Object
Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission
Representation ID: 9331
Received: 28/07/2022
Respondent: Mr Eric Benton
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Yes
Insufficient justification for the"urbanisation" of this area
At the moment the justification for development South of Bedford appears to be the future availability of Stewartby Hardwick and Wixams stations and the “easy” transport links to the A421.
However, the effect on A6 traffic has been poorly researched (e.g. it does not cover the increase in traffic likely from the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan which currently looks to be substantial in the northern part of that region) and the identified requirement for additional bus service, GPs, Primary and Secondary Schools and road improvements will require very substantial funding and, from experience at Wixams, unless very tightly monitored, will fail to meet the amounts required. This will result in compromises that will put extreme pressure on existing infrastructure which is already at capacity.
The attached picture taken from the Local Plan documents illustrates the dgree to which the area will be suject to extreme urbanisation.