Support

Representation ID: 7774

Received: 22/09/2021

Respondent: Lance Feaver

The inclusion in the 2040 plan of the new garden village sites at Twinwoods or Colworth are, in my view, unsustainable because:
• Significant infrastructure would be needed to support such developments
• The surrounding villages have already accepted increased housing requirements, some of which have been reflected in the adopted Neighbourhood Development Plans (“NDPs”) so there will already be increased capacity issues (and makes one question what the point of the NDP was, if simply overridden by settlements of this size)
• The main road network North of Bedford is already heavily overloaded, and increasingly dangerous; things are likely to get far worse in any event.
• The smaller village roads (where historical road widths and excessive roadside parking already create blockages/single lane passage) will also become more congested, possible being used as rat runs in an effort to avoid traffic.
• New settlements away from the EWR proposed route will only increase car travel, and efforts to encourage walking and cycling from these locations is unlikely.
• They are not near any rail or bus hubs; without new ‘hubs’ being built, these areas will be poorly integrated.
• The character and amenity of the Great Ouse Valley, already potentially damaged by the EWR route will suffer further harm with the addition of new settlements of the size proposed.
The A421 corridor seems to represent a much better location for growth and should be prioritised.
Opportunities for growth option 2c would appear best placed to do this.