Do YOU walk past new housing estates and sometimes wonder how on earth the developers got planning permission?

Fewer residents in Bucks will be lobbing in complaints if a pilot scheme in Bucks lives up to expectations.

Buckinghamshire Council is one of 14 areas each given £50,000 and a six-month time frame to help the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government test newly introduced design codes aimed at enhancing the character of neighbourhoods across the county.

Read on. Your opinion is important if Bucks is where you live.

Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for planning and regeneration Gareth Williams says he and his council colleagues will be canvassing the views of residents and stakeholders as part of their fact finding mission when they compile a new blueprint for future developments in the county.

The purpose of the exercise is to give locals “a real say in the layout, design and appearance of buildings in their area”.

For brand new developments, the government will provide each planning authority with “a toolkit of design principles such as street character, building type and façade as well as. environmental, heritage and wellbeing factors.”

Cllr Williams says: “With many homes to deliver by 2036, this opportunity to set out the design principles to enhance the character of the local area is well timed.

“The next steps will be to fully engage with local people so we can better understand the needs and aspirations of those who will be most affected by new development.

“This will involve a wide ranging public awareness campaign including stakeholder workshops and a dedicated website enabling us to work with our local communities to create new places in Buckinghamshire that meet the environmental, health and aesthetic needs and expectations of communities to live, work and thrive.”

According to the latest report from Nationwide, the importance of space inside and out is still a primary factor for home movers.

The building society’s chief economist Robert Gardner summed up: “Of those moving or considering a move, around a third were looking to move to a different area while nearly 30 per cent were doing so to access a garden or outdoor area.

“The housing market is likely to remain buoyant over the next six months as a result of the stamp duty extension and additional support for the labour market included in the Budget.”

n For updates on the design code or to have a say in the debate, look up the council website www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk or join the conversation on Twitter @BucksCouncil.