Site Assessment Pro Formas

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Representation ID: 8980

Received: 03/09/2021

Respondent: Hampton Brook (UK) Limited

Agent: Axiom Great Barford Limited

Hampton Brook are promoting land to the north of Manton Lane as a suitable site for an employment allocation.
The site is 1.53 hectares and is located within the existing Manton Lane Industrial estate on the edge of Bedford. The site comprises an unused playing field which is in private use and inaccessible to the public. Historically, this land was used for recreation by the Aircraft Research Association (ARA), however it has not been used for this purpose for some time. It is noted that this site is not subject to any open space designations in the adopted development plan.

The site is largely unconstrained, for example: there are no topographical constraints, it is located within flood risk zone 1, it is not subject to a landscape or heritage designation and does not contain any public rights of way, and where constraints have been identified, i.e. Park Wood Local Nature Reserve, these can be appropriately addressed through mitigation.

To the south of the site there are a range of existing employment buildings, to the east are buildings associated with the ARA, to the west and north there are open fields with planning permission for a secondary school, which was granted permission at appeal in April 2019 (appeal ref: APP/K0235/W/18/3203051).. It is noted that the existing employment buildings that surround the site form part of a key employment area ‘Manton Industrial Estate’ in the adopted Local Plan.

The site has the potential to connect directly to the existing highway network on Manton Lane. Strong public transport options would also be available for employees with the industrial estate is served by public transport routes 6 and 20 and provide regular services to Bedford Town Centre and Brickhill. These can be accessed from bus stops located a 10-minute walk away on Manton Lane/Brickhill Drive.

The area surrounding the site, which now has consent for the school, was designated as land to be protected and developed for employment use under Policy 70 of the Local Plan 2030. As such, the employment need that was to be delivered on this site will no longer be met and replacement land will need to be found. This is discussed in more detail below.
The site will be one of the most suitable put forward for employment development through the Call for Sites process due to its location within the urban area of Bedford, and proximity to, and integration with, an existing employment area. The existing employment buildings/use make this location an appropriate environmental context for an employment allocation. The site has access to key roads which already serve Manton Industrial Estate.

As the site is in private ownership, the wider public do not benefit from the continued identification of this site as a playing field (as was established through a recent request for pre-application advice). Additionally, the ARA no longer have a need for the field, meaning it is a significantly underutilised resource within the urban area. In line with Sports England policy, the loss of this facility could be mitigated against through investment to improve off-site facilities which would mean that as well as delivering employment opportunities, the release of the land for development would lead to enhanced open space provision in the local area.

Support

Representation ID: 8984

Received: 01/10/2021

Respondent: Hampton Brook (UK) Limited

Agent: Axiom Great Barford Limited

1.1 This Issues and Options representation is made on behalf of Hampton Brook (UK) Ltd who have land interests to the north of Bedford off Manton Lane.
1.2 The site was put forward for consideration through the Call for Sites process in 2020, reference ID481.
1.3 This representation sets out a number of comments in relation to the proposed strategy set out in the Draft Strategy and Options Document as well as setting out the merits for including the land at Manton Lane as an allocation in the emerging Local Plan.
Land north of Manton Lane, Bedford
1.4 Hampton Brook are promoting land to the north of Manton Lane as a suitable site for an employment allocation.
1.5 The site is 1.53 hectares and is located within the existing Manton Lane Industrial estate on the edge of Bedford. The site comprises an unused playing field which is in private use and inaccessible to the public. Historically, this land was used for recreation by the Aircraft Research Association (ARA), however it has not been used for this purpose for some time. It is noted that this site is not subject to any open space designations in the adopted development plan.
1.6 The site is largely unconstrained, for example: there are no topographical constraints, it is located within flood risk zone 1, it is not subject to a landscape or heritage designation and does not contain any public rights of way, and where constraints have been identified, i.e. Park Wood Local Nature Reserve, these can be appropriately addressed through mitigation.
1.7 To the south of the site there are a range of existing employment buildings, to the east are buildings associated with the ARA, to the west and north there are open fields with planning permission for a secondary school, which was granted permission at appeal in April 2019 (appeal ref: APP/K0235/W/18/3203051).. It is noted that the existing employment buildings that surround the site form part of a key employment area ‘Manton Industrial Estate’ in the adopted Local Plan.
1.8 The site has the potential to connect directly to the existing highway network on Manton Lane. Strong public transport options would also be available for employees with the industrial estate is served by public transport routes 6 and 20 and provide regular services to Bedford Town Centre and Brickhill. These can be accessed from bus stops located a 10-minute walk away on Manton Lane/Brickhill Drive.
1.9 The area surrounding the site, which now has consent for the school, was designated as land to be protected and developed for employment use under Policy 70 of the Local Plan 2030. As such, the employment need that was to be delivered on this site will no longer be met and replacement land will need to be found. This is discussed in more detail below.

1.10 The site will be one of the most suitable put forward for employment development through the Call for Sites process due to its location within the urban area of Bedford, and proximity to, and integration with, an existing employment area. The existing employment buildings/use make this location an appropriate environmental context for an employment allocation. The site has access to key roads which already serve Manton Industrial Estate.
1.11 As the site is in private ownership, the wider public do not benefit from the continued identification of this site as a playing field (as was established through a recent request for pre-application advice). Additionally, the ARA no longer have a need for the field, meaning it is a significantly underutilised resource within the urban area. In line with Sports England policy, the loss of this facility could be mitigated against through investment to improve off-site facilities which would mean that as well as delivering employment opportunities, the release of the land for development would lead to enhanced open space provision in the local area.