Support

Representation ID: 7365

Received: 20/09/2021

Respondent: St Neots Town Council

This planning process also seems premature regarding the considerable uncertainty due to the ongoing OxCamArc Spatial Framework and East-West Rail consultations. Given that one of the high-level objectives of the OxCamArc is:

“To realise the full opportunities – and overcome the challenges – will require coordination of planning functions across the region. Local councils cannot do this on their own because of the level of coordination needed across the area, and because they do not have all the levers needed to develop a genuinely integrated plan. Government needs to play a supporting role to bring together a strategic approach at the Arc level to support better planning and ultimately better outcomes for the economy, environment and communities.”

St Neots Town Council is concerned that this Local Plan pre-empts those consultations, and goes against this spirit of region-wide planning. We are disappointed that no attempt has been made from Bedford Borough Council to engage with St Neots Town Council during the consultation phase for the 2040 plan.