Call for Sites Form

Form ID: 210

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?

N/A

Address of site

Land at Greensbury Farm Thurleigh Road Bolnhurst Bedfordshire MK44 2ET

Location plan

Show full map

Current use of land

Permitted uses for B1, B2 and B8

Adjoining use to the north

Open Countryside

Adjoining use to the south

Residential

Adjoining use to the east

Garden land/Countryside

Adjoining use to the west

Vacant commercial (B1, B2 and B8)

Has the site been developed previously?

Yes

Proposed primary use

Housing

Other uses proposed

Nothing chosen

Number of dwellings proposed

up to 18

Type of housing proposed

Family houses

Other type of housing

No answer given

Density proposed

35 dph

Proposed tenures

Market housing - Owner occupied , 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

No answer given

Net floorspace proposed

No answer given

Gross floorspace proposed

No answer given

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?

The access will be gained using the site's current access, along a private driveway which the site has right of access over and enters the site in the south-west corner. This access driveway is connected to directly to the adopted highway, Thurleigh Road/Cross End. This access driveway also serves the other residential properties located to the south of the site.

Is the site available for development now?

Yes

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?

Nothing chosen

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

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?

No answer given

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

The nature of the current business operated from the site is for delivering mobile freezer units to locations which require them, typically at short notice and in an emergency. The site is currently predominantly laid to hardcore and has some buildings on site, including the offices of the company (based in portacabins) and a larger commercial shed building where repairs and servicing is undertaken. The business has been operating from the site since 1998 however this site is no longer sustainable, given the majority of the staff travel in from Bedford and all movements of freezer units must be driven from the site in Bolnhurst and down towards Bedford, before making their onward journey to the final destination. Given the rural nature of the site, this means it is located away from any main transport links, which creates longer journey times and vehicle movements. The buildings on site are inefficient and even if these were replaced with new, more efficient buildings, the location for a commercial business based on mobile freezer rental units is not as sustainable given it's distance from the road networks it relies on, and for this reason the company is looking at relocating to a more accessible site in Bedford. The proposed residential development will be built to at very least comply with all local plan policies to make the development as sustainable as possible. The use of renewal energies will be explored through any application process to lessen any impact of the development along with measures to reduce water consumption. The site is not located within a flood risk zone.

Attachments

No uploaded files for public display

Site size (ha)

0.50

Site size threshold

Above

Overriding constraint?

Site not in accordance with the emerging development strategy

Stage1 conclusion

Exclude from further assessment

Stage 2 Assessment of suitability, availability & achievability

Nothing chosen

Stage 2 conclusion

Nothing chosen

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?

xx A site accessibility score of 0 is recorded where 0 is more than 30 minutes’ walk.

1c. Accessible on foot to a primary school?

xx A site accessibility score of 0 is recorded where 0 is more than 30 minutes’ walk.

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

xx There is no public transport within 10 minutes’ walk to enable access 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

+ 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 fewer than 3 ecosystem services.

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?

xx A site accessibility score of 0 is recorded where 0 is more than 30 minutes’ walk.

3d. Accessible on foot to a primary school?

xx A site accessibility score of 0 is recorded where 0 is more than 30 minutes’ walk.

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

xx There is no public transport within 10 minutes’ walk to enable access 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?

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?

xx The site is more than 0.5 miles from a defined settlement policy area or the built form of a small settlement.

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?

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?

+ 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?

x The development will not meet identified needs eg elderly, care, travellers.

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? +

? Uncertain or insufficient information.

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?

xx A site accessibility score of 0 is recorded where 0 is more than 30 minutes’ walk.

15c. Accessible on foot to a primary school?

xx A site accessibility score of 0 is recorded where 0 is more than 30 minutes’ walk.

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

xx There is no public transport within 10 minutes’ walk to enable access to a major employer.

15e. Connect highway without constraint?

+ No access constraints

15f. Highway or junction capacity issues

+ No capacity issues

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

Access from Cross End, utilising private farm access. No footway or cycle connections to the site. Bus stops over 1.2km away. No highway capacity issues. Any mitigation here for pedestrian access would require significant cost and scale, unsure of highway ownership. Scale of development unlikely warrants cost of mitigations/improvements

Contaminated Land

Nothing chosen

Environmental Health note

potenital noise impact by adjacent businesses

Mineral Safeguarding Area

Site does not fall within the boundary of a MSA.

Site assessment conclusions

The site has been excluded from further assessment at Stage 1 because its location is not in accordance with the development strategy.