Site Assessment Pro Formas

Object

Representation ID: 7560

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust

Agent: DLP Planning Limited

This section of the representations should also be read alongside submissions on behalf of Bedfordia Property and the Bedfordshire Charitable Trust relating to the wider development opportunity on land East of Station Road.
These representations confirm that CMAT support in principle indicative land-use proposals for a ‘one-site’ solution incorporating land East of Station Road within the Lincroft Academy Campus through the creation of a self-contained educational campus allowing for the relocation of existing sports pitches, facilitated by the joint promotion of the land. The objective of jointly promoting the land, for the purposes of CMAT’s interests, reflects the opportunity to, principally, provide for the relocation and enhancement of the Playing Field facilities and other operational improvements to the school including a creation of a dedicated school access and parking/circulation space.
6.3 Submission of these representations reflects that negotiations between the parties are advanced, ongoing and expect an agreement that will satisfy the Education and Skills Funding Agency regarding the enhancement of facilities to be achieved, retain the support of other stakeholders (including Sport England), and recognise the wider benefits of developing the larger site.
6.4 Details of an indicative layout making provision for these improvements and wider benefits is included at Appendix 1.
6.5 In terms of the enhancements to the Lincroft Campus facilitated through the inclusion of CMAT’s interests as part of the land promoted East of Station Road there is further potential to address well documented issues and deliver the following benefits:
1) The creation of a new, self-contained Lincroft Academy campus (comprising both primary and secondary schools) with the existing school sports facilities, which are separated from the school at present, being moved onto land directly opposite the school, thus increasing convenience and safety, and pre-school provision. These will be re-modelled and new, modern, all-purpose facilities will be created with an indicative scheme comprising:
Playing fields;
• Multi-purpose artificial sports pitches;
• Athletics track;
• Sports pavilion;
• Extensive new parking and circulation area; and
• Changing and sports teaching/admin facility.
2) The stopping up of Station Road north and south of Lincroft Academy and provision of a new road around the perimeter of the site. A new, traffic managed through route would be created on the eastern periphery of the site, which would also provide for the creation of a new dedicated school entrance drive and would also serve as a development access road and serve the new housing area. In doing so, traffic would be externalised and existing issues of school traffic, parking and associated congestion on Station Road would be removed.
The ability to secure the basis for these future enhancements within the policies of the Bedford Local Plan 2040 is essential for the requirements of soundness in order to ensure that the strategy is effective and consistent with national policy with respect of supporting community infrastructure and would be welcomed by CMAT.
6.7 Making provision for these enhancements within the development plan would also enable future-proofing of the longer-term role and requirements at Lincroft Academy and would be essential to facilitate any further expansion. These opportunities can be secured , alongside the wider benefits associated with the indicative land use proposals (incorporating residential development, open space, and landscaping).
6.8 The prospect of any further expansion must be properly assessed and set out in the evidence base of the Local Plan 2040, taking account of present levels of demand and future growth expected from the selected strategy option. Given that the Council’s current Preferred Options place significant reliance on large-scale strategic growth with longer development timescales allowance should also be made for the additional development on uncommitted sites potentially affecting the Lincroft Academy catchment in order to maintain a five year supply of deliverable sites over the plan period.
see attachment for appendix 1