Object

Representation ID: 9799

Received: 24/07/2022

Respondent: Miss Claire Barker

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The Government’s concept of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc which included Bedfordshire has been discarded.
I object to the inclusion of this large employment development allocation – 30 hectares across two sites – which would directly impact on the village of Renhold as the sites are located at Water End and St Neots Road thereby this development would fall within the village as the houses in Water Lane are located beyond the sites. This would result in a commercial development (as the policy makes provision for manufacturing, warehousing and distribution elements) on agricultural land within a village thereby directly impacting on the houses in St Neots Road, Water Lane and Water End. Therefore the development cannot be designed to ‘ensure separation from Renhold’ and the new buildings would be prominent in this open rural setting.
I consider the location of these two sites to go against the Local Plan’s objective of focussing new growth first in the urban area with all suitable sites within the urban area boundary being allocated. The Local Plan should be including brownfield sites and land adjoining the urban area – not proposing sites on open countryside.
If development is granted the villages of Great Barford and Renhold will draw closer as 500 homes have been approved in St Neots Road, Great Barford.
The proposed sites would not meet the Local Plan’s objective of creating sustainable communities when the location’s accessibility will rely on the use of the car as it is too far to walk (and for many to cycle) from Bedford Railway Station.
This development of these two sites would result in the loss of Grade 2 agricultural land. The Government advocates the protection of Grade 2 agricultural land from significant, inappropriate and unsustainable development. The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have highlighted the importance of food security so we need to protect good quality agricultural land.
Renhold comprises of five Ends which gives it is distinctive character and by creating a large business park at Water End this would have an adverse impact on the village character. The scale of the proposals would create an ‘urban built environment’ which would be disproportionate to the size of the Parish.
As the owner of Hill Farmhouse in Water Lane which is a Grade II listed building I am very concerned that such a development would have a detrimental impact on the Grade II listed properties in the area and the heritage assets including the Howbury ringwork and Medieval Trackway. Water Lane is a very special rural location which runs down to the River Ouse. I understand that some of the land has ridge and furrow.
Water End and St Neots Road/Water Lane have already been adversely affected by the bypass which has increased community severance and the level of traffic and noise.. These levels would significantly increase during the construction phase and once the sites were completed. The A421 junction is congested at certain times of the day. The roads through the village have already experienced an increase in traffic volumes and it has had to bring in measures to prevent speeding. The village has also introduced a weight limit. A development of the size proposed would have enormous implications for traffic management and road safety in the village.
In summary the approval of this policy would adversely impact on the village of Renhold. A site of this nature should be located in an urban location already allocated for employment use.