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Representation ID: 8414

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Fisher German LLP

These representations are prepared on behalf of P. C. Taylor and C. Taylor & Sons in respect of their land interests at Land at Ivy Lane and Land at Cotton End Road respectively. The site areas are illustrated at Figure 1 and Figure 2 below. (see attachment)
The site has been previously promoted through the previous stages of Bedford Borough Council’s Local Plan review.
1.3 Wilstead was designated as a Neighbourhood Plan area in February 2017. Delays to Neighbourhood Plans were previously highlighted as a potential issue with the Council’s adopted approach and would not be supported moving forward. A pre-submission consultation for Wilstead’s emerging neighbourhood plan took place between 1st April 2021 and 31st May 2021. The timescales for the next stage of neighbourhood plan making (Submission Version) are unknown at the time of writing.
1.4 The draft neighbourhood plan did not propose any land designations for either of the sites subject to this representation, however, an identified viewpoint (V2) is noted within the emerging Neighbourhood Plan in relation to Land at Cotton End Road.
1.5 Wilstead is designated in the current Local Plan 2030 as a Key Service Centre. Key Service Centres are described in the adopted Local Plan as settlements “which contain a good range of services and are well connected to larger town centres by regular public transport. They provide a strong service role for the local community and surrounding area”.
1.6 Land at Ivy Lane, Wilstead (P. C. Taylor) measures some 4.4 hectares and at an assumed density of 30 dwellings per hectare (dph) is capable of delivering up to 135 dwellings. The site is currently in agricultural use. Land at Ivy Lane is located within flood risk zone 1 which is the lowest risk of flooding with a 1 in 1,000 year probability. There are no listed buildings on the site and there is 1no. Grade II listed building (Compton Cottage) adjacent to the site, on Ivy Lane to the west. In terms of access, there is an existing agricultural access point from Ivy Lane which could be improved and upgraded to accommodate the dwellings, or a new access could be achieved from Ivy Lane, further south (subject to relevant technical assessments).
1.7 Land at Cotton End Road, Wilstead (C. Taylor & Sons) measures some 11.8 hectares and at an assumed density of 30 dwellings per hectare (dph) is capable of delivering up to 354 dwellings. The site is currently in agricultural use. Land at Cotton End Road is located within flood risk zone 1 which is the lowest risk of flooding with a 1 in 1,000 year probability. There are no listed buildings on or near to the site. In terms of access, there is an existing agricultural access point from Cotton End Road which could be improved and upgraded to accommodate the dwellings (subject to relevant technical assessments).
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1.8 For ease of reference these representations follow the consultation questions in order they appear in the consultation document, where relevant.