Fairford Leys

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Fairford Leys
The Bear Brook as it passes through Fairford Leys
Fairford Leys shown within Buckinghamshire
Population	6,363 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SP7913
Parish	Coldharbour
District	Aylesbury Vale
Shire county	Buckinghamshire
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	AYLESBURY
Postcode district	HP19
Dialling code	01296
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Buckinghamshire
Ambulance	South Central
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Aylesbury
List of places: UK • England • Buckinghamshire

Coordinates: 51°48′55″N 0°50′17″W / 51.815151, -0.837926

Fairford Leys is a new village of 1900 homes situated in the south west area of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. It has its own village centre with a range of traditionally fronted shops, a small supermarket, a Chinese restaurant, a nursery, an ecumenical church and a community centre. It even has a Health Club with swimming pool which was opened in October 2003.

A great deal of thought and planning has gone into creating a village environment with distinctive architecture inspired by traditional Aylesbury housing styles and features Victorian-style lamp posts and railings. The centre of the village is surrounded by the 'city wall', a concept originating from the masterplanner John Simpson and based on mediaeval city walls, such as York. This consists of 3 and 4 storey townhouses and the main entrance to the centre is marked by two towers, modelled on mediaeval gate towers, one of which is occupied by the parish council.

The centre contains a higher density of housing, with larger detached properties at the edge of the village. The design includes plenty of play areas, open spaces, playing fields and a golf course.

The development is planned around a masterplan and design code which were drawn up by John Simpson & Partners Architects, to maintain the general appearance of the development. The design codes are enforced by the landowner through private covenants with individual householders, and contain restrictions on alterations to properties. Fairford Leys is one of the first two developments in the UK to be planned around a design code, the other being Poundbury in Dorchester.

The estate is built on land belonging to The Ernest Cook Trust — a nationally operated, charitable foundation with interests in land ownership, conservation, architecture, design and community development. To ensure that the positive aspects of all these concerns are reflected in the achievement of Fairford Leys, the Trust has worked closely with the Aylesbury Vale District Council for over 14 years — largely through its masterplanner, the well-known architect John Simpson — and with the builders Taylor Woodrow, Bellway and George Wimpey Homes.

Fairford Leys provides housing from single-bedroom starter homes to five-bedroom detached properties, which has ensured that its population is representative of all life stages, from young singles, through young and growing families, to the retired and the elderly. The hope that people would want to stay in Fairford Leys, moving house within the village as their family needs change, is already being realised.

Many residents work locally, while others commute, and those that are around during the day have found time to develop such initiatives as the Mother and Toddler Group and the Friendship Club, which are playing a significant role in helping to build a sense of community.

Fairford Leys has its own parish council (Coldharbour Parish), primary school, doctor's surgery and neighbouring pharmacy, veterinary practice, Women's Institute (WI), ecumenical church, and a community centre (known as the Fairford Leys Centre), which hosts a wide variety of events and activities, including dance classes, badminton, karate, children's parties, wedding receptions, corporate functions and council meetings.

St Mary's Church of England School is a mixed, voluntary controlled, primary school, which has approximately 320 pupils from the age of four through to the age of eleven. It was purpose built for the Fairford Leys village but the planners underestimated the number of children within the village. Consequently, a number of children living within Fairford Leys can not get a place^[1]. In 2009, Buckinghamshire County Council estimate that up to 44 children will not be able to take up a place.

The village centre was officially opened in November 2004.