Comment

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 9851

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Wilden Parish Council

Representation Summary:

• Policy NE-1. We agree with a policy of Environmental Net Gain but this is incompatible with your support of a railway line that requires stations being demolished and rebuilt, new concrete multi-storey car-parks and new roads constructed, and extra miles of Bedfordshire countryside being dug up for railway tracks.
• A truly ‘Green Infrastructure policy’ is supported provided that it includes proposals to protect our natural resources. In particular this should include protection for the high-quality agricultural land within Wilden parish.

• We support Policy DM7, an attempt to improve Bio-Diversity net gain, but this should also include protection for older trees, not protected by TPOs, and existing hedges and shrubbery from uprooting and removal. These are important wildlife breeding sites. New planning permissions should include a requirement for the planting of native trees and shrubs in order to build up a true ‘Bio-Diversity’ policy.