Object

Representation ID: 7574

Received: 21/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Elaine Holloway

I object to the proposed building of additional houses in Wilstead on the grounds that wilstead has already been spoilt by too many recent developments. Other parts of Bedford (in particular North) seem to be excluded from the plan to build more houses.
It is very important that wilstead remains a rural village any major increase in the number of houses over a relatively short period of time, would completely alter the character of the community.
Wilstead should not have been designed as a Key Service Centre. The scoring methodology originally used to determine this must be re-assessed. The village no longer has a weekly doctor’s surgery. The one Post Office and General Stores represented 20% of the overall score and the Chemist no longer has a convenience store. Similarly the village is quoted as being on a bus route to and from Bedford. A large proportion of the village is located more than 800 meters from the nearest bus stop and there is no longer any service down Cotton End Road (except once on one day a week)
In addition, the local Primary School is full to capacity and cannot take further pupils. It was hoped that secondary education would be available at Wixams Academy, but this is already at capacity without additional houses being built in either Wixams or Wilstead.
There are villages in the Borough that are not being proposed for any development. A 10% increase in housing for each village would be much more equitable. The Borough Council could also allocate more houses to larger villages who have expected capacity in terms of school places and so could take more development. There are also villages which have greater facilities such as GP surgery and more local shops.
Some of the development put forward after the Call for Sites would be in direct flow of water draining form the Southern escarpment and some would be partly on a floor plan – existing ditches cannot cope already.
The increase in traffic from any development would result in even more congestion outside the school and in Whitworth Way – areas which are already dangerous at school opening and closing times. It would also put undue strain on other existing narrow roads.
Wilstead should not have to contribute to the Borough Plan.