Question 3
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As per my answer in question 1 with there being little understanding of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, impact of the current pandemic and the outcome of the current white paper consultation - which I appreciate in early states it is hard to understand how we can meet the shortest plan period.
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The Plan should run to 2050 to align with adjacent local authorities and provide the optimum context for long term strategic infrastructure planning.
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The Biddenham Society suggests extending the duration of the plan to 2050. This would take into account the extensive input required in the development of this plan and remove the need to repeat the exercise until approximately 2040 when progress to that point, based on the output of this plan, could be properly assessed rather than doing so in an iterative and more regular manner.
Huntingdonshire District Council agree that 2020 to 2040 is an appropriate plan period given the recent adoption of the current Bedford Local Plan to 2030 and the level of uncertainty over the routing and delivery timeframes of major transport infrastructure projects. It may be appropriate for the next local plan review to consider a longer plan period promoting further large scale strategic sites to reflect these opportunities once frameworks and routes have been finalised and works are underway.
Huntingdonshire District Council agree that 2020 to 2040 is an appropriate plan period given the recent adoption of the current Bedford Local Plan to 2030 and the level of uncertainty over the routing and delivery timeframes of major transport infrastructure projects. It may be appropriate for the next local plan review to consider a longer plan period promoting further large scale strategic sites to reflect these opportunities once frameworks and routes have been finalised and works are underway.
There are too many uncertainties currently (Covid-19, Brexit) for a twenty year plan to be realistic. It should be a maximum of fifteen years with a review after five years.
You can't plan for the next 25 years - nobody can predict the future to that extent.
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Staploe Parish Council agree – it is to be hoped that the number of houses required will be reduced when the government reviews its standard methodology later this year. Therefore we would support the shortest possible plan period. Although we would like the Borough to be given more time to review the plan in view of Covid-19 so that parishes can consult with all their residents. This would require an extension to the three year deadline to review the plan beyond the current deadline of January 2023. We are concerned that the government consultation on changes to the planning system opened in August 2020 would result in a need for the Borough to supply almost as many houses (21,263 houses by 2040) as the 2014 figures. We don't believe this is sustainable for our Borough as it results in a huge 28% increase in the number of homes in our Borough. We believe Bedford Borough Council should campaign for there to be a 25% cap on the number of homes built in a local authority area.
Should be 2050
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Given the socio-economic upheaval of 2020 thus far and uncertainty around what any post-Covid ‘norms’ will look like, it will be challenging enough to plan for 20 years ahead.
2045 is considered to be the appropriate end period for the Local Plan Review. A plan period to 2040 would only represent an additional 10 years beyond the current adopted Local Plan period to 2030. This would be well below the minimum 15 year period required by the NPPF. The Local Plan 2030 Inspectors Report identified the need for the Local Plan Review to respond appropriately to longer term requirements, in particular Arc growth ambitions. A plan period to 2045 is therefore considered fully justified.
The period appears to be reasonable for the development of Local Plan 2030. However as I have noted in my response to Question 1: • Due to COVID-19, the consultation process should be postponed and the submission date of January 2023 extended, until meaningful public consultation can take place. • Due to the lack of information on the Oxford Cambridge Arc and the location of East West railway stations, the consultation process should be postponed and the submission date of January 2023 extended, until this information is available. • The annual housing requirement should use the 2018-based population projections and await the government review of the standard methodology this year.
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no consideration has been made for smaller locations/villages
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The period appears to be reasonable for the development of Local Plan 2030. However as I have noted in my response to Question 1: • Due to COVID-19, the consultation process should be postponed and the submission date of January 2023 extended, until meaningful public consultation can take place. • Due to the lack of information on the Oxford Cambridge Arc and the location of East West railway stations, the consultation process should be postponed and the submission date of January 2023 extended, until this information is available. • The annual housing requirement should use the 2018-based population projections and await the government review of the standard methodology this year.
There seems to be little objective data on what the actual need for housing may be for the area, and a lack of clarity informing the basis and methodology on which estimates have been made, and it is not clear whether any need is driven by local need or a desire to accomodate a perceived potential influx of people from outside Bedford Borough.
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It is proposed that the Bedford Local Plan could have a 2050 end date (rather than 2040); to correspond with the emerging Oxford to Cambridge Arc growth/ spatial strategy. This would also be consistent with other emerging Local Plan Reviews within the Oxford-Cambridge Arc; e.g. West Northamptonshire Strategic Plan, which will set out a spatial vision for the future of the area extended up to 2050.