1.14

Object

Representation ID: 3563

Received: 11/08/2021

Respondent: Mr Edwin Martin

Thank you for sending us this development strategy. I find no mention in it of guarding the ecology of our town and its surrounds. What about planting trees to make new woods to counter climate change? What about hugely increasing the charging points for electric cars? What about greening the centre of town with flower meadows on the roundabouts and lining all the roads with trees.

Support

Representation ID: 3565

Received: 11/08/2021

Respondent: Clerk to Rushden Town Council

As per your email below Rushden Town Council has noted the information and has no objection to this Consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 3574

Received: 12/08/2021

Respondent: TF Holdings Ltd

The draft local plan 2040 on which you have asked for comments declares an aim to retain the rural area of Bedfordshire in areas which are not subject to development. However the draft document does not include specific provisions for supporting this objective.
In local plan 2030 there are specific provision under 7S and Tier 3 providing safeguards in specified rural villages from excessive development. I urge that the final draft of local plan 2040 should include the equivalent measures, nominating specific villages in order to give teeth to the expressed claim of maintaining rural amenities where appropriate.

Object

Representation ID: 3869

Received: 27/08/2021

Respondent: Oakley Neighbourhood Planning Group

Council is aware that the Spatial Framework for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and the East West Rail route have yet to be finalised and the progress on these will need to be considered in the Local Plan 2040 as they will impact the locations for growth. The Oxford-Cambridge Arc expert panel to consider the case for new or expanded settlements between Bedford and Cambridge has also only recently been set up and its findings will need to be taken into consideration.

Object

Representation ID: 3881

Received: 28/08/2021

Respondent: Mr Peter Dodson

I strongly object to new developments that include Wilstead. I already believe that there's an adequate amount of new homes being built locally. I'm extremely concerned that the general infrastructure, especially the village roads, will not cope with the extra traffic. The huge unfinished developments at Wixams and Stortstown having already impacted the village, I'm convinced, and have knowledge of drivers using the village roads as a rat run from the A600 and A6. If developments must to proceed, the one I favour most is Option 2C, north of Bedford where I feel there is more space to provide.

Object

Representation ID: 3947

Received: 29/08/2021

Respondent: Mr paul giles

there was little awareness of previous consultations as a household we where not made aware of it

Support

Representation ID: 4053

Received: 30/08/2021

Respondent: Ann Mills

The Local Plan should be updated but not determined by national policy on house building numbers.

Object

Representation ID: 4068

Received: 30/08/2021

Respondent: Mrs Gerardine Meola

There needs to be specific new settlement policy for developments over 1,000 houses. How can you make a decision about a new settlement if you do not know what to expect - doctors, schools, shops, chemists or transport for example or does a new settlement mean just houses?

Support

Representation ID: 4148

Received: 30/08/2021

Respondent: Mr paul giles

If the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based growth policy.

Object

Representation ID: 4390

Received: 31/08/2021

Respondent: Mr Kulwinder Rai

The Local Plan 2030 was assessed for compliance with the 2012 NPPF and found to be sound. However, the NPPF was subject to considerable revision in 2018 and so the Local Plan 2040 must be written to comply with the latest iteration of NPPF. It is not enough to blithely assert that the existing policies are compliant with the 2018 NPPF and there there only needs to be a partial update... the authority has to chart the specific changes between the two versions of the NPPF and demonstrate how extant policies comply with the updated national policies.

Support

Representation ID: 4454

Received: 31/08/2021

Respondent: Mrs Lucy Crawford

If the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based growth policy.

Object

Representation ID: 4473

Received: 31/08/2021

Respondent: Mr Andrew Murray

It is disappointing that most of the development sites chosen as part of the Local Plan 2030 north of Bedford have been removed from this Local Plan 2040 with NO justification or reason shared with residents of Bedford. This makes no sense now that East-West Rail have selected a northern route, as previously both Bedford Borough and East-West Rail have stated that development would be along the East-West Rail route alignment.

Object

Representation ID: 4515

Received: 31/08/2021

Respondent: Mrs Clare Buddle

The wording '...reduced focus on retailing...' should be reconsidered: retail must and will still play a primary role in vibrant, vital and viable centres.

Support

Representation ID: 4613

Received: 01/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Melvyn Chase

I believe it is important to map the soil (which forms part of the natural capital) and therefore the agricultural land grades much more closely as this is a key part of the National Planning Policy Framework. The agricultural land classification map published by Natural England is not sufficiently detailed. High quality agricultural land should not be used for development and therefore more detailed information is needed before decisions about site allocations are made.

Object

Representation ID: 4674

Received: 01/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Joshua Zwetsloot

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to Staploe Parish Council. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 4854

Received: 02/09/2021

Respondent: Ms Tara Skey

If the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based growth policy.

Object

Representation ID: 4916

Received: 02/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Chris Giles

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to Staploe Parish Council. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 4991

Received: 02/09/2021

Respondent: Rainier Developments Limited (Bromham)

Agent: Marrons Planning

The scope of the Plan will need to consider the implications of the recent changes in national policy (NPPF July 2021), and the emerging content of the Arc Spatial Framework.

Object

Representation ID: 5001

Received: 02/09/2021

Respondent: Rainier Developments Limited (Roxton)

Agent: Marrons Planning

The scope of the Plan will need to consider the implications of the recent changes in national policy (NPPF July 2021), and the emerging content of the Arc Spatial Framework.

Object

Representation ID: 5013

Received: 02/09/2021

Respondent: Rainier Developments Limited (Wootton)

Agent: Marrons Planning

The scope of the Plan will need to consider the implications of the recent changes in national policy (NPPF July 2021), and the emerging content of the Arc Spatial Framework.

Object

Representation ID: 5198

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Stuart Ledwich

The scope of the plan is not considering that housing development on the edge of existing towns is not only available and usable but would be most cost effective solution, considering existing infrastructure (gas,roads,waste,water) instead this plan appears to be focus solely on destroying the areas that people have made a concious decision to live out of town and invested significant amounts of money in our areas. This is wrong and somebody needs to get this plan into the right places away from our villages and hamlets.

Object

Representation ID: 5211

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Peter Norris

The acceptance of a disproportionate new housing requirement by the Borough Council compared to all adjacent authority areas was not apparent during the 2030 LP consultation but is now. This brings into question the fundamental planning objectives for the whole of the proposed 2040 LP. It is wrong to assume that all was well following the 2030 LP consultation when there is an enduring inconsistency in how Bedford Borough have determined a higher build requirement than all neighbouring authorities. The anomaly should be urgently investigated and corrected before the 2040 LP process proceeds.

Object

Representation ID: 5481

Received: 06/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Stuart Ledwich

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to Staploe Parish Council. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 5575

Received: 06/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Julie Kilby

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to I. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 5625

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Phillip Yockney

If the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based growth policy.

Object

Representation ID: 5678

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Miss amber scally

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to Staploe Parish Council. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 5720

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Miss Hannah Hambleton-Jewell

1.14 The Local Plan 2040 will be a partial update of existing policies. The Local Plan 2030 was adopted only last year and the vast majority of its policies are up to date and do not need to change. Remaining policies in the earlier Allocations and Designations Local Plan have been reviewed and, in the majority of cases, they remain fit for purpose and similarly do not need to change at this time. We asked for views about the scope of the plan during last year's consultation and the responses have helped us to focus on the following key policy areas:
• Development Strategy to 2040 and delivery of growth in order to meet national policy requirements
• Town centre and retail policies in order to support a more flexible future for our centres with a reduced focus on retailing
• Updated development management policies (those used to help make decisions on planning applications) to do with
o Self-build and custom homebuilding
o Quality of development and residential space standards
o Environmental net gain

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable however, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.

Object

Representation ID: 5755

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Gillian Tagg

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to me. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail-based growth strategy (e.g., new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail-based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.
100-word Summary
If the growth strategy is rail based (e.g., new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail-based growth policy.

Object

Representation ID: 5837

Received: 08/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Norman Hoy

The scope of the Local Plan is broadly acceptable to I. However, it is unusual to for a draft Local Plan to attempt a review of the strategic growth for the borough whilst at the same time reviewing certain planning policies that will support the Local Plan going forward. It may be through deciding the strategic growth of the borough that additional or existing policies need reviewing. For example, should the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based policy. Policy 90S of the adopted Local Plan identifies the infrastructure that may come forward as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as well as supporting identified allocations. However, a separate rail based specific policy intervention may be required should the growth strategy around rail as a ‘sustainable’ form of growth be selected. Nevertheless, BBC need to be confident that the growth options identified within the draft Local Plan, or indeed any other suitable growth strategy that might be applied, reflects the current policies within the adopted Local Plan and those that are currently subject to consultation.
100 word summary
If the growth strategy employ a rail based growth strategy (e.g. new settlement at Little Barford linking to the East West rail station to the south of St Neots) then there may be a need for a specific rail based growth policy.

Object

Representation ID: 5909

Received: 08/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Tom Tagg

As noted in 1.5 above, the plan period should align with the Ox-Cam Arc proposed period, when this is defined by HMG. This would then allow fully integrated planning across all of the Arc so that developments and infrastructure improvements are made in the correct places and the burden of these is fairly shared across the Arc.
As noted in 1.11 above, the growth and therefore the development proposals arise from the application of the FLAWED standard method, which unfairly burdens Bedford with excessive growth requirements. This must be challenged.

I support policies to improve Bedford town centre, Quality of development and residential space standards and Environmental net gain.