Support

Representation ID: 6390

Received: 13/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Humphrey Chetwynd-Talbot

Option 2a: Proven Most Suitable Alternative
Bedford Borough Council’s own sustainability appraisals demonstrated and concluded that the alternative Option 2a is the preferred and most suitable option because urban development is more sustainable than rural.
Importantly, development within urban areas performed best particularly in reducing carbon emissions, promoting town centres (which incidentally are in decline), encouraging physical activity, delivering residents’ needs, access to community services (which are so important to mental wellness) and reducing the need to travel and promoting sustainable types of travel. New stations south of Bedford are planned and the A421 has capacity for additional traffic.
Option 2b: Alternative Preference
Of the other options that have been presented in the consultation Little Barford (site ID 907 – option 2b) is by far the most appropriate alternative, but excluding Wyboston / Dennybrook, which would provide additional 3,085 dwellings in the rail corridor, for the following reasons:
• A development in and around the urban area plus A1 and A421 transport corridor with rail-based growth parishes
• Access to a large number of services and facilities including existing employment which would reduce the need to travel by car
Further Alternatives Not Proposed in the Consultation – Twinwoods (site ID 833) or Colworth (site ID 1002)
A new development of up to 3,000 homes at Twinwoods (site ID 883) or Colworth (site ID 1002) could provide the infrastructure funding to support improvements to the A6 which has been needed for some time to provide residents with access to the east west rail station in Bedford. A northern parkway station or guided busway could be considered in the future to provide sustainable transport for those in the north of the Borough.
Twinwoods (site ID 883) would provide a significant proportion of brownfield land and Colworth (site ID 1002), which was supported in the 2035 plan, includes lower quality grade 3 agricultural land and so would comply with the NPPF requirement to use brownfield land or lower quality agricultural land before high quality agricultural land. These sites would also support Bedford Town Centre.
On these grounds alone, as a further alternative to Dennybrook or even an urban development, the brownfield site on Twinwoods is much more suitable particularly as:
• It does not flood
• It has no major watercourses and is distinct from other settlements – so no loss of identity for existing settlements
• Government planning policy seeks to develop brownfield land ahead of greenfield land (open countryside)