Comment

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 9626

Received: 26/07/2022

Respondent: Clapham Parish Council

Representation Summary:

Policy Omission: Strategic Gaps
The proposed plan allocates significant growth along the A421 corridor, notably at Kempston Hardwick New Settlement (HOU14), Land South of Wixams (HOU15), Land at East Wixams (HOU16) and Gibraltar Corner (HOU13). These sites effectively provide infill sites to the communities of Wootton, Stewartby and Wixams, creating a continous suburban extension.

These allocations continue the long term trend of coalescence of communities throughout Bedford and Kempston, and provides a dangerous precedence. CPC therefore request consideration is given to the inclusion of a specific policy for Strategic Gaps designed to protect the integrity and character of communities such as Clapham which are located close to, bit outside the urban area of Bedford. The purpose of the policy would be to provide a planning tool which:

Identifies areas of open land/countryside between existing settlements, with the aim to protect the setting and separate identity of settlements, and to avoid coalescence by retaining the existing settlement pattern through maintaining the openness of the land.

CPC would wish this to apply to the open land between Clapham and Bedford. There may be other communities to which this policy could be applicable. CPC suggest the following criteria for consideration

The land to be included within the gap is open and provides a sense of separation between settlements.
· The land to be included within the gap performs an important role in defining the settlement character of the area and separating settlements at risk of coalescence (in particular from land allocations in the Local Plan).
· In defining the extent of a gap, no more land than is necessary to prevent the coalescence of settlements should be included, having regard to maintaining their physical and visual separation.
Taking into account;
landscape character, landscape features (woodland, river valleys and landform), topography, distance, existing vegetation and land uses, the nature of settlement edges and how they integrate with the adjacent countryside, key views, the sense of leaving a place

Inclusion of this policy would align with:
Policy DS2(S) Spatial strategy
xiii. Safeguarding the intrinsic character of the countryside and the environment and biodiversity within it through the careful management of development to meet local needs whilst supporting the rural economy