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

Object

Representation ID: 7257

Received: 01/09/2021

Respondent: Wyboston Lakes Ltd

Agent: Brown & Co Barfords

None of the development options acknowledge the benefits of mixed use development at the Wyboston Lakes Complex, which is well related to the potential new settlements at Wyboston and Little Barford and is in
proximity of the A421 transport corridor and a proposed new rail station at St. Neots/Tempsford.
The Complex has the ability to accommodate strategic scale mixed use residential and employment
development and its suitability for these uses has been acknowledged by existing planning permissions
granted by the Council.
A mixed use development will also realise:
• development in proximity to a range of services and facilities within easy walking distance;
• re-use of previously developed land;
• available access connections with scope for improved pedestrian crossings, though it is highlighted the
proposed realignment of the A428 will result in the current A428 road being re-trunked;
• avoid the loss of agricultural land;
• development without harm to the landscape or the setting of the wider area (reflected in the previous
permissions granted by the Council);
• readily available existing infrastructure and services already on the Complex;
• avoid land that is not constrained by flood issues etc.
The Borough Council’s June 2021 Development Strategy Topic Paper identifies the Council will have to make
a ‘step change’ in the delivery of new housing growth. However, a new settlement at Wyboston and/or Little
Barford will have a relatively long lead in time. Additionally, four of the five EWR routes being consulted upon pass through the Little Barford site, and the deliverability of this proposal and the potential number of dwellings it might deliver will require further assessment following the decision on the route alignment. Given these uncertainties, the Wyboston Lakes Complex proposal outlined in the attached Statement is readily available and can come forward now, without being dependent on strategic infrastructure decisions. The proposals are therefore able to assist in meeting the more immediate housing shortfall in advance of the potential longer term
settlements coming forward.
Brown & Co have been instructed to submit the following Statement on behalf of Wyboston
Lakes Limited in response to the Bedford Borough Council’s Strategy Options and Draft
Policies Consultation June 2021 and in support of the future allocation of land at the
Wyboston Lakes Complex, Great North Road, Wyboston for wider business and residential
development uses.
Over the past 30 years more than £45m has been invested at the Wyboston Lakes Complex
to create a unique business, training and leisure facility (including the largest training centre
in the country), which is now one of the major employers in Bedford Borough. The
development of the site has had the support of the Borough Council, which has granted
numerous planning permissions for a wide range of buildings and uses across the site. In
2012 Wyboston Lakes Limited acquired adjoining land from the East of England Development
Agency with planning permission for around 18,500 sq metres of business development,
which is now incorporated into the overall Wyboston Lakes Complex site.
Despite the Borough Council’s support for investment and development over many years, the
Wyboston Lakes development has historically been subject to the open countryside restraint
policies, and this has created an anomalous position. The Local Plan 2030 adopted in
January 2020 has provided more certainty for further growth on the site through Policy 73,
however, the policy refers specifically to development that ‘supports and enhances its role as
a regional centre for leisure, training and conferencing’. The supporting text also refers to the
opportunity for ‘small scale’ research and development “B1” use class employment, but this
is at odds with previous permissions granted by the Council and the inclusion of the former
East of England Development Agency land, which is now part of the site. Additionally,
residential planning permission has been granted for the development of a Continuing Care
Retirement Village comprising 128 care apartments and village care centre comprising 61
care bedrooms, 49 care suites, restaurant, dining rooms, lounges, cafe, shop, hairdressing
salon, activities rooms, gym, swimming pool and associated works. This permission has been
lawfully commenced and is therefore ‘saved’, and this has recently been acknowledged by
the Council with the grant of a Certificate of Lawfulness for Proposed Development (Ref.
21/00471/LDP).
Given the ‘saved’ and current planning permissions for business and residential development
uses on the site, and the strategic growth options identified in the Strategy Options and Draft
Policies Consultation, the Wyboston Lakes Complex is considered appropriate for allocation
within the Local Plan Review for a range of employment and residential uses. This will support
and complement the Plan strategy options to concentrate growth in proximity of the A421
transport corridor and a proposed new rail station at St. Neots/Tempsford and contribute to
the emerging policies for the Oxford to Cambridges Arc.
The purpose of this statement is to set out the background to the applicant’s proposals and
the key planning issues raised by them. The statement is structured as follows:
Section 2: describes the physical characteristics of the site context & background;
Section 3: reviews the emerging plan strategy key points;
Section 4: summarises the development options for the wyboston lakes complex;
Section 5: provides an overall assessment summary.
In location terms the Wyboston Lakes Complex is on the edge of St. Neots and with its already
developed form this is generally perceived to be part of the town’s urban conurbation. A
market town with a population of more than 30,000, St. Neots offers a wide range of local
services and facilities and is a focus for growth in the adopted Huntingdonshire Local Plan,
which identifies its potential to provide an additional 4,000 houses over the next 15 years.
The Complex has good access to the strategic road network having the A1 and A428 Trunk
Roads on the western and northern sides, and the East Coast Main Rail Line to the east
providing a 40 minute service to Kings Cross. The planned east-west new rail link is also
expected to include a new train station south of St Neots, within proximity of the Complex.
Situated adjacent to the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire County boundaries the Wyboston
Lakes Complex offers the opportunity for growth that will improve local job opportunities and
help stimulate sustainable economic growth in both Bedford Borough and Huntingdonshire,
as well as contribute to the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.
The Wyboston Lakes business & leisure village extends to an area of 15.42 ha (382 acres)
enjoying extensive riparian frontage to the River Great Ouse. Within the site there are three
self-contained training centres and hotel services with 406 on-suite bedrooms, full
catering/dining facilities and bars, conference suites, serviced office accommodation and a
supporting wide range of facilities arranged informally throughout the site. These sit amidst a
unique and extensive leisure and recreation centre that supports an 18 hole golf course,
driving range, putting green and practise area with golf instruction, fitness centre, indoor
swimming pool, spa, beauty treatments, restaurants, fishing and water sports centre with
skiing lakes, jogging trail and nature walks. The village is a gated area with a security lodge
and CCTV at the main entrance.
The training centres have a diverse client base drawn from local, regional, national and
European locations. The Home Office established a regional office of the National Crime
Agency (NCA) on the Village and Firebrand Training UK established their UK residential training
centre on the Village in 2009 that welcomes more than 20,000 delegates a year onto their
information technology and project management courses. Overall, the Complex employs more
than 650 people with support from a substantial number of local businesses.
Although the site is characterised by low density development with extensive and established
planting providing attractive riverside parkland, this exhibits a clear built-up character with a
diverse mix of developments, which will be consolidated by the already permitted proposals.
To the north west there is the Phoenix Business Park and further north there is the St Neots
administrative area with recent office, industrial and storage development on the Colmworth
Business Park and a substantial warehousing building and retail development on Alpha Park.
Beyond this there are the residential areas of the Eaton Socon and Eaton Ford, which are part
of St Neots. The County boundary between Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire follows the eastwest
A428.
The site has a substantial planning history with the following ‘Saved’ Planning permissions
that have been initiated, but yet to be completed:
• 2,417 sq. m of knowledge centre planning permission granted in 2002 – LPA Ref.
01/02676/FUL.
• Three storey bedroom block granted in 2003 – LPA Ref. 03/03100/FUL
• 1,672 sq. m of training support offices granted planning permission in 2005 – LPA Ref.
05/00817/FUL
• Innovation Centre development with 11,305 sq.m of floor space - LPA. Ref.
01/00338/FUL.
• Medical Centre - LPA Ref. 10/00007/MAF
• 53 Holiday Lodges - LPA Ref. 13/00762/EXTM
• Continuing Care Retirement Village comprising 128 care apartments & a village care
centre providing 61 care bedrooms, 49 care suites with restaurant, dining rooms,
lounges, café, shop, hairdressing salon, activities rooms, gym, swimming pool &
associated works – LPA Ref. 10/02007/MAO & 18/01843/MAR
Although now time expired, it is highlighted permission has previously been granted by the
Borough Council for an Innovation and Technology Centre with 18,500 sq. m of Class B1 floor
space (LPA ref. 08/01890/MAO) on the land south of the A428 (former East of England
Development Agency land).
The locations of the approved development are identified on the plan below. (SEE ATTACHMENT FOR PLAN)
The Complex has clearly been regarded appropriate for a wide range of imaginative
development proposals and the current and permitted uses comprise a wide mix of
interrelated activities. By reference to the classifications in the Town & Country Planning (Use
Classes) Order 1987 (as amended), these include: Retail shop (Class E(a)); Restaurant (Class
E(b)); Innovation Centre and Offices (Class E(c)); Hotel (Class C1); Residential Training centres
(Class C2); Residential dwellings (Class C3); Medical Centre (Class E(e)) and Dance Hall &
Leisure (Class E(d)).

Object

Representation ID: 7258

Received: 01/09/2021

Respondent: Wyboston Lakes Ltd

Agent: Brown & Co Barfords

The Borough Council’s June 2021 Development Strategy Topic Paper identifies the Local Plan
2040 will need to achieve a minimum of 1,275 dwelling completions a year to comply with
national planning guidance, which represents a ‘step change’ 33% increase on the current
adopted Local Plan annual target. Over the plan period this equates to at least 12,500
additional dwellings to be allocated in the new Local Plan. Taking account of the planned
population growth to 2040, a further 123 ha of new employment land will also need to be
allocated in the new Local Plan. In parallel with the preparation of the Local Plan review, the
Government is taking forward a spatial strategy for growth within the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.
Whilst the Topic Paper concludes that growth within the Bedford urban area would perform
best in sustainability terms, it also concludes this option would have unacceptable significant
impacts. The Strategy Options Consultation therefore focuses on 4 growth options with around
3,000 new dwellings and up to 51 ha of employment development within and adjoining the
Bedford urban area. To assist in meeting the additional growth requirement, 3 of the 4 options
identify a new settlement at Wyboston of 2,500 dwellings or/and a new settlement at Little
Barford of 3,085 dwellings along with up to 20 ha of employment, in proximity of the A421
transport corridor and a proposed new rail station at St. Neots/Tempsford.
The Development Strategy Topic Paper reviews the strengths and weakness of the different
growth options and in respect of the potential new settlements it identifies the following:
Key strengths:
 Opportunity to establish a new planned community at Wyboston and/or Little Barford in
proximity to the proposed EWR station at St Neots/Tempsford. Little Barford has a
stronger relationship and proximity to EWR (but there is a possibility that EWR may also
constrain development capacity – see weaknesses).
 Development in this location would create a second focus for major development which
could potentially impact positively on housing delivery rates.
Weaknesses and delivery challenges;
 In common with all new settlement proposals, a new settlement at Wyboston and/or
Little Barford would have a relatively long lead in time, with a very high risk of a housing
shortfall in the early to middle years of the plan.
 Four of the five EWR routes that are being consulted upon pass through the Little Barford
site and the deliverability of this proposal will require further assessment following the
decision on the route alignment.
 Both proposals will involve the loss of agricultural land, though development at Wyboston
would lead to the loss of higher grade agricultural land.
 The key challenge will be the delivery of two new settlements in close proximity to one
another and the ability of the housing market to deliver them simultaneously.
For the reasons justified by the Borough Council the new settlement growth options at
Wyboston and Little Barford are perceived to have benefits in contributing to meeting the
authority’s future housing and employment needs, which is reflected it their inclusion in 3 of
the 4 consultation options.

Object

Representation ID: 7260

Received: 01/09/2021

Respondent: Wyboston Lakes Ltd

Agent: Brown & Co Barfords

The proposals outlined above in conjunction with the existing approved development will
achieve a sustainable mixed-use development and paragraph 105 of the National Planning
Policy Framework notes, such developments can have the benefit of “limiting the need to
travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. This can help to reduce congestion
and emissions, and improve air quality and public health. However, opportunities to maximise
sustainable transport solutions will vary between urban and rural areas, and this should be
taken into account in both plan-making and decision-making”.
The proposals outlined will help meet the more immediate housing need, improve local job
opportunities, and help stimulate sustainable growth in both Bedford Borough and
Huntingdonshire. It will also have the benefits of the suggested new settlement proposals in
terms of proximity of the A421 transport corridor and a proposed new rail station at St.
Neots/Tempsford, with further advantages such as the use of previously developed land,
existing infrastructure, and nearby facilities. Additionally with its smaller scale it is potentially
suited to smaller developers and paragraph 69 of the National Planning Policy Framework
notes small and medium sized sites can make an important contribution to meeting the
housing requirement of an area and are often built out relatively quickly.
The Borough Council’s June 2021 Development Strategy Topic Paper identifies the Council
will have to make a ‘step change’ in the delivery of new housing growth. However, a new
settlement at Wyboston and/or Little Barford will have a relatively long lead in time.
Additionally, four of the five EWR routes being consulted upon pass through the Little Barford
site, and the deliverability of this proposal and the potential number of dwellings it might
deliver will require further assessment following the decision on the route alignment. Given
these uncertainties, the Wyboston Lakes Complex proposal outlined above is readily available
and can come forward now, without being dependant on strategic infrastructure decisions.
The proposals are therefore able to assist in meeting the more immediate housing and
employment land shortfall in advance of the potential longer-term settlements coming
forward.