Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Support

Representation ID: 10384

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Bletsoe Parish Council

Bletsoe Parish Council considers that the submission version of the Local Plan 2040 is well drafted and, as far as can be determined, is legally compliant and sound.

The Parish Council supports the approach to the development strategy whereby the initial focus for growth is in the urban area, the most sustainable location for growth, and then it targets growth based around the rail network, again taking advantage of the opportunities that exist for people to live and travel sustainably. However, we must make clear that we do not support the proposed route for East West Rail coming, as it does, into Bedford Midland and exiting north through the Poets area of Bedford town and the North Bedfordshire villages.

The Parish Council supports the inclusion of two new settlements, one at Kempston Hardwick, and one at Little Barford, as they will create new sustainable communities aligned to the already well connected and accessible growth opportunities offered by the A421 corridor. We are pleased that the Local Plan recognises the importance of the A421 corridor for future growth opportunities, and that the significant infrastructure proposals will provide a well-connected, accessible and sustainable location for growth. Growth along this corridor should be exploited.

The Parish Council welcomes the focus of the Local Plan on ensuring that new development is supported by new infrastructure, including green infrastructure (In this regard, it is intended that development will help to bring forward the new water sports lake at Bedford River Valley Park to the east of Bedford at Willington, the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway Park to the west of the town and to further progress the Forest of Marston Vale). It also recognises the challenge that town centres face and it includes proposed policies that would permit more residential properties in the town centre to help support existing and new town centre businesses, and an enhancement of the cultural offer. The Plan also focuses on encouraging high-skilled employment opportunities alongside housing development, with up to 26,700 jobs planned at several sites across the borough. These employment sites are being allocated where they have good connectivity, including by rail, along the A421 corridor and the A1 close to the Black Cat Roundabout. We would like to see, more provision for high-tech businesses rather than large distribution warehouses provided for in the future.

Support

Representation ID: 10385

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Bletsoe Parish Council

The Parish Council welcomes Policy DS5(S) in so far as it outlines the distribution of growth by location and takes into account existing commitments. This factors in the growth envisaged by adopted neighbourhood plans in rural areas, and it recognises that some Parish Councils may choose to allocate further sites for development in their neighbourhood plans to meet particular local needs.

Comment

Representation ID: 10386

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Bletsoe Parish Council

The Parish Council does have some concerns and, in particular, in relation to the timing of housing growth. In this regard, policy DS3(S) identifies that over 62% of growth is profiled in the period from 2030. Whilst the reason for the late profiling of growth, due to dependency on the delivery of infrastructure is recognized, it is a concerned that delay in realising the development potential could affect the five-year land supply position with obvious consequences. A second concern is that the Government Guidance on the Standard Method for assessing housing need and calculating the housing target upon which the plan is based puts Bedford Borough in and anomalous position. The government is insisting that local planning authorities calculate housing targets through a formula that uses out of date data from the Office for National Statistics. This has a huge impact on the calculation of housing need for Bedford Borough and results in a massively inflated and unjustified target for future housing growth in this draft plan.