Comment

Representation ID: 10452

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Conservative Group

Agent: Bedford Borough Councillor

The aspirations as set are laudable but not always matched by specific policy decisions set out subsequently. In particular, as we said in our response to the Draft Plan, the proposals crucially fails the tests of sustainability and the requirements of DS1(S) mean the plan is unsound for that reason alone.
The Council's own SA clearly states that urban growth is the most sustainable on virtually all criteria yet this Plan, despite that, is a lost opportunity.
We believe that properly planned urban expansion, including some areas of high density housing but inevitably entailing some expansion would not only be more sustainable but more closely meets the needs of the main growth sectors as noted in the LHNA. The failure to follow up that initial option (and to put it forward for consideration at the draft stage) means again we are presented with a plan which will lead to sprawling development, merging of communities and landscape degradation with resulting loss of amenity for all residents.