Any other comments?

1. The Department for Education (DfE) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the development of planning policy at the local level. 2. Under the provisions of the Education Act 2011 and the Academies Act 2010, all new state schools are now academies/free schools and DfE is the delivery body for many of these, rather than local education authorities. However, local education authorities still retain the statutory responsibility to ensure sufficient school places, including those at sixth form, and have a key role in securing contributions from development to new education infrastructure. In this context, we aim to work closely with local authority education departments and planning authorities to meet the demand for new school places and new schools. We have published guidance on education provision in garden communities and securing developer contributions for education, at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-schools-to-support-housing-growth. You will also be aware of the corresponding additions to Planning Practice Guidance on planning obligations, viability and safe and healthy communities. 3. We would like to offer the following comments in response to the above consultation document. General Comments 4. DfE previously commented on the 2030 Local Plan at regulation 19 stage in March 2018. 5. DfE notes that growth in housing stock is expected in the borough; the consultation document anticipates an additional housing requirement of 35% on the target established by the 2030 Local Plan, to the end of the plan period in 2040. This will place additional pressure on social infrastructure such as education facilities. The Local Plan will need to be ‘positively prepared’ to meet the objectively assessed development needs and infrastructure requirements. 6. DfE welcomes reference within the plan to support the development of appropriate social and community infrastructure alongside the spatial strategy determined by Bedford Borough Council (BBC). We consider the response below is most relevant in relation to consultation question 5.

Summary and Conclusions 7.1 Whilst this consultation response specifically answers a number of the consultation questions, the key aspect is that TwinWoods can assist the Borough and its Local Plan Review in meeting the needs of Bedford as part of the Local Plan Review. 7.2 TwinWoods has a capacity for 6,000-7,000 homes and 2,000-4,000 jobs. However, the key difference for the promotion of the site under this Local Plan Review is that the proposed alignment of East-West Rail extends through the southern part of the site, and a new station on the new line could serve the new community and beyond. This would relieve pressure on the centre of Bedford and tying in the new community to the east-west axis connecting to Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Oxford. The scale of TwinWoods would mean it is a settlement in its own right. With or without train station, it has strong sustainable travel credentials and, based on comparator location analysis, could achieve a high level of self-containment, reliving pressure on Bedford. 7.3 We trust the contents of this consultation response is of assistance to the Council in producing its Local Plan Review. If you have any follow up questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Evidence Base Natural England does not consider that this Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report poses any likely risk or opportunity in relation to our statutory purpose, and so does not wish to comment on this consultation. The lack of comment from Natural England should not be interpreted as a statement that there are no impacts on the natural environment. Other bodies and individuals may wish to make comments that might help the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to fully take account of any environmental risks and opportunities relating to this document.