Call for Sites Form

Form ID: 1005

Interest in land

Other (please specify)

Specify 'other' land interest

Agent

If you are not the landowner of the site you are submitting, do you have permission to submit?

Yes

Address of site

College Farm Black Cat Roundabout Great North Road Roxton Bedfordshire

Location plan

Show full map

Current use of land

Agricultural, mineral extraction

Adjoining use to the north

Agricultural

Adjoining use to the south

Agricultural

Adjoining use to the east

River Great Ouse

Adjoining use to the west

A1 major trunk road

Has the site been developed previously?

Proposed primary use

Employment

Other uses proposed

Employment , Retail , Hotel

Number of dwellings proposed

No answer given

Type of housing proposed

Nothing chosen

Other type of housing

No answer given

Density proposed

No answer given

Proposed tenures

Nothing chosen

Other tenures proposed

No answer given

Permanent or transit?

No answer given

Site privately owned?

Nothing chosen

Number of plots proposed

No answer given

Proposed type of employment

Range of new commercial facilities, including motorway services, electric vehicle charging, a hotel, lorry park and distribution, and associated retail and leisure facilities

Gross floorspace proposed

Up to 14.6ha of the site could be developable, providing approximately 500,000sq.ft of floor space

Proposed type of retail

No answer given

Net floorspace proposed

No answer given

Gross floorspace proposed

No answer given

Number of hotel rooms proposed

Up to 90 rooms (replacing existing hotel on opposite side of the Black Cat roundabout)

Amount of development proposed

No answer given

Description

No answer given

Can suitable access be achieved for the site?

Suitable access is achievable

Where will the site’s access point(s) be?

As part of the proposed works to the Black Cat roundabout, the site will be accessed via the new roundabout to be created at the junction of the A421 and A1. Please see the Location Plan and Vision Document for further details.

Is the site available for development now?

Is the site currently subject to a planning application?

Is the site currently being marketed?

Are you aware of any issues that might affect the viability of developing the site?

1-5 years (2024/25-2028/29)

No answer given

6-10 years (2029/30-2033/34)

Yes

11-15 years (2034/35-2039/40)

No answer given

16+ years (2040 onwards)

No answer given

What year, post adoption of the plan, would you expect development to start on site?

2025, depending on completion of the Black Cat works

The council has declared a climate emergency. How the proposal will respond to climate change

The site will be excellently located to East Anglia’s major road network, with access from both the A1 and A421. It sits on the Oxford-Cambridge road corridor and is close to the high-growth areas of both Bedford and St Neots. The site is proposed for employment and roadside uses, including a filling station, hotel and other potential employment uses. This will include electric vehicle charging stations. Any buildings will seek to reduce emissions and adopt sustainable building measures.

Attachments

File: J0038986_CJ_MP_Bedford BC_Black Cat Roundabout.pdf

File: Heritage Impact Assmt

Site size (ha)

27.86

Site size threshold

Above

Overriding constraint?

None

Stage1 conclusion

Include in next stage of assessment

Stage 2 Assessment of suitability, availability & achievability

Site is available

Stage 2 conclusion

Include in next stage of assessment

1a. Within or adjoining UAB SPA or built form of a small settlement

x The site is not within or adjoining the urban area or a defined settlement policy area, or within the built form of a small settlement

1b. Accessible on foot to a food store?

++ A site accessibility score of 8 is recorded where 8 is 0 – 10 minutes’ walk.

1c. Accessible on foot to a primary school?

x A site accessibility score of 4 is recorded where 4 is 21 – 30 minutes’ walk.

1d. Accessible on foot or by bus to a major employer?

x The site is within 10 minutes’ walk of a bus stop with an infrequent bus service (less frequent than hourly each day) which enables travel 8am6pm Monday to Friday to a major employer.

1e. Outside, adjoining or within the air quality management area?

+ The site is not within or adjoining the air quality management area.

2a. Within or adjoining site of nature conservation importance

x The site is within or adjoining a site of nature conservation importance

2b. In an area where protected species are known or likely to exist?

x Protected species could be affected.

2c. Potentially able to achieve a net gain in biodiversity?

? Uncertain or insufficient information

2d. Able to link into the green infrastructure opportunity network?

x The site is within a green infrastructure opportunity network but is likely to compromise the network.

2e. Likely to impact on an area currently providing ecosystem services.

+ Opportunity area for 3 or more ecosystem services covers less than 25% of the site.

3a. Proposing a renewable energy scheme or extra energy efficiency standards?

0 No renewable energy generation scheme included and efficiency standards that meet normal standards.

3b. Within or adjoining the urban area, a defined settlement policy area or the built form of a small settlement?

x The site is not within or adjoining the urban area or a defined settlement policy area, or within the built form of a small settlement

3c. Accessible on foot to a food store?

++ A site accessibility score of 8 is recorded where 8 is 0 – 10 minutes’ walk.

3d. Accessible on foot to a primary school?

x A site accessibility score of 4 is recorded where 4 is 21 – 30 minutes’ walk.

3e. Accessible on foot or by bus to a major employer?

x The site is within 10 minutes’ walk of a bus stop with an infrequent bus service (less frequent than hourly each day) which enables travel 8am6pm Monday to Friday to a major employer.

4a. Likely to impact on designated or nondesignated heritage assets or their settings? For more detailed assessment see HELAA supporting document. www.bedford.gov.uk/LocalPlan2040

x The proposal has the potential to cause harm to heritage assets. This harm may range from low to high. There may be options to avoid, reduce or mitigate this harm and where sites have not been ruled out altogether for other reasons, further assessment will be undertaken to more fully explore impacts on significance and options for harm reduction and mitigation. This further assessment may ultimately lead to the conclusion that the site should not be allocated.

5a. Likely to increase future economic and employment opportunities?

+ Proposal includes permanent economic and employment opportunities.

6a. Proposing a main town centre use in, on the edge or outside of a town centre?

0 Proposal does not include a main town centre use.

7a. Within 400m of an existing open space or proposing open space within it?

x The proposal does not include and is not within 400m walking distance of a publicly accessible open space.

7b. Within 800m of a sports facility or proposing a sports facility within it?

x The proposal does not include and is not within 800m of a publicly accessible sports facility

8a. Likely to have a significant adverse impact on the surrounding landscape?

? It is uncertain what effect the proposal is likely to have on the landscape / more information is required.

8b. Within the existing settlement form?

x The site is separated from a defined settlement policy area or the built form of a small settlement.

9a. On previously developed land?

x The site is not previously developed land as defined in the NPPF.

9b. On best and most versatile agricultural land ie grades, 1, 2 or 3a?

x All or a majority of the site is best and most versatile agricultural land as defined in the NPPF.

10a. Within a groundwater source protection zone?

+ The site is not located in a source protection zone.

11a. At risk of flooding?

? Part of a site is within flood zone 2 or 3 but the area proposed for development is in flood zone 1.

12a. Likely to provide a mix of housing, including affordable housing?

0 Residential development not proposed.

12b. Able to address a particular housing need?

0 Residential development not proposed.

13a. Within 800m of a facility where cultural or social activities can be accessed?

x The site is not within 800m of a facility where cultural or social activities can be accessed.

14a. Likely to encourage social cohesion?

0 Neutral.

14b. Likely to help make the area safer? +

+ The development is likely to increase public surveillance or increase activity.

15a. Within or adjoining the urban area, a defined settlement policy area or the built form of a small settlement?

x The site is not within or adjoining the urban area or a defined settlement policy area, or within the built form of a small settlement

15b. Accessible on foot to a food store?

++ A site accessibility score of 8 is recorded where 8 is 0 – 10 minutes’ walk.

15c. Accessible on foot to a primary school?

x A site accessibility score of 4 is recorded where 4 is 21 – 30 minutes’ walk.

15d. Accessible on foot or by bus to a major employer?

x The site is within 10 minutes’ walk of a bus stop with an infrequent bus service (less frequent than hourly each day) which enables travel 8am6pm Monday to Friday to a major employer.

15e. Connect highway without constraint?

? Potential access requiring mitigation

15f. Highway or junction capacity issues

? Potential capacity problem requiring mitigation

Highway comments. For more detailed assessment see HELAA supporting document. www.bedford.gov.uk/LocalPlan2040

The site can be reached by either Great North Road (from the north or the south) or the site can be accessed via Bedford Road or A421 from the west. There appear to be no bus stop facilities in the near vicinity of the site. There appears to be no Public Right of Way (PRoW) crossing the site. However, PRoWs are present off the north side of the roundabout namely public footpath FP36 which link with FP8 to the north and there is no provision for cyclists. A Transport Assessment (TA) will be required to identify the impact of traffic on the highway as well as mitigations measures. Highways England have issued the DCO for a new three tier junction at this location as part of the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Improvement scheme. Only a service access is shown for this land (which belongs to the Borough Council). To gain full access to this site, the applicant will have to demonstrate that a new junction will work – local access roads will be on the middle tier of the junction. Given the scale of development, the consideration for satisfactory facilities for cyclists should be given and identified in the TA. These can be in the form of on/off road cycle lanes.

Contaminated Land

Nothing chosen

Environmental Health note

no noise concerns for employment use

Mineral Safeguarding Area

Entire site falls within the boundary of a MSA.

Site assessment conclusions

The site is suitable for development for roadside services, industrial, warehousing and distribution uses. A Transport assessment will be required. Site specific flood risk assessment required to ensure that development on appropriate parts of the site. A wildlife and habitat survey is required. Site is proposed for allocation EMP7 Land at College Farm, Black Cat roundabout.