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Representation ID: 8064

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Wilshamstead Parish Council

The Neighbourhood Plan for Wilstead is being prepared to be in general conformity with the adopted Bedford Borough Local Plan 2030.

The Neighbourhood Plan has been in preparation since 2017 and has undergone extensive consultation with the community and stakeholders. The Draft Submission Neighbourhood Plan has undergone formal consultation from April to June 2021 and the comments received are currently being assessed and the final Submission Neighbourhood Plan is being prepared.

The Neighbourhood Plan includes policies to retain and protect the rural character of the Parish, to safeguard open spaces and prevent coalescence with Wixams, to ensure that new development is sensitively designed, and that housing is suitable, to retain historic features and community facilities, to encourage local businesses and to tackle parking and traffic issues.

Almost all of the sites identified within the village under the “Call for Sites” process have been listed as Important Green Spaces within the draft Neighbourhood Plan and the NP Team would be extremely concerned if any of these were suggested for development.
In addition, a large number of other neighbouring sites have been identified as important to maintain as “Strategic Gaps” to prevent coalescence with neighbouring communities. Comments against individual sites will be shown against all sites in our response to the “Site Assessment” document.

It is envisaged that the Neighbourhood Plan will be submitted to the Borough Council for publication and examination later in 2021. Referendum is likely to take place in early 2022 with the Neighbourhood Plan being made (adopted) shortly thereafter.

No housing allocations are being proposed in the Neighbourhood Plan, partly because the Local Plan 2030 did not require any allocations to be made, and partly because Wilstead has been subject to recent housing developments (over 100 houses). During consultation, residents reacted strongly against the notion of allocating any new developments of 10 houses or more, probably because of the existing level of new housing and a number of planning appeals that had been lodged in the Parish over recent years.

The NP Team recognises that it is important to monitor the Neighbourhood Plan and check that progress is made towards meeting its objectives and policies and to respond to changes in the planning policy background. The NP Team will consider
• if progress is being made to achieve the vision and the objectives of the Plan,
• if progress is being made towards the implementation of the policies in the Plan,
• if financial contributions available to the community arising from development are being targeted towards the identified plans and projects,
• if the Plan remains based on the most up to date information,
• if the Plan is being taken into account by Bedford Borough Council when determining planning applications.

The NP Team will seek to work in partnership with Bedford Borough Council to liaise on future development of the Parish and will monitor progress on the Local Plan review and will consider whether to review the Neighbourhood Plan in line with the emerging Local Plan Review 2040.

If the emerging Local Plan is likely to require Wilstead Parish to accommodate further housing development in the period from 2030 to 2040, the NP Team would prefer this requirement to be dealt with locally through a review of the Neighbourhood Plan which would allow much more local and focussed input from residents as to the location and type of development.