Site ID: 714

Object

Representation ID: 3443

Received: 11/07/2021

Respondent: Mr Gordon Message

See comments on site 236. + The proposal indicates access through the wooded area. This is currently a wildlife haven that connects by hedges and fields to open countryside. Replacing the lost woodland across the site will not provide the same facility. It will take years to get established and will not happen till after the site is developed (if at all - developers are not good at following planning requirements and council has limited power to enforce them). This will result in a significant loss of natural habitat. These comments also apply to the 236 site.

Object

Representation ID: 3773

Received: 24/08/2021

Respondent: Ken Cook

This proposal includes an area of designated nature conservation importance which would be destroyed. Even around this site this area proposed is a habitat for many threatened wild flowers and insect species and habitat for birds and mammals. The biodiversity loss in this proposal would be enormous. Also the size of the proposal would also put a serious strain on Wilstead's services and facilities

Object

Representation ID: 3937

Received: 29/08/2021

Respondent: Mrs Linda Cook

This proposal includes an area a site of nature conservation importance. It also contains fields that are important in protecting that site. If developed it would harm Bedford Borough's aims in encouraging and protecting natural diversity. It also include an area designated as a Wilstead important open area and village break. The size of the development would be far too large to be met by Wilstead's facilities.

Object

Representation ID: 5117

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Wilshamstead Parish Council

This site includes a designated County Wildlife site and should never be built on.
It is much used for recreational walking and provides access to the open countryside for villagers.

Object

Representation ID: 5181

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Dr Rachel Horn

Building here would cause significant disruption to the inhabiting wildlife, it is close to protected conservation area and building would interrupt public footpath through to the woods.

Also already some flooding here which would be made worse with more housing due to type of soil and current drainage.

There are plenty of more suitable sites with less disruption and better access.

Object

Representation ID: 6180

Received: 09/09/2021

Respondent: Ms Susan Driver

Site 714:

There should be no building on this site because of:

1. Extensive flooding and drainage issues. (see 1a)

2. You will destroy the very amenity Bedford Borough claim to be trying to develop – i.e. ‘Develop a strong and multi-functional urban and rural green infrastructure network’ (see 2a)

1a. There should be no building here because the land has significant drainage issues and is prone to flooding. Water flows off the hill and settles on the bottom 30% of the field. It is particularly bad during the winter months and has flooded for the past 15 years that I know of. Since the adjacent Bellway homes site has been built, the flooding has increased significantly. Last winter the flooding was so bad that the bottom end of the field was under more than 30cm of water. I have never seen it that bad before

2a. Bedford borough claims to be aiming to:-
facilitate ‘the development of more sustainable and inclusive places for local communities,………… and offer the opportunity to live healthier lifestyles.
Develop a strong and multi-functional urban and rural green infrastructure network through protecting, enhancing, extending and linking landscapes, woodland, biodiversity sites, heritage sites, green spaces and paths.
Improve access to green and blue infrastructure for the enjoyment and health of all.’
This green infrastructure already exists around the village of Wilstead. This field is part of the local green infrastructure so why destroy this amenity by putting houses here? This field is currently enjoyed by both the residents of Wilstead and The Wixams. People also come from other areas to walk across these fields to Wilstead woods.

During the lockdowns of 2020, this area resembled Piccadilly Circus because so many people brought their young children for picnics, and took their children for rambles across this field and adjacent fields. People were dog walking, blackberry picking, playing games and generally enjoying this open space. Most people were not from Wilstead village – many were from The Wixams. The Wixams no longer has significant areas of open fields for all generations to enjoy along with country walks because they have already been built on or are about to be built on.

If you build on this field – and adjacent fields - you will destroy this amenity for all communities in Bedfordshire.

Support

Representation ID: 7434

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Mr D De Massey

Agent: CC Town PLanning

A site location plan which clarifies the extent of that land which is under the control of
our client is set out at Plate 1.
The approximately 9-hectare site lies centrally on the eastern flank of the settlement
of Wilstead to the south of the urban area of Bedford and is surrounded on its north,
south and western boundaries by existing built form which is dominated by residential
properties. The site assessment document suggests that the site has capacity for circa
250 dwellings.
Access to the site is taken from Luton Road where the site has a significant road
frontage. There are high quality and regular public transport links to the site and the
wider offer is bolstered by its proximity to Kempston Hardwick train station which lies
approximately 3km to the west.
(see map in attachment)
Our client has engaged with the LPA throughout the course of their efforts to produce
the adopted Bedford Borough Local Plan (2030), they have also remained engaged
in the efforts this far to commence the production of the Local Plan Review which will
ultimately result in the adoption of the Local Plan 2040.
As part of their ongoing engagement the Client has made submissions to the Call for
Sites invitation and their land holding has been positively assessed by the Council as
part of that process. Whilst the findings contained within the Call for Sites (ID: 714)
Pro Forma are discussed later within the submission, it is considered prudent to
rehearse that the site remains available for development. The site is also suitable,
available and achievable and there are no barriers which would preclude its
development in the near term.
Aside from engagement in the development plan production process there have been
no recent planning applications for the development of the site and therefore no
history which is material to the consideration of the site through the Council’s efforts
to produce and adopt the emerging LP.
I can confirm that those conclusions, which are set out within the pro-forma for the
site, as contained within the Site Assessment Pro-Formas (2021) document, are
largely true. However, feasibility testing and technical work is currently being
progressed and the conclusions of those works are expected to bolster the Council’s
initial desk-based assessment and confirm the site’s suitability for future residential
development.
A final point of note which the Council may be interested in as they move forward in
developing the LP and seeking to allocate sites to meet future growth requirements is
the availability of additional land at Luton Road, Wilstead.
Our client has an interest in an additional parcel of land which is shown at Plate 2.(see attachment)
For information, this parcel has not previously been submitted to the LPA through the
Call for Sites or LP process.
Should you require any further information on this additional land then please do not
hesitate to contact CC Town Planning via any of those channels listed above.
Given the client’s land interests at Luton Road, Wilstead, they have afforded
considerable attention to the content of the pro-forma which has been completed by
the Council in their assessment of the future deliverability of their site for residential
purposes.
It is accepted that the pro-formas are a fluid / working document and it is urged that
the Council re-assess their land holding as further information becomes available.
Whilst it is not the intention to rehearse the positive conclusions which the Council has
reached up to this point, it is considered prudent to highlight several points which will
hopefully serve to assist Officer’s in their future discussions surrounding the
deliverability of the site.
It can be confirmed that the site is under single control and therefore no land assembly
is required which would of course lengthen the lead in times to development. The site
is suitable, available and achievable and initial feasibility testing is clear that the site
is a viable opportunity for residential development.
In terms of technical constraints, it is considered that these are nonexistent. There is
no legacy of uses at the site which could have caused contamination. The site is in
Flood Zone 1, as shown on the Environment Agency Flood Risk Map for Planning,
and as such there are no arising technical constraints in this area. The land is of Grade
3 agricultural value and does not have any underlying mineral assets.
Whilst the landowner will make technical information available as it is progressed for
the site, there are currently no indications that a residential development at the site
will be unachievable.
Well related to Wilstead the development of the site will not result in sprawl or
coalescence of settlements and will provide a positive development opportunity which
will compliment, rather than compete with, those larger sites which are currently under
construction or planned for the Borough.
The site could be delivered in advance of those marque infrastructure items which the
emerging LP will seek to deliver. Notably, the site serves to make contributions
towards the proposed new train station and improvements to the A421 which are
proposed within the Transport Corridor.
Whilst evidence is only anecdotal at this stage, it is urged that the Council remain
mindful of the client’s site when considering the allocation of land to deliver the
strategic housing targets which will be expressed within the LP.