Comment

Representation ID: 9882

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Odell Parish Council

Odell Parish Council welcomes the general approach to future development in the Borough which would be focused on the existing urban areas or in specific new settlements that will be served by major roads and railway stations that have the capacity to carry additional traffic. Our principal concern is that the rural nature of the River Great Ouse Valley and its surrounding areas north of Bedford is not eroded by excessive residential or industrial development.

We appreciate that much of this additional development will be back-end weighted and phased so that it can only take place as and when new infrastructure is in place - specifically the Black Cat roundabout towards Cambridge and the new East-West Rail line. We also recognise that there is no extensive new housing allocated to the north of Bedford which would make the existing major issues of congestion and inadequate road capacity during peak hours even worse.

We are also pleased that the key policies referenced in Odell’s recently completed Neighbourhood Plan will be carried forward into the new Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040.