Issues and Options

No

Whilst Wootton Parish Council understands the need to commence work so promptly following the adoption of Local Plan 2030, it is imperative that if this new plan is to focus upon growth in regard to housing and employment that the supporting infrastructure is provided in order to facilitate the planned growth. As you will be aware, the parish has been the focus for a considerable amount of development over recent years and the consequences of this has put significant pressure upon a number of services in the parish, in particular in regard to school provision. As confirmed within Bedford Borough Council’s document ‘Education Implications for Local Plan 2030, updated school numbers show there is no additional capacity for lower school places within the parish. It is absolutely vital that a joint approach between planning and education assists in resolving the housing requirements of the new Local Plan. To confirm, the level of development within the parish not only has caused considerable impact on education provision within the parish but this has also resulted on a detrimental impact on medical provision as well as green infrastructure including green spaces. We would reinforce the need for officers to thoroughly consider the implications of the planned growth and to work with other departments within Bedford Borough Council to ensure that new planned development does not prejudice the existing facilities and residents of the parish. From reviewing this document, we are aware that there are a number of notable matters which are currently unresolved namely, the level of growth associated with the Oxford to Cambridge Arc and how this is to be distributed; the Government’s figures for affordability (due to published in March 2021); and finally, the review of the standard methodology to resolve the housing requirement. With these matters unresolved, we are concerned that this could influence the preparation of this new Local Plan in regard to timescale but also could impact on the housing requirement required for the plan period. With these matters unresolved, this could raise serious concerns on the soundness of the plan as it advances through the formal stages causing delay and throwing Bedford Borough Council’s growth strategy and direction for growth into question. In light of the need to press ahead with an early review of the Local Plan, Bedford Borough Council should be pressing upon the relevant parties/organisations to resolve these outstanding matters at the earliest opportunity. Finally, Wootton Parish Council considers the importance of Neighbourhood Plans in the delivery of growth should be strengthened within the new Local Plan. The recently published White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’ confirmed that Neighbourhood Plans should be retained ‘as important means of community input’ in allowing communities to proactively influence how they would like to see their areas to develop. Wootton Parish Council considers the role of Neighbourhood Plans should be further emphasised within the emerging Local Plan.

Wootton Parish Council considers the Vision should address the impact of the pandemic in regard to planning for new homes and addressing changes to working patterns as highlighted within the recently published White Paper ‘ Planning for the Future’. We welcome the inclusion that future growth should avoid areas of high flood risk which is a priority for our parish. The Vision refers to Bedford town centre providing a wide range of uses that add to the variety and broader visitor experience that will make the town centre more diverse and sustainable. Changes in consumer demands, the rise of online shopping, rising business rates and the collapse/closure of household name retailers have led to a challenging time for retail-led town centres such as Bedford. We consider a key objective to secure the future of the town centre is to encourage a mix of uses on the high street. Bedford Borough Council has an important role to develop a positive frame work to secure the future of the town centre attracting funding, reducing business rates and encouraging more independent shops to be present in the town centre to offer a diverse retail offer to distinguish from retail destinations in the locality including Milton Keynes.

I agree with this plan period

Wootton Parish Council considers given the current circumstances (i.e. post COVID-19, economic recession and possible changes to working patterns), the plan period should be 2020 to 2040 since it is difficult to qualify a longer plan period at this particular point in time.

Nothing chosen

The parish of Wootton over recent years has been the subject of significant development and whilst the current Local Plan 2030 does not allocate any additional dwellings in the Parish during the plan period, the settlement has been the subject of speculative and windfall developments. As officers will be aware, Wootton Parish Council is progressing with the preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan which includes the provision of up to 145 homes which has been derived from the outcome of a Housing Needs Survey. The sites allocated within the Neighbourhood Plan (5 in total) have been derived from extensive community consultation reinforcing the aims of the Localism Act. Wootton Parish Council are opposed to any new development or planned allocation for both housing and employment within the parish. There is no suitable infrastructure in place to cope with the level of growth required and furthermore, this would be to the detriment to the parish. In light of the above, Wootton Parish Council would be opposed to any potential locations for growth which would look upon Wootton as a settlement for future growth.

In light of the experience of significant developments within the parish, Wootton Parish Council considers the following infrastructure is key in the delivery of growth in the Borough:  Education provision;  Roads and infrastructure in place to ensure sufficient off-street parking; and  Health Facilities. Whilst, we are aware that the level of car parking provided for all developments is determined by the Adopted Parking Standards, our experience in the parish with new developments is that the level of off-street parking is not sufficient, increasing the pressure upon parking on the highway which prejudices both vehicular and pedestrian safety and is to the detriment of the residential environment. We consider that Bedford Borough Council should as part of the preparation of this new Local Plan look to review parking standards in order to avoid the dominance of cars being parked on the highway.

Whilst Wootton Parish Council acknowledges the current Local Plan 2030 does not allocate new sites for employment since there was already sufficient land available that had not been occupied, it will oppose any further employment sites within the parish. The parish has a number of significant employment developments which have raised serious issues in regard to relationship with adjoining residential areas by reason of noise, traffic and general disturbance. In light of the above, we would stress the need for careful consideration in planning future employment sites in the new Local Plan. Wootton Parish Council considers employment sites should be located on brownfield sites and consider that the main urban area of Bedford should be the priority for allocating sites. Finally, we would add clearly the current challenging economic climate together with the impact of Covid-19 on working patterns will have a significant impact on the approach and planning of employment sites.

The borough has been a focus of the national logistics industry with a number of significant developments in recent years, however, Wootton Parish Council considers this should not be the focus for the future. It considers opportunities should be encouraged and sought to bring more traditional forms of employment and companies to invest in the Borough providing greater prospects for the existing workforce. Whilst, it acknowledges that seeking to enhance the economy will be challenging in these current times, the new Local Plan should seek to attract business to invest in the more urban areas of the Borough.

As outlined in Wootton Parish Council's response to question 2, the Borough Council has a significant role to secure the future of the town centre whether through attracting funding, securing grant business support, reducing business rates and to diversify the uses within the town centre. It is imperative that Bedford Borough Council is the main driver in attracting new investment to the town centre, a possibility to secure this could be the establishment of an Enterprise Zone.

I agree

To confirm, Wootton Parish Council agrees that more stringent guidance should be prepared by Bedford Borough Council to guide developers to assist in responding to the climate change. We consider this guidance should include the following: • Greater promotion and incorporation of sustainable design and construction in all developments; • Incorporate measures to limit water use and the use of greywater recycling in residential developments; • Facilitating greater provision for electric vehicle charging and associated infrastructure. In addition, it is imperative that new developments adhere to the energy efficiency targets and not be downplayed by developers, Bedford Borough Council should seek measures to enforce this.

To reinforce the response to question 9, Wootton Parish Council considers that more should be enforced upon developers to address sustainability in the design of all developments, in particular avoiding car-dominated residential environments.