Call for Sites Form

Form ID: 767

Interest in land

Other (please specify)

Specify 'other' land interest

Axiom have promotion agreements in place with the landowners

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

Yes

Address of site

Home Farm, Bedford Road, Great Barford MK44 3JF, and Coalville Farm Land on the North West side of Bedford Road Great Barford MK44

Location plan

Show full map

Current use of land

Mixed agriculture

Adjoining use to the north

Residential

Adjoining use to the south

Open countryside

Adjoining use to the east

Part residential, part open countryside

Adjoining use to the west

Open countryside

Has the site been developed previously?

Yes

Proposed primary use

Housing

Other uses proposed

Housing , All other types

Number of dwellings proposed

Approximately 350

Type of housing proposed

Family houses , Older people housing

Other type of housing

No answer given

Density proposed

20-25 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

Up to 1 ha

Description

s per the Vision document, it would be proposed to deliver a local centre on site which could also include a new doctor’s surgery. Allotments and a community garden are also proposed as part of the offer.

Can suitable access be achieved for the site?

Suitable access is achievable

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

Despite having existing access, a new access is proposed off Bedford Road. Details are provided in the accompanying Vision Document

Is the site available for development now?

Yes

Is the site currently subject to a planning application?

Don't know

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)

200

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?

2024. Development would start as soon as the Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan is adopted and the relevant planning permissions are sought.

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

The site would contribute towards ensuring that the housing needs of the area can be met outside any of the more vulnerable areas of Bedford, including those at risk from flooding or in a more sensitive landscape. A proportion of the site would be developed for residential purposes with the remainder being given over to green infrastructure including landscape enhancements, open space, SUDS and a community garden as advocated by paragraph 150 of the NPPF as mitigation against climate change. The provision onsite of allotments would help new and existing residents to become more self-sufficient. The site has immediate access to bus routes, pedestrian links and cycle routes, facilitating a choice in how people travel and limiting reliance on the car. The size of the site will enable additional day-to-day facilities to be provided on site, reducing the need for new and existing residents to travel to meet their needs. Whilst design is a matter for future detail, the low density of development provides an opportunity for the layout, building orientation and massing of the development, along with the landscaping, to be designed in a manner to minimise energy consumption. It would also be expected that technology would be utilised within the development with solar panels on residential units and electric charging points for each new home.

Attachments

File: Vision document redacted

File: Covering letter redacted

Site size (ha)

18.24

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?

+ 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?

+ 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?

xx Protected species recorded on the site

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?

? 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.

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?

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?

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?

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?

+ 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?

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?

15e. Connect highway without constraint?

? Potential access requiring mitigation

15f. Highway or junction capacity issues

x Serious capacity constraint

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

Access is proposed from Bedford Road via a new roundabout. This would help deal with the traffic flow however due to the size of the development there is still a risk that the moderate traffic already seen on local roads could worsen. A Transport Assessment will be needed to fully understand the potential impacts. The main village bus stops are approx. 500m from the proposed access point to the site, where the 905 bus provides a half hourly service between Bedford and Cambridge. There is no pavement outside the site on Bedford Road, however the proposal says that a pavement will be provided between the site access and the existing pavement in Great Barford. There is no specific cycle access however the national cycle network passes through the village providing off-road or quiet-road connections to Bedford and St Neots. A Transport Assessment will be needed to fully understand the potential transport impacts of this scale of development. Ensure that a pavement is built from the access point of the site to the existing pavement in Great Barford village. The proposed roundabout entry to the site should be kept as it will help mitigate problems arising from traffic flow to/from the site.

Contaminated Land

Nothing chosen

Environmental Health note

with commercial units in ara part of the cite developed, 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.