Call for Sites Form

Form ID: 714

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 Luton Road, Wilstead

Location plan

Show full map

Current use of land

Field

Adjoining use to the north

Residential, school

Adjoining use to the south

Fields

Adjoining use to the east

Field, Residential

Adjoining use to the west

Residential

Has the site been developed previously?

Proposed primary use

Housing

Other uses proposed

Nothing chosen

Number of dwellings proposed

250

Type of housing proposed

Family houses

Other type of housing

No answer given

Density proposed

28 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?

Access will be provided off Luton Road as indicated on the Site Location Plan.

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?

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

100

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

150

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?

2027

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

The proposed scheme will address climate change through appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures in the design. Where possible the dwellings will utilise low carbon building materials. The dwellings will be energy efficient and will be designed for comfort by balancing passive cooling design strategies which maximise comfort and minimise energy use during the warmer summers, with adequate levels of insulation for the warmer winters. The dwellings will be constructed so they are weather tight, robust enough to withstand extreme weather, and with foundations which are appropriate for their lifetime. The design will also include measures for water efficiency and effective drainage

Attachments

File: Covering letter redacted

Site size (ha)

9.13

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

? The site is within or adjoining 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?

++ 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?

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?

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 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. , 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?

++ 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?

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?

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?

+ 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?

+ The site adjoins 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?

? The classification of the site is not known or it is not clear whether is classified as grade 3a or 3b.

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?

+ The site is 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?

? The site is within or adjoining 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?

++ 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?

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?

+ 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

The site is located on the east side of Luton Road and at the rear of properties fronting onto Howard Close. The potential access fronting Luton Road is opposite the junction with Pollards Close. Luton Road is a classified road of 30mph speed limit and continues north, linking with the cross road junction Church Lane to the west and Cotton End Road to the east. The area (and Luton Road especially) have moderate traffic congestion during both AM and PM peaks. Luton Road and Bedford Road are both bus service routes. The nearest bus stops are located on Luton Road, approximately 160m to the south of the site. Passengers travelling northbound have a bus shelter. There are also bus stop facilities on Bedford Road approximately 320m north of the junction with Church Lane. Both bus stops are within the maximum 400m walking distance. The carriageway has hatched markings outside the site. Pedestrian crossing refuge islands are located on the south side with only a refuge island on the north side on Luton Road. Outside the site is a verge with 1m footway and at the back of the grass verge, a slabbed water course running along Luton Road. The current bus service to Wilstead operating Monday to Saturday (exc Bank holidays) is route no. 44 by Grant Palmer Limited. This service runs every hour. The proposed access is directly from Luton Road. This will require some tree/orchard removal, which will be relocated on the land itself as part of any development. Given the number of dwellings proposed, an access road to adoptable standards would be required in accordance with Bedford Borough Council's highway standards and the required radius kerbs. Geometry of the adoptable road must be accommodated within the limits of the site frontage. Given the length of the site frontage, it appears that an adoptable access road junction can be accommodated with the curtilage. Although footways are present outside the site, the width of the footway is sub-standard however given the wide verges there is scope to widen them to current standards of at least a width of 2m. There is no provision for cyclists, however given the 30mph speed limit and the scale of the development, the TA shall introduce measures to provide and improve facilities for cyclists. The frontage of the site appears to be of sufficient width for an adoptable road off Bedford Road, and the required 2.4m x 90m visibility splays can be achieved on both sides, provided that the footway is widened to at least 2.0m and any hedging set back behind the visibility splays. However the visibility splay in the Y direction will depend on the 85th percentile speeds to be determined from a speed survey along Luton Road in the vicinity of the site.

Contaminated Land

Nothing chosen

Environmental Health note

no noise concerns

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.