Object

Representation ID: 5616

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Brian Currie Ltd

Agent: Aragon Land and Planning

6.1 to 6.12
Some of this B8 demand is described as “footloose “and it will not all be achieved within Central Bedfordshire. It is likely this further footloose demand around the transport interchanges can be expected to continue and again will contribute to employment supply and this further weakens the need for these smaller older central sites to remain as part of the employment supply.

The infrastructure changes with the A421, the East-West rail link will see a much wider opportunity to locate employment and distribution around these hubs which are significantly better served for more up to date forms of employment and closer to transport links. This would also follow the qualitative factors the employment study identifies at 9.10, for example,

Sites should have few constraints on development. They should have good access to strategic transport routes (road and rail). The height or massing of individual buildings should not be an overriding issue.

The Employment Study needs to take a more critical look at the existing employment vacancy and how realistic it is for sites having remained vacant to realistically contribute to employment land supply. This vacant land needs to be taken out the supply figures and new sites such as land at Bedford Road Roxton allocated or the area identified as one supporting further logistics and warehouse growth.