Call for Sites Form

Form ID: 1246

Interest in land

Land owner

Specify 'other' land interest

No answer given

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

Yes

Address of site

Land On The South Side Of Beckett Street, Bedford, MK40 1HT Garages to the North of Beckett Street North Parade Row of Shops with Flats above Beauchamp Court, to West of Greyfriars

Location plan

Show full map

Current use of land

Surface car parking and Use Class - C3 dwelling houses A1 - Shops

Adjoining use to the north

Use Class - B1 Business, Use Class D1 – Place of Worship

Adjoining use to the south

Use Class C3 dwelling houses, Use Class B1 Business

Adjoining use to the east

Use Class A1 retail and multi-storey car park

Adjoining use to the west

Use Class A1 Retail, Use Class D1 – Primary School

Has the site been developed previously?

Yes

Proposed primary use

Housing

Other uses proposed

Retail

Number of dwellings proposed

500-600

Type of housing proposed

Family houses , Flats

Other type of housing

No answer given

Density proposed

350 dph

Proposed tenures

Market housing - Owner occupied , Market housing - Private rented housing , Affordable Housing - Affordable rent , Affordable Housing - Shared ownership

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

No answer given

Gross floorspace proposed

No answer given

Proposed type of retail

Convenience shops to support the residential development and regeneration

Net floorspace proposed

TBC

Gross floorspace proposed

TBC

Number of hotel rooms proposed

No answer given

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?

Access will be from Greyfriars, precise access arrangements to be agreed.

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)

550

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

No answer given

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?

2024

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

This would be a high profile regeneration scheme replacing old, energy-inefficient homes with new apartments and houses which will be built to high environmental standards. The site is within a highly sustainable location, within close walking distance to the key amenities of Bedford town centre, the bus and railway stations. We will seek to ensure that this regeneration scheme will deliver significant energy and water efficiencies and minimise its carbon footprint. We anticipate that the scheme will generate a very high proportion of renewable energy through a variety of means, supplying not only the new development but potentially the local area through wider regeneration or back to the grid. We will appropriately assess flood risk and ensure mitigations are incorporated within the scheme Particular consideration will be given to the quality of the public realm and both hard and soft landscaping.

Attachments

File: Greyfriars call for sites plan.docx

File: Heritage Impact Assmt

Site size (ha)

0.24

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 , Site is likely to be achievable

Stage 2 conclusion

Include in next stage of assessment

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

+ The site is within or adjoining the urban area UAB.

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?

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

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

+ The site is within 10 minutes’ walk of a bus stop with a regular bus service (at least hourly) which enables travel 8am-6pm Monday to Friday to a major employer or it is possible to walk to a major employer within 10 minutes.

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

xx The site is within the air quality management area

2a. Within or adjoining site of nature conservation importance

+ The site is not within or adjoining a site of nature conservation importance

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

? Uncertain or insufficient information.

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

? Uncertain or insufficient information

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

0 The site is not within or adjoining the green infrastructure opportunity network or the impact of the proposal is neutral.

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?

+ The site is within or adjoining the urban area.

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?

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

3e. Accessible on foot or by bus 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?

0 Proposal is not employment related.

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?

+ The proposal includes or is within 400m walking distance of a publicly accessible open space that includes an equipped children’s play area of at least 200m2 .

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

+ The proposal includes or is within 800m of a publicly accessible sports facility.

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

0 The proposal is likely to have a neutral effect on the landscape.

8b. Within the existing settlement form?

N/A in UAB

9a. On previously developed land?

+ All or a majority of the site is previously developed land as defined in the NPPF.

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

+ The site is not on 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?

+ The site is within flood zone 1 (areas that have been shown to be at less than 0.1% chance of flooding in any year).

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

+ The site is likely to provide a mix of housing and include affordable housing.

12b. Able to address a particular housing need?

+ The development will meet identified housing needs eg elderly, care, travellers.

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

+ The site is within 800m of a facility where cultural or social activities can be accessed.

14a. Likely to encourage social cohesion?

+ The proposal is for or includes a community use or is likely to promote community collaboration and social interaction eg cultural, social, leisure and sporting uses.

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?

+ The site is within or adjoining the urban area.

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?

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

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

15e. Connect highway without constraint?

+ No access constraints

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

Primary access from Greyfriars using existing car park junction. This site's location in the town centre means that it is around areas of moderate to heavy traffic. It is however directly opposite the central bus station, with a pedestrian crossing linking the two. There are no cycle lanes directly from the site, but some are close by. An on-road non-segregated cycle lane is directly outside the site. Due to the central location and traffic in the area, car use would need to be restricted. The location of the site opposite the bus station can work in tandem with cycle infrastructure on the nearby roads to make this a largely car-free site.

Contaminated Land

Likely to require contaminated land assessment and remediation if required.

Environmental Health note

Road traffic on Bromham Road and Greyfriars some commercial noise

Mineral Safeguarding Area

Site does not fall within the boundary of a MSA.

Site assessment conclusions

The site is suitable for allocation. As an urban, brownfield site it is suitable for residential development with town centre uses at ground floor level to create active frontages. A masterplan and design code should be prepared to ensure that development reflects this key location, and to have regard to the setting of heritage assets and the Bedford Conservation Area. An access strategy will be required in order to establish appropriate connections to pedestrian and cycle networks. A site specific flood risk assessment will also be needed in order to consider all sources of flood risk. Site is proposed for allocation HOU1 Land at Greyfriars North, Bedford.