2.1

Showing comments and forms 31 to 34 of 34

Object

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 10495

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Bedfordshire Police

Agent: West Mercia OPCC

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Representation Summary:

Bedfordshire Police’s previous representations recommended that the Local Plan’s Vision be amended to acknowledge the need to create a secure and low crime environment for all in the Borough. However, this was not done. Unless the amendment is made the Vision’s consistency with the following paragraphs of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is at risk:

• Paragraphs 8, 20, 35-37, 92 (b), 97 and 130 (f) of the NPPF (July 2021);

In addition, the absence of the requested amendment jeopardises support for the need for design measures and additional infrastructure to ensure safe, secure and crime free communities. Support for this viewpoint is provided by paragraphs 92 and 130 of the NPPF, which both state that planning policies and decisions should:

‘Create places…where crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine the quality of life or community cohesion.’

Furthermore, paragraph 20 of the NPPD states that local planning authorities should plan for the provision of community and security infrastructure for their areas.

The above demonstrates that the Vision would benefit from a much clearer commitment to creating a safe, secure and low crime environment for all in the Borough. This would also ensure consistency with the following:

• Bedford Borough’s Sustainable Community Strategy 2009-2021 – Section 5; and

• The following legislation and national planning practice guidance:

Planning provides an important opportunity to consider the security of the built environment, those that live and work in it and the services it provides.

Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (as amended) requires all local, joint and combined authorities (as well as National Parks, the Broads Authority and the Greater London Authority) to exercise their functions with all due regard to their likely effect on crime and disorder, and to do all they reasonable can to prevent crime and disorder.

Paragraph: 009 Reference ID: 53-009-20190722
Revision date: 22 07 2019

It should be noted at this juncture that the ‘Bedford Borough Community Safety Partnership – Community Safety Partnership Strategic Plan – 2020 – 2023’ states that the critical objective is:

‘Tackling crime, disorder, anti-social behavior, drug and alcohol misuse and increasing perceptions about safety and well-being in our communities.’

Therefore it is essential that the Vision of the Local Plan accords directly with the above to ensure its delivery in the Borough.

More generally, the Local Plan’s Vision contains other aspirations such as sustainable development, being more attractive and greater prosperity. However these and other aspirations will not be achieved if those same developments and communities are not safe, secure and low crime.

Consequently, BP is not convinced that the Local Plan’s Vision as currently worded is compliant with Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (as amended) or the other documents cited above. Therefore, BP considers the Vision to be ineffective, inconsistent with national planning policy and consequently unsound as currently drafted.

Object

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 10497

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Hallam Land Management

Agent: David Lock Associates

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Representation Summary:

Hallam Land Management objects to the proposed vision and objectives. Hallam considers that the vision could be more spatially relevant and provide a meaningful context for the emerging themes, and objectives. In this context Hallam considers that the plan fails to be positively prepared, justified and effective.
Hallam consider that the vision is important for setting the context for the spatial strategy, which in itself must be able to demonstrate how the vision will be delivered. Hallam, in this context also objects to the spatial strategy which is considered to omit key elements of the most sustainable or deliverable option of those considered as set out in the Development Strategy Topic Paper.
According to the Development Strategy Topic Paper, the proposed spatial strategy is based on the variants of Option 2. Hallam considers that the spatial strategy is unlikely to realise each of the opportunities for sustainable development and investment identified both within and without the Option 2 Development Strategy. Equally, an overemphasis on a single theme, and rejection of other sustainable development opportunities, places additional risks in relation to delivery of homes and infrastructure – the prospect of which has been given secondary rather than primary consideration. Maximising and not just meeting basic delivery aspirations should be a leading factor in the identification of the preferred option.
Hallam welcomes the commitment in the vision to “enable the creation of strong, safe and resilient local communities in environments that facilitate healthy and independent living for all”. However this vision is not then carried through in the remainder of the vision statement – in particular in the geographic focus that is set out. In this context Hallam is concerned that the omission of further spatial detail may undermine the effectiveness of the Local Plan.

The desired outcome and focus on sustainable neighbourhoods implies sustainable developments in Bedford and Kempston and in other sustainable communities with strong sustainable credentials but this is not in the vision. In particular Hallam considers that the vision should include a focus on Bedford and Kempston and should embrace related settlements adjacent to the town which are well connected and be further enhanced through modest investment. While the vision highlights the planned outcome of the new town centre railway hub with direct links to Oxford and Cambridge, neither the plan nor the subsequent proposed policies identify and seek to realise the opportunities for delivering sustainable growth that this brings – especially in limited number of nearby locations with direct multimodal transport links to the hub. An example of just such a location is Clapham immediately to the north east of the Bedford Railway hub.

Attachments:

Support

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 10510

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: National Highways

Representation Summary:

Local Plan - Vision and objectives
National Highways is supportive of the aims of the plan to become a greener, more
sustainable, more attractive and prosperous place to live. The plan suggests that
sustainable development and transport, the use of sustainable and renewable energy
technology, green infrastructure and new green spaces will all contribute to reducing
the Borough’s carbon footprint and securing a net-gain in both biodiversity and
environmental quality. In particular, we support the aims of improving accessibility,
through encouraging sustainable travel as well as taking the opportunities offered by
strategic infrastructure for greater regional and national connectivity.

Support

Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Representation ID: 10525

Received: 26/07/2022

Respondent: Barton Willmore

Representation Summary:

Paragraphs 2.1 to 2.3 set out the vision and objectives of the Local Plan 2040. We agree with the vision and the four themes (‘Greener’, ‘More Accessible’, ‘More Prosperous’ and ‘Better Places’) that feed into the overall vision. In line with the vision and the four themes, the proposed development will provide a high-quality, inclusive and safe environment which promotes healthy living and values. A mixture of house types / tenures and the delivery of affordable dwellings will assist in providing appropriate amounts and types of housing, suitable to meet the needs of the Borough.