who will examine the Draft Plan in detail. At this stage, residents should focus on whether the Plan is based on robust evidence, whether it is legally compliant, and whether its proposals are realistic and deliverable. These representations form part of the formal examination process, and residents who submit comments may be invited to take part in the public hearings where the Inspector tests the evidence.
Deputy Group Leader Cllr Jonathan Waters said: “Residents across the county are already reacting strongly to the proposals, in particular many in the North of the county are furious about the scale of development being imposed on their communities.
Serious concerns have been raised about infrastructure capacity, including GP provision and a £0.9bn funding gap, as well as questions about affordable housing delivery and the fairness of how growth is distributed across the county. These issues deserve careful examination by the Inspector.”
There has been strong consensus at national level about the need for housing with both Liberal Democrats and Conservatives supporting ambitious national goals at the last election, although neither proposed housing targets specifically for Buckinghamshire on the scale now being imposed by the Labour Government.
Shadow Cabinet Member for Planning Cllr Mark Roberts added: “The real issue is that the years of delay in producing a Local Plan have left Buckinghamshire wide open to speculative development and ultimately forced work onto a timetable that left inadequate opportunity for residents to shape the outcome.
Residents are unlikely to get another chance to influence the process. Anyone with concerns should make their views known now.”
The Draft Plan and consultation portal are available at:
Consultation responses must be submitted by 11:59pm on 6 September 2026