Object

Representation ID: 6504

Received: 13/09/2021

Respondent: Manor Oak Homes

Agent: Armstrong Rigg Planning

As part of our response to the I&O Consultation we were critical that the vision for the plan lacked ambition, particularly in light of the need to facilitate a real upwards step change in housing delivery from now onwards. At the time of the I&O document we presented the view that, as written, it could be mistaken as the vision which underpins the current Local Plan 2030, one which includes an aspirational but likely unachievable focus on housing delivery at the Borough’s town centre sites and which dodges the need to identify a wide range of immediately deliverable development opportunities on the fringes of the Bedford urban area. This view is now only amplified in light of the policy included at paragraph 22 of the new NPPF.
Too much on an onus remains in the vision on the delivery of constrained sites in the urban area and on Parish Councils to deliver growth outside of the Bedford / Kempston conurbation through neighbourhood plans. It fails to clarify that in some instances, and despite the presence of a neighbourhood plan within a parish, matters in respect of housing and employment delivery must remain squarely under the control of the Borough Council due to the critical strategic importance to deliver significant levels of growth over the plan period. As worded, we consider it presents a false expectation that rural communities are completely in control of their parish’s development strategy.
By way of an example, our client’s site represents an obvious opportunity to deliver a 400 dwelling proposal accompanied by a significant level of infrastructure at a location which will in time be covered by a neighbourhood plan (it falls within Renhold Parish). The vision must recognise that, in some instances, rural communities will be asked to welcome strategic levels of growth to contribute to the Borough’s overall housing and employment requirement, albeit this growth will bring substantial sustainability benefits to existing residents such as new schools, greater sustainable transport links and a wide variety of open space and recreational opportunities.