Support

Representation ID: 7421

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Thakeham

Thakeham are promoting land to the west of Eaton Socon, between Kimbolton Road to the north and Bushmead Road to the south. As part of this promotion, we have prepared a high-level Vision Document, which sets out our aspirations for the site that reflects our core values of sustainability and place-making. A copy of this document is appended to this letter as part of these representations.
Comments on Growth Strategy
Bedford sits within the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, which is the science and innovation capital of the country and is competing on the international stage. The ambition of government and local partners is the delivery of “high-quality, well-connected and sustainable communities making the Arc an even more beautiful place to live, work and visit.” In order to deliver on these ambitions, Bedford needs to provide sufficient high-quality housing and facilities that will attract new employers and allow existing to remain and attract the staff they need.
Bedford has good road and rail infrastructure in place, with further rail improvements coming forward in the form of East West Rail. This will make Bedford a preferred location for new growth in the future. To ensure sustainable growth across Bedford, development cannot be focussed solely around the existing town boundary as proposed under growth option 2a.
Focussing all new development around the existing settlement boundary would result in further pressure on the town’s educational, medical and social infrastructure as well as increasing congestion, which would have further negative impacts on the environment. This will also impact all other settlements within Bedford district, with no new development or services provided for the north of the district. There should be a more balanced approach to provision of growth and services ensuring all new and existing residents and employers are well catered for.
It would be more appropriate to spread development across the district, with smaller growth around Bedford and new settlements near existing and proposed transport infrastructure in the north of the district, that can be built with new services and community facilities that can take some of the pressure off existing services in Bedford.
Therefore, we believe that Options 2b, 2c, and 2d are all more appropriate as they identify new settlements at Wyboston that will be well supported by the existing Great Northern and Thameslink train services, as well as the new East West rail line, providing sustainable transport opportunities.
Growth options including a new settlement at Wyboston are more appropriate as they will provide additional services in the north of the district, which will benefit the wider population of the Borough beyond merely Bedford town centre.
Identifying the Wyboston area for growth allows for flexibility in future growth, that doesn’t have to be focussed around the Bedford settlement boundary.