Local Plan 2040 Draft Plan - Strategy options and draft policies consultation

Support

Representation ID: 6668

Received: 14/09/2021

Respondent: Stevington Parish Council

Section 7: Development Management policies
Proposed changes to national Policy and guidance (7.24 to 7.26)
We support the proposal to ensure that revised planning will enable the creation of beautiful places.
While we recognise that council has a responsibilities to grow housing stock and accommodation in the borough, as an integral part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc development, we ask council to ensure that all buildings and areas of beauty and historic significance are given a high level of care, attention and protection from over population growth. SPC are opposed to any developments which threaten rural villages being absorbed into housing estates and suburbs of Bedford.

Support

Representation ID: 6669

Received: 14/09/2021

Respondent: Stevington Parish Council

Section 7: Development Management policies
Bedford borough Design Guide
SPC supports the Council’s plan to prepare a design guide which addresses the ten characteristic of a well-designed place. SPC would like to see emphasis placed on carbon reduction in the home through use of the highest quality of home thermal insulation, home energy efficiency measures, low water usage, electrification of heating and cooking and where possible renewable energy supply such as ground and air source heat pumps.
SPC would be supportive of a local Design Code that would look to emphasise and enhance the local distinctiveness of the Borough, this should also been seen as an opportunity to set standards that are above and beyond the government minimum build requirements and for Bedford Borough to set its self as a beacon authority for exceptional planning design.

Support

Representation ID: 6670

Received: 14/09/2021

Respondent: Stevington Parish Council

Section 7: Development Management policies Environmental Net Gain and biodiversity Net gain (7.30 to 7.37)
Environmental Net Gain and biodiversity Net gain (7.30 to 7.37)
If a net zero borough is to be created, one of the key activities will be delivery and demonstration of environmental net gain. Environmental net gain has wider implications than biodiversity net gain (it also include natural capital) and should therefore be specified rather than biodiversity net gain.
However, it is noted that there are dangers in using a habitat-based method biodiversity metric 2 or 3 to demonstrate biodiversity net gain in that it does not address living species (e.g., animals, insects). There is a danger, for example, that the habitat of the development area might be relocated and enhanced but important species lost. A detailed assessment should be made of all species present to ensure that they are not lost during development.
Due to the very high level of uncertainty in environmental net gain calculations, SPC would prefer the amount of net gain to be set at a much higher level than the 10% currently recommended in Government legislation. This should ideally be delivered on or within 5km of the development site.

Object

Representation ID: 6671

Received: 14/09/2021

Respondent: Stevington Parish Council

Section 8: Position statements: Climate change subsection Section 8.9 Bedford Borough Council Approach
The recently released IPCC AR6 report tells us, in the starkest terms, that we must act now and quickly to limit global warming to less than 1.5°C if we are to minimise the worst adverse impacts of climate change. We are already seeing more severe weather events across the globe even with an increase of only 1.2°C. If we continue at the current level of global CO2 emissions we will almost certainly exceed 1.5°C. An increase of 2°C is very likely even if we achieve net zero by 2050 and higher temperature rises of 3°C or more will occur if we are slow to get to net zero. The environmental consequences from these temperature increases changes will be severe. It’s not just about loss of biodiversity there will be adverse impacts on farming, the food chain, energy, water and sewage. It will affect all of us personally. There will be flooding, more extreme storms and storm damage, extended heat waves and droughts. All countries will be affected, even the UK. Council must support and prepare communities for what is to come. The Councils growth plans are not reflecting this likely future.
Although the UK is making progress in reducing its carbon emissions, most of the current reduction are derived from changes in power generation and growth in renewable energy sources (the low hanging fruit is being, or has already been, picked!) There is very much slower progress in reduction of carbon emissions related to personal consumption, e.g., home heating, car transport and embodied carbon in food, consumables and the products we buy.
Bedford Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019. This declaration needs to be translated into emergency response and preparedness actions, building the resilience of local communities for what we are being told will inevitably happen in the coming decade.
In the light of the recent IPCC AR6 report these processes must be now be given a very much higher priority in growth plans. We most strongly urge council to adapt their policies to address carbon emission reduction for the whole borough and not just for those areas where there is to be growth. Council needs to move swiftly from policy and planning to implementation and action. A net zero borough by 2040 may not be soon enough to prevent major ecological and societal damage