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Local Plan 2040 Draft Plan - Strategy options and draft policies consultation

Representation ID: 8832

Received: 29/09/2021

Respondent: Rosconn Strategic Land

Agent: Phillips Planning Services

Representation Summary:

RESPONSE TO DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TOPIC PAPER
4.1 The settlement of Sharnbrook was included in many of the options in the Issues And Options Consultation June 2020 – options 3b, 3c, 4, 6, and 7. All of these options allocated 500 dwellings to the settlement in the next plan period.

4.2 We must raise objection and highlight that the exclusion of strategic growth in this part of the Borough is a missed opportunity; and that the reasoning given in the sustainability appraisal for discounting this level of growth are considered superficial and indicate an underlying bias towards urban centric growth.

4.3 It is important to note that many of the options were not discounted due to issues with allocating growth to Sharnbrook itself, but because there are considered to be issues with the overall strategy in those particular options. For example, Options 4 and 6 were discounted primarily because they do not include any development in the urban area which the Sustainability Appraisal identifies to be the most sustainable location. Most of these options also include the delivery of two new settlements, two of which are proposed off the A6. However, the transport modelling has found that the A6 does not have sufficient capacity to accommodate this scale of development, and yet does not address whether smaller scale growth, such as 250 dwellings at Sharnbrook, could be accommodated.

4.4 It is therefore crucial that Sharnbrook is not discounted as a suitable settlement for growth simply because it happened to be one element of an overall strategy in options which are considered to be less desirable. We would strongly contend that the sustainability credentials of Sharnbrook should be considered on its own individual merits.

4.5 Sharnbrook is a Key Service Centre and a sustainable settlement in the North of Bedford Borough and is an ideal location for delivering further growth in this Local Plan Review. We would therefore contend that deliverable sites in Sharnbrook be considered on their own merits, and that a more targeted analysis of impact is undertaken.

4.6 The site at Hill Farm, Mill Road has been independently assessed as part of the Neighbourhood Plan process, and the site has been considered as sustainable and suitable to accommodate the expansion of the village. Its development avoids the constraints found within or to the west of the village, and within the Strategic Environmental Assessment, performed strongly in respect of the potential effects on ‘Biodiversity’, the ‘Historic Environment’, ‘Landscape’ and ‘Transport’.

4.7 The Examination into the Sharnbrook Neighbourhood Plan has now been completed with the Examiner concluding at paragraph 4.12 of her report:

“I have considered the results of that [Regulation 16] consultation together with the evidence on the site assessment process and the SEA. I find that the decision of the SPC to allocate Site 901, land at Hill Farm, Mill Road is soundly based.”