Object

Representation ID: 7486

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Jonathan Hambleton

Our North Bedfordshire rural landscape comprises valuable agricultural land which is essential for the sustainability of the food production of the UK. As evidenced in the post-Brexit and pandemic shortages which are currently being experienced. Therefore linking the agricultural land grades mapping to development siting should be a key part of the National Planning Policy Framework. The agricultural land classification map published by Natural England presents a number of difficulties: it is only available at a scale of 1:250,000 and so it is not easy to identify individual parcels of land. The map states that it “represents a generalised pattern of land classification grades and any enlargement of the scale of the map would be misleading”. The webpage states that the map “is intended for strategic uses” and is not “sufficiently accurate for use in assessment of individual fields or sites and any enlargement could be misleading”. The map is based on old survey information and circumstances may have subsequently changed. The map does not differentiate between Grades 3a and 3b. Grade 3a is included in the NPPF’s definition of best and most versatile agricultural land (along with Grades 1 and 2). Of the larger sites as far as we can see Dennybrook (site 977) (along with all land in Staploe Parish) is all grade 2 land with possibly a bit of grade 1 near Wyboston. Great Barford and Colworth are largely grade 3 and Twinwoods is grade 2 but has a significant proportion of brownfield land. However, we believe Bedford Borough Council should commission a more detailed survey of the agricultural land quality in the Borough.

1.12 100 word summary

Accurate mapping of the agricultural land grades is required and then form a key part of the National Planning Policy Framework. The agricultural land classification map published by Natural England is not sufficiently detailed. High quality agricultural land should not be used for development and therefore more detailed information is needed before decisions about site allocations are made.