The plan to develop this site will significantly impact on the rural nature of the village of Elstow. Currently we enjoy a country feel to our residents which is far enough away from the surrounding commercial developments of the Priory Business Park and Kempston Retail Interchange to not adversely affect this. This propose new development will land a large commercial complex on our doorstep that will be completely overbearing and out of kilter with our historic village.
It is vitally important, from a heritage perspective, that Elstow is protected from encroaching development of this nature and that the views and landscape are protected. It is also important that the identity of Elstow is maintained and not swallowed up into the surrounding area of Bedford/Wixams.
Furthermore, residents of Elstow enjoy, on a daily basis, the variety of wildlife in the area ranging from the birds of prey to the local deer population. This development, with all that entails, would only adversely affect the ecological balance, which, given the development time and resulting impact on the local green space and traffic, would see this permanently decline.
This development will create excessive noise and dust pollution for many years and would severely impact on the residents enjoyment of this rural location.
It will also create an aesthetically displeasing view from the village itself and distract from the heritage of this historic location.