Support

Representation ID: 5922

Received: 08/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Tom Tagg

Town Centre policies should support the rejuvenation of Bedford Town Centre as a place to visit and shop. With the decline over recent years we now never use Bedford, preferring St. Neots (1.5 miles from my village compared to Bedford at 12 miles) and Cambridge (much better shops and a more attractive place)
Policies should encourage change of use to allow more residential use in the town centre to encourage people back into the town.
Tourism should be encouraged by BBC actively supporting projects such as the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway that will bring a completely new cohort of visitors by boat to visit the most attractive part of Bedford – the Embankment and the adjacent town centre.
Development of a new settlement at a distance from Bedford i.e. Dennybrook (12 miles away), will not support Bedford town centre and will in fact detract from the town. With 10,800 houses, the approx. 25,000 residents of Dennybrook will use St. Neots in preference, spending their money and supporting businesses in St. Neots – all to the loss of Bedford and its economy.