Comment

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 9668

Received: 26/07/2022

Respondent: Historic England

Representation Summary:

The site is located within the Bedford Conservation Area and there are a number of grade II listed buildings nearby including 2-28 The Grove and 12-16 Newnham Street.
Any development of this site has the potential to impact upon the heritage assets and their settings.
We welcome the preparation of an HIA for the site which considers both built heritage and archaeology. The HIA noted the importance of sympathetic materials, design scale and massing and so we welcome the reference to the preparation of a design code for the site.
The HIA also identified harm to the heritage significance of the Conservation Area if high density residential development as presented by the LPA for the purposes of the HIA was pursued. It is unclear from the Plan what capacity and density the Council is seeking for this site. The capacity of the site should be reviewed in light of the HIA findings and the policy should be clearer in this regard.
We welcome the criterion iv and ix.