Object

Representation ID: 10439

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Gallagher Developments Group Limited

Agent: Barton Willmore

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Policy HOU17 criterion (i) requires preparation of a masterplan and design code to be completed prior to and submitted with any planning application and to accord with the South of Bedford strategic framework. This framework will be detailed further in an SPD and as there is no indication as to when this SPD will be adopted there is a real risk that development in the South of Bedford area will be held up. Site-specific design codes could take several months to develop and if there is a delay in the South of Bedford SPD this could push back submission of applications and housing delivery substantially. We therefore suggest that the policy is more flexible and allows design codes to come forward either as part of an outline application or prior to the submission of the first reserved matters application, as is experienced in other local authority areas.
With respect to HOU17(i), we acknowledge the merits of consultation with the Met Office to ensure the proposals minimise or mitigate any adverse effects on relevant sensitive receptors. The Met Office in this case is a non-statutory consultee, by virtue of it being a neighbouring occupier. It should be noted that the Met Office’s Cardington facility is not a formally safeguarded site as defined by the following Directions that make provisions for such sensitive sites:
• Town and Country Planning (Safeguarded Meteorological Sites) (England) Direction 2014
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• Town and Country Planning (Safeguarded aerodromes, technical sites, meteorological technical sites and military explosives storage areas) (Scotland) Direction 2016
The facility does not appear on the corresponding Safeguarded Zones Map on the Met Office website (https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/business-industry/energy/safeguarding) and therefore it is understood not to benefit from any additional planning protection.
It is therefore important that the consultation process undertaken is proportionate to the status of the Met Office facility and that the delivery of College Farm is not unduly delayed.
Paragraph 4.88 of Policy HOU17 states that “Land at College Farm, Shortstown offers the opportunity for sustainable residential development which will also contribute to the wider South of Bedford area allowing sustainable transport and green infrastructure linkages with Wixams to the west and beyond, including to the Wixams and Stewartby Hardwick railway stations. The proposals will complement the existing development at Shortstown and provide additional facilities including a new Primary School.”
There is no mention in the policy of the need for any other additional facilities that might serve new residents and we think this should be addressed in the policy.
We have progressed our early plans for the site in consultation with the local community and following a public consultation in May this year respondents made clear that there is a desire for more services and facilities across Shortstown to meet the needs of the growing population. Aside from more education and healthcare provision, respondents at our public consultation event highlighted the following elements of infrastructure for enhancement across Shortstown in the future:
a) food store
b) pub or eatery
c) more frequent bus services
d) coffee shop & takeaway
e) gym
With a growing population, we consider there to be clear need for an additional local centre at the College Farm site, which is accounted for in our masterplanning. Currently, the draft policy does not include such provision within the development, which is a missed opportunity to balance the needs of the area and deliver more sustainable development in accordance with Chapter 8 of the NPPF (Promoting healthy and safe communities).
Criterion (xvi) requires “delivery of a low carbon and environmentally resilient development that is adaptive to and resilient to climate change.” There are no specific targets suggested as part of this objective and therefore we would question its relevance to the policy and whether it is required in light of other similar policies in the draft Plan, such as Policy DS1(S) Resources and Climate Change.