Call for Sites Form

Form ID: 878

Interest in land

Other (please specify)

Specify 'other' land interest

Countryside Properties have land under option and are promoting additional land with the agreement of landowners.

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

Yes

Address of site

Land west of the village of Great Barford south of the A421.

Location plan

Show full map

Current use of land

Agricultural land

Adjoining use to the north

A421

Adjoining use to the south

Bedford Rd

Adjoining use to the east

Great Barford village

Adjoining use to the west

No answer given

Has the site been developed previously?

Proposed primary use

Housing

Other uses proposed

Housing , Employment , Retail

Number of dwellings proposed

2350

Type of housing proposed

Family houses

Other type of housing

No answer given

Density proposed

35 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

B1/B2/B8 uses including flexible workspace and incubator spaces.

Gross floorspace proposed

10 ha

Proposed type of retail

Small convenience retail to serve the new development

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 provided from the Bedford Road and St Neots Road.

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)

430

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

700

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

700

16+ years (2040 onwards)

520

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

2025

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

Development would address climate change through the masterplan process, making efficient use of land and address climate change through the principle of landscape led design, and exploring opportunities to utilise renewable energy, as well as address the required technical standards in place at the time of adoption and submission of an application.

Attachments

File: A3_Great Barford_CallforSites_Jul 2020 LR.pdf

File: Call for Sites Land West Of Great Barford August 2020.pdf

Site size (ha)

151.70

Site size threshold

Above

Overriding constraint?

Site not in accordance with the emerging development strategy , Site already allocated in development plan

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. , 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?

+ A site accessibility score of 6 is recorded where 6 is 11 – 20 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?

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?

+ A site accessibility score of 6 is recorded where 6 is 11 – 20 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

xx The proposal has the potential to cause very high harm (which may reach the level of substantial harm) to a heritage asset. Development with this level of impact will be removed from further consideration unless it can be demonstrated that the harm can be avoided, mitigated or outweighed by substantial public benefits.

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?

+ 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?

? 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?

+ 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?

? Uncertain or insufficient information.

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?

+ A site accessibility score of 6 is recorded where 6 is 11 – 20 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

? Potential capacity problem requiring mitigation

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

Two access points are proposed onto Bedford Road and St Neots Road. Both are in suitable locations, however due to the size of the development and to help traffic flow, it is likely that eithier a roundabout or a signalised junction would be required for each access point. Due to the size of the development, the developer should show how they will encourage traffic to use the A421 dual carriageway, rather than cutting through Great Barford which would create severe congestion. A Transport Assessment will be needed to fully understand the potential transport impacts of this scale of development. The main village bus stops of Great Barford are approx. 650m away where the 905 bus provides a half-hourly service between Bedford and Cambridge. There is a pavement on Green End Road on the north boundary of the site which could be connected to. There is also space to construct a footpath alongside Bedford Road between the site and Great Barford, as well as another pavement that can be connected to on St Neots Road, providing a route to Bedford. There is no specific cycle connectivity however the national cycle network runs through the village of Great Barford providing off-road or quietroad connections to Bedford and St Neots. The pavement on St Neots Road could also be upgraded to a shared path to provide a more direct cycle connection into Bedford. A roundabout or signalised junction is likely to be necessary at both access points to improve access and better manage traffic flow. A Transport Assessment will be needed to fully understand the potential transport impacts of this scale of development. Due to the development being so large, it would be beneficial for the 905 bus which already passes through Great Barford to be rerouted to go directly through the development. There are several options for pedestrian connectivity and they should all be used, particularly into Great Barford via Green End Road and towards Bedford via St Neots Road. It would be beneficial to upgrade the pavement on St Neots Road to a shared cycle/pedestrian path to provide a direct cycle route into Bedford.

Contaminated Land

Nothing chosen

Environmental Health note

main concerns is proximity to bypass

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. Part of the site is allocated for residential development in the Great Barford Neighbourhood Plan Policy H1. This is not a preferred location for an employment site as it does not relate well to existing settlements and it would be intrusive.

Supporting documents

File: Cover letter update Sept 2021

File: Extent of site / NP allocation

File: Extent of land Countryside interest

File: Concept Masterplan

File: Site constraints map