Object

Representation ID: 10205

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Trustees of the Lawton Pension Scheme

Agent: Optimis Consulting

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Vision and Objectives of the Plan
2.4 The delivery of greener, more sustainable, more attractive, and prosperous places to live and work within the borough is supported and reflects the overarching goals of the National Planning Policy Framework for the delivery of development nationally. These are addressed throughout the themes and objectives of the plan showing clear recognition of their importance in ensuring the delivery of sustainable development to benefit local communities and their economies. Furthermore, the ‘Vision’ sets out a clear intention to enhance the sustainability of the borough in response to climate change, adapting and mitigating to its effect through various means. This is of growing importance in planning policy and presents clear acknowledgement of the issues and the council’s desire to employ a robust response through the themes and objectives that are set.
2.5 The value of protecting the open countryside through sensitive development is not disputed, local landscapes throughout the borough are of significant value, providing the setting for sporadic rural settlements surrounding the primary settlement of Bedford Town. It is agreed that appropriate development in rural locations is of value in supporting the delivery of much needed housing and employment and rural facilities and services, provided the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside is respected.
2.6 The ‘Vision’ makes very bold statements about the delivery of infrastructure, and this must go further than to simply ‘support growth’, it must underpin the delivery of the spatial strategy, and be front-loaded so that without it the major strategic allocations do not make a head start and risk overloading the existing substandard network. Major residential development is “much needed” but it cannot be reliant on a strategy that places the burden and control over the delivery of infrastructure to outside stakeholders. Lessons from Wixams will tell us that the process of delivering new settlements takes much longer than at first considered and the delivery of key infrastructure must be implemented before work begins.
2.7 The ‘Vision’ stops short of locating development in the most sustainable locations on the edge of the urban area and the most sustainable rural settlements. This is a flawed approach. This is a new plan and whilst regard should be had the recently adopted plan, it must take its own steps to deliver dwellings in the most sustainable locations on the edge of the most sustainable settlements. Presently it does not do that.
2.8 In summary, the Vision and Objectives outlined are broadly supported if the applied spatial strategy delivers sustainable development throughout the borough in support of existing settlements, whilst acknowledging the importance of delivering infrastructure in advance of new development especially where it is sensitive to the impacts of development on countryside locations.