4.51

Object

Representation ID: 10345

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Barton Willmore

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

South of the River / Bedford St Johns Station
3.2 Paragraphs 4.51-4.54 refer to the South of the River Area, as allocated for development in the adopted Local Plan 2030 under Policy 14. Whilst much of the text is focused upon the plan to deliver circa 1,000 dwellings in this Area, we note the following statement under paragraph 4.54:
“The land at Britannia Road provides potential for Bedford Hospital to expand to accommodate planned growth, including a new multi-storey car park and attractive links to Bedford St Johns station.”
3.3 We support this reference to the Bedford Hospital, the Trust’s planned growth and the acknowledgement of the Hospital’s role within the Policy 14 Area. Regarding the reference to “attractive links to St Johns station”, we would highlight that the Trust has not committed to any land disposal or agreed to any projects in this regard. The Hospital’s landholdings are tightly constrained in this area and a masterplanning process will be required.

Comment

Representation ID: 10346

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Barton Willmore

As referred to in the Introduction, the Trust is a key stakeholder within Bedford, providing essential healthcare provision to the population of the town and wider area from their established sites at South Wing (Kempston Road) and North Wing (Kimbolton Road).
South Wing Site
4.2 The Bedford Hospital South Wing Site provides a range of essential healthcare services to the population of Bedford and beyond, including an Emergency Department, operating theatres, pathology, x-ray, inpatient wards and outpatient services. It is located circa 1km southwest of Bedford town centre, to the south of the River Great Ouse and southwest of the Bedford St John’s Railway Station. The Hospital’s main buildings lie to the southeast of Kempston Road, southwest of Britannia Road and the northwest of the A6 Ampthill Road. These buildings provide clinical, clinical support and essential non-clinical support functions. To the northeast of Britannia Road, the wider Hospital site includes essential non-clinical support buildings and car parking areas.
4.3 The Trust’s current clinical strategy requires the strategic estate development of the Bedford South Wing site over the next 15 years. This has been agreed by the Executive and includes significant infrastructure development to support the corporate and national agenda and objectives to achieving net zero carbon; additional operating theatres; additional outpatient capacity; and inpatient provision for elective day care. The clinical strategy will inform the creation of a new ‘development control plan’ for the South Wing Site. Once this has been prepared, the Trust will be keen to share this with the Council and other stakeholders and partners.
4.4 The strategy for the wider South Wing Site will need to take account of a range of factors, including the proposed changes to the railway line and Bedford St Johns Station as a result of East West Rail. The proposed realignment will result in improved accessibility via public transport. However, there will be impacts on car parking provision at the Hospital, as around 1,000 car parking spaces are currently leased on the former Danfoss site. The car parking and access strategy for the Site will need to be progressed alongside the development control plan, and ultimately a new multi-storey car park will be required on Trust-owned land between Britannia Road and the railway. This has been discussed in principle with Council Officers in respect of the emerging Development Brief for the Land South of the River (Policy 14) Area, and the Trust is keen to work with the Council and other partners in developing plans for this area of change.
North Wing
4.5 The Bedford Hospital North Wing Site is a health village for Bedford. Located circa 1km northeast of the town centre, adjacent to Kimbolton Road, it includes Gilbert Hitchcock House, Florence Ball House, Enhanced Services Centre, Shires House, Dental Care Centre, Archer Unit, Cedars House and Fountains Court. Land is under a variety of ownership and clinical service management is aligned to several organisations. In partnership with other commissioners, the Trust are co-leading a strategic estate programme to enhance the delivery of primary and some secondary care from the North Wing Site. The Trust is keen to work with the Council and other partners to deliver a strategic estate programme for enhanced healthcare provision from the North Wing Site.
Planning Approach
4.6 In previous representations to the Bedford Local Plan 2040, we had suggested that a ‘Special Policy Area’ (SPA) designation for the South and North Wing sites would be an appropriate policy response. This would include identifying the sites for major redevelopment and change during the forthcoming plan period, and setting out a policy (or policies) related to the proposed development.
4.7 We understand from further discussions with Planning Policy Officers that specific designations and policies to cover the Hospital Sites are not considered to be necessary, given the location of the sites within urban areas and the general presumption that development would be acceptable subject to the usual development management tests. Instead, Officers have suggested that a Masterplan approach or Pre-Application process would be more appropriate.
4.8 The Trust is keen to work closely with the Council as their clinical strategy develops into a programme for the redevelopment of their estates, and we will continue to engage with Officers regarding the Development Brief for Land South of the River (Policy 14).