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Representation ID: 8584

Received: 27/09/2021

Respondent: Elstow Parish Council

BEDFORD BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN 2040 – DRAFT PLAN: STRATEGY OPTIONS AND
DRAFT POLICIES
RESPONSE from ELSTOW PARISH COUNCIL September 2021
OVERVIEW
This document represents the considered response of Elstow Parish Council to the strategic
proposals set out by Bedford Borough Council (BBC) in their consultation conducted June to
September 2021.
Our Approach to the Consultation
Elstow Parish Council is experienced in understanding the due process relating to public
consultations and is therefore mindful of the importance of presenting clear and robust evidence
even at this consultation stage, to ensure that Elstow Parish Council makes clear its view as the
first tier of local government. The Parish Council, have a further roll as always, serving its
electorate and ensuring they are supported through this process, so there has been additional
work done ensuring residents are not only aware of the proposals, their direct impact on Elstow,
but also in further encouraging residents to effectively engage in this consultation process.
The Parish Council also feels at this stage of drafting such a significant development strategy
document that it is important to reiterate to the Borough Council, Elstow specific items that have
previously been expressed.
Elstow Parish Council, as usual, has been active in attending the local authority led consultation
events directed at local parishes. As a small parish Elstow Parish Councillors have spent time
studying the consultation documents, however, must feedback that it has been very challenging
for Councillors to do this within the consultation timeframe. Elstow has a number of new
Councillors who have not been through a Local Plan process before so it has been quite over
whelming at times for them to come forwards with feedback on a topic which is so new to them.
The many different technical and complex items being considered mean it has been difficult to
ensure that all areas receive sufficient scrutiny and appropriate coverage within this Parish
Council response. More so when Councillors are all volunteers and the Clerk is only part time
for a few hours a week. Naturally this has been frustrating for those representing Elstow as it
understood the significance of the proposals within this consultation given Elstow’s geographical
location in relation to the A241 transport corridor. Trying to decipher not only so many different
strategic options, in addition to a huge number of important accompanying planning policy
documents which will shape the future of Elstow and all local communities across the Borough,
really has been testing.
The Parish Council have tried during the consultation to support Elstow residents to make sure
they are aware of the enormity of the proposals, and that they can have their say and their voice
heard. This has included communicating via a leaflet to every household in the whole parish, to
set out why it is important to become involved and how to respond to the consultation.
The Parish Council as previously detailed – all volunteers and all laymen in this particular field -
have become increasingly conscious of the level of technical detail contained in the many, often
large local authority documents which need to be read and understood before attempting to
communicate with our residents and before collating this response to this consultation. This has
been compounded further because of the government Covid restrictions, new Councillors and
some Councillors being unable to support their colleagues as they would have liked. Elstow
Parish Council would also like to highlight that they do not have access to specialist planning
professionals so have very much wished to focus on their local knowledge of the historic parish
they are proud to call home.
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BEDFORD BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN 2040 – DRAFT PLAN: STRATEGY OPTIONS AND
DRAFT POLICIES
RESPONSE from ELSTOW PARISH COUNCIL September 2021
It should also be noted that due to the challenges set out above during this consultation, it has
impacted on any opportunity for any meaningful engagement with neighbouring areas. Elstow
always look to work collaboratively and cohesively with its neighbouring rural communities,
however this has simply not been possible on this occasion.
As a result, for this stage of consultation on strategic development options, it was important to
Elstow Parish Council that they focus on Elstow only. Local communities around the borough
area will be better equipped to represent with their superior local knowledge of the area(s) they
serve.
The Parish Council response will focus on these six key areas:
1. Draft Plan: Strategic Options
2. Draft Plan: Overall Strategic Policy
3. Draft Plan: Draft Policies
4. Urban Area - Safeguarding Elstow
5. Elstow Important Local Factors
6. Consultation Accessibility
The consultation submission will reflect the supporting evidence collated, thus enabling Elstow
Parish Council to provide information on how truly detrimental and catastrophic poorly thought
out development strategy options would be and how negatively they would impact on a small
rural village such as Elstow.