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

Object

Representation ID: 8581

Received: 27/09/2021

Respondent: AW Group Limited

Agent: Arrow Planning Limited

6.0 Summary and Conclusions
6.1 These representations have been prepared on behalf of Arnold White Group, a strategic landowner and promoter with a proven track record of delivery of housing, commercial and renewable energy developments in Bedfordshire.
6.2 This response finds that the emerging Local Plan does not meet employment needs. The level of employment growth proposed in the Plan is not sufficient to meet local needs, nor does it facilitate Bedford Borough’s active shaping of the Arc Spatial Framework in this area.
6.3 The Plan also fails to adequately address climate change, with a complete failure to meet the NPPF requirements and an absence of any evidence base documents that grapple with this issue.
6.4 The representations propose a new Development Strategy Option which would provide a significant uplift in employment growth in the south (A421 rail-based corridor) to be taken forward in the next iteration of the Local Plan.
6.5 Furthermore, the representations demonstrate that the Bedford Business Park, including the land at Broadmead, should be allocated for commercial development in accordance with the evidence base and proposed Development Strategy.