Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

Comment

Representation ID: 9920

Received: 28/07/2022

Respondent: Amnaat Ltd

Agent: Aragon Land and Planning

Employment and the nature of the local economy has seen significant changes with regard to the needs for employment in the region and Bedford Borough. Some of these changes have also been influenced by the Pandemic which has resulted in a number of employment changes, including a significant growth in home working and a greater demand for logistics and storage. The trend locally has also seen both a significant increase in large warehouse development on the edge of Bedford/A421 and second, very little or new employment in the older and historic employment areas whilst some re use has occurred very little inward investment in the older employment areas has taken place.

There have been notable changes of use away from employment uses to retail and leisure opportunities within these historic employment areas as the market readjusts to try and re use some of these sites. Bedford with its connections to the M1 and A1 and central location is also well positioned to provide for logistics. The Pandemic has highlighted the importance and value of logistics and with retail changes this continues to be change in the type of employment being delivered.

The Framework in para 85 strongly recognises that sites are needed to meet local business and community needs in the rural area.

Accordingly, this is a submission seeking changes to the employment approach in the local plan polices to facilitate development on land outside the settlement areas and allocate land close to Great Barford for Employment purposes. This is an area which is going to see considerable infrastructure improvements as a result of the A421/East West Rail Link. The new allocation of EMP8 (and EMP7) now recognises the principle that land around the black cat roundabout can be developed for employment, however land closer to settlements like Great Barford would achieve a fundamental sustainable objective of placing employment need housing.



Some of this B8 demand is described as “footloose “and it will not all be achieved within Central Bedfordshire. It is likely this further footloose demand around the transport interchanges can be expected to continue and again will contribute to employment supply and this further weakens the need for these smaller older central sites to remain as part of the employment supply. The concept of storage and employment located towards the east of Bedford is now established in principle.
The infrastructure changes with the A421, the East-West rail link will see a much wider opportunity to locate employment and distribution around these hubs which are significantly better served for more up to date forms of employment and closer to transport links. The employment study at 9.3 recognizes
The local plan should make sufficient land allocations to meet this quantitative requirement, however it should also recognise that non-B class employment and complementary uses also need land. Experience has shown that the attributes that make employment land attractive to B class activities also attracts a variety of ancillary and complementary non-B class activities.

The Employment Study needs to take a more critical look at the existing employment vacancy and how realistic it is for sites having remained vacant to realistically contribute to employment land supply. This vacant land needs to be taken out the supply figures and new sites such as land at New Road Great Barford allocated or the area identified as one supporting local employment growth. The point(s) made at 9.11 in the Employment Study which lists the characteristics for identifying land. This is a site which sits next to an existing employment use and is well screened with a mature tree cover and can meet the site characteristics needed for identifying the land. Some further changes to DM8 could also support the allocation.

Comment

Representation ID: 9921

Received: 28/07/2022

Respondent: Amnaat Ltd

Agent: Aragon Land and Planning

Employment and the nature of the local economy has seen significant changes with regard to the needs for employment in the region and Bedford Borough. Some of these changes have also been influenced by the Pandemic which has resulted in a number of employment changes, including a significant growth in home working and a greater demand for logistics and storage. The trend locally has also seen both a significant increase in large warehouse development on the edge of Bedford/A421 and second, very little or new employment in the older and historic employment areas whilst some re use has occurred very little inward investment in the older employment areas has taken place.

There have been notable changes of use away from employment uses to retail and leisure opportunities within these historic employment areas as the market readjusts to try and re use some of these sites. Bedford with its connections to the M1 and A1 and central location is also well positioned to provide for logistics. The Pandemic has highlighted the importance and value of logistics and with retail changes this continues to be change in the type of employment being delivered.

The Framework in para 85 strongly recognises that sites are needed to meet local business and community needs in the rural area.

Accordingly, this is a submission seeking changes to the employment approach in the local plan polices to facilitate development on land outside the settlement areas and allocate land close to Great Barford for Employment purposes. This is an area which is going to see considerable infrastructure improvements as a result of the A421/East West Rail Link. The new allocation of EMP8 (and EMP7) now recognises the principle that land around the black cat roundabout can be developed for employment, however land closer to settlements like Great Barford would achieve a fundamental sustainable objective of placing employment need housing.



Some of this B8 demand is described as “footloose “and it will not all be achieved within Central Bedfordshire. It is likely this further footloose demand around the transport interchanges can be expected to continue and again will contribute to employment supply and this further weakens the need for these smaller older central sites to remain as part of the employment supply. The concept of storage and employment located towards the east of Bedford is now established in principle.
The infrastructure changes with the A421, the East-West rail link will see a much wider opportunity to locate employment and distribution around these hubs which are significantly better served for more up to date forms of employment and closer to transport links. The employment study at 9.3 recognizes
The local plan should make sufficient land allocations to meet this quantitative requirement, however it should also recognise that non-B class employment and complementary uses also need land. Experience has shown that the attributes that make employment land attractive to B class activities also attracts a variety of ancillary and complementary non-B class activities.

The Employment Study needs to take a more critical look at the existing employment vacancy and how realistic it is for sites having remained vacant to realistically contribute to employment land supply. This vacant land needs to be taken out the supply figures and new sites such as land at New Road Great Barford allocated or the area identified as one supporting local employment growth. The point(s) made at 9.11 in the Employment Study which lists the characteristics for identifying land. This is a site which sits next to an existing employment use and is well screened with a mature tree cover and can meet the site characteristics needed for identifying the land. Some further changes to DM8 could also support the allocation.

Comment

Representation ID: 9922

Received: 28/07/2022

Respondent: Amnaat Ltd

Agent: Aragon Land and Planning

Employment and the nature of the local economy has seen significant changes with regard to the needs for employment in the region and Bedford Borough. Some of these changes have also been influenced by the Pandemic which has resulted in a number of employment changes, including a significant growth in home working and a greater demand for logistics and storage. The trend locally has also seen both a significant increase in large warehouse development on the edge of Bedford/A421 and second, very little or new employment in the older and historic employment areas whilst some re use has occurred very little inward investment in the older employment areas has taken place.

There have been notable changes of use away from employment uses to retail and leisure opportunities within these historic employment areas as the market readjusts to try and re use some of these sites. Bedford with its connections to the M1 and A1 and central location is also well positioned to provide for logistics. The Pandemic has highlighted the importance and value of logistics and with retail changes this continues to be change in the type of employment being delivered.

The Framework in para 85 strongly recognises that sites are needed to meet local business and community needs in the rural area.

Accordingly, this is a submission seeking changes to the employment approach in the local plan polices to facilitate development on land outside the settlement areas and allocate land close to Great Barford for Employment purposes. This is an area which is going to see considerable infrastructure improvements as a result of the A421/East West Rail Link. The new allocation of EMP8 (and EMP7) now recognises the principle that land around the black cat roundabout can be developed for employment, however land closer to settlements like Great Barford would achieve a fundamental sustainable objective of placing employment need housing.



Some of this B8 demand is described as “footloose “and it will not all be achieved within Central Bedfordshire. It is likely this further footloose demand around the transport interchanges can be expected to continue and again will contribute to employment supply and this further weakens the need for these smaller older central sites to remain as part of the employment supply. The concept of storage and employment located towards the east of Bedford is now established in principle.
The infrastructure changes with the A421, the East-West rail link will see a much wider opportunity to locate employment and distribution around these hubs which are significantly better served for more up to date forms of employment and closer to transport links. The employment study at 9.3 recognizes
The local plan should make sufficient land allocations to meet this quantitative requirement, however it should also recognise that non-B class employment and complementary uses also need land. Experience has shown that the attributes that make employment land attractive to B class activities also attracts a variety of ancillary and complementary non-B class activities.

The Employment Study needs to take a more critical look at the existing employment vacancy and how realistic it is for sites having remained vacant to realistically contribute to employment land supply. This vacant land needs to be taken out the supply figures and new sites such as land at New Road Great Barford allocated or the area identified as one supporting local employment growth. The point(s) made at 9.11 in the Employment Study which lists the characteristics for identifying land. This is a site which sits next to an existing employment use and is well screened with a mature tree cover and can meet the site characteristics needed for identifying the land. Some further changes to DM8 could also support the allocation.

Comment

Representation ID: 9923

Received: 28/07/2022

Respondent: Amnaat Ltd

Agent: Aragon Land and Planning

Employment and the nature of the local economy has seen significant changes with regard to the needs for employment in the region and Bedford Borough. Some of these changes have also been influenced by the Pandemic which has resulted in a number of employment changes, including a significant growth in home working and a greater demand for logistics and storage. The trend locally has also seen both a significant increase in large warehouse development on the edge of Bedford/A421 and second, very little or new employment in the older and historic employment areas whilst some re use has occurred very little inward investment in the older employment areas has taken place.

There have been notable changes of use away from employment uses to retail and leisure opportunities within these historic employment areas as the market readjusts to try and re use some of these sites. Bedford with its connections to the M1 and A1 and central location is also well positioned to provide for logistics. The Pandemic has highlighted the importance and value of logistics and with retail changes this continues to be change in the type of employment being delivered.

The Framework in para 85 strongly recognises that sites are needed to meet local business and community needs in the rural area.

Accordingly, this is a submission seeking changes to the employment approach in the local plan polices to facilitate development on land outside the settlement areas and allocate land close to Great Barford for Employment purposes. This is an area which is going to see considerable infrastructure improvements as a result of the A421/East West Rail Link. The new allocation of EMP8 (and EMP7) now recognises the principle that land around the black cat roundabout can be developed for employment, however land closer to settlements like Great Barford would achieve a fundamental sustainable objective of placing employment need housing.



Some of this B8 demand is described as “footloose “and it will not all be achieved within Central Bedfordshire. It is likely this further footloose demand around the transport interchanges can be expected to continue and again will contribute to employment supply and this further weakens the need for these smaller older central sites to remain as part of the employment supply. The concept of storage and employment located towards the east of Bedford is now established in principle.
The infrastructure changes with the A421, the East-West rail link will see a much wider opportunity to locate employment and distribution around these hubs which are significantly better served for more up to date forms of employment and closer to transport links. The employment study at 9.3 recognizes
The local plan should make sufficient land allocations to meet this quantitative requirement, however it should also recognise that non-B class employment and complementary uses also need land. Experience has shown that the attributes that make employment land attractive to B class activities also attracts a variety of ancillary and complementary non-B class activities.

The Employment Study needs to take a more critical look at the existing employment vacancy and how realistic it is for sites having remained vacant to realistically contribute to employment land supply. This vacant land needs to be taken out the supply figures and new sites such as land at New Road Great Barford allocated or the area identified as one supporting local employment growth. The point(s) made at 9.11 in the Employment Study which lists the characteristics for identifying land. This is a site which sits next to an existing employment use and is well screened with a mature tree cover and can meet the site characteristics needed for identifying the land. Some further changes to DM8 could also support the allocation.