Central Beds Housing Targets Updates and Questionnaire – Deadline 28th March
Update – see item below.MMAG attended one of the workshops and got the impression that the very clear and preferred direction of Central Beds Council thinking is:
- High growth / likely new settlement
- Cater for housing need from surrounding Counties – making us a magnet for developers
MMAG strongly encourages you complete the questionnaire which takes no more than 10 minutes Click Here for Link and ensure your views are heard at Central Beds – Deadline 28 March.
Below is the the MMAG submission – feel free to use this as guidance or cut and paste as required:
Q2 – Protect the natural environment / Protect greenbelt / Attractive, well designed places
Q3 – A legacy of the soon to be defunct Regional Spatial Strategy is the designation of the ‘Northern Marston Vale’ as an area earmarked for housing & economic regeneration. Within the Marston Vale there are contradictory land uses proposed: waste disposal (landfill), potential incineration (Rookery Pit), recreation, tourism and housing growth. The Marston Vale should be primarily earmarked for environmental regeneration with an economy built on recreation and tourism (e.g. Centre Parks / Millennium Country Park etc.) and high end employment e.g. Cranfield University, Millbrook Proving Ground etc. The planning options are actually political choices about the nature of our communities in the future. CBC does not have any electoral mandate to contemplate housing growth on the scale suggested in the options paper.
Q4 – Low
Q5 Will not require more land / Will have less impact on the countryside / Our towns and villages do not need to grow / would place less strain on existing infrastructure
Q6 – A housing target that addresses migration will become self fulfilling if surrounding authorities do not reciprocate. If CBC is “open for business” & Bedford Borough, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire are closed then CBC will become a magnet for housing development. CBC’s job is to look after the housing needs of the existing community. It is not CBCs role to address the housing problems of elsewhere.
Q7 – Low
Q8 – No furthe land needed / Will have less impact on the countryside
Q9 – For a local authority to have a specific jobs growth target is absurd. Local authorities can only ensure, if affordable, that there are no infrastructure disincentives to economic growth. Local Authorities can only have a marginal effect on where jobs are located. These are decisions made by employers and dictates of market conditions. Is the jobs growth net new jobs or simply relocated jobs from elsewhere? Significant numbers of residents ‘out commute’ to London. Has CBC noticed that there is a Thameslink upgrade, leading to longer platforms and longer trains? Presumably the East-west Coast route and A421 will encourage further out commuting. The infrastructure in place and planned lends itself to out commuting.
Q10 – Vacant plot or redevelopment
Warning Q10 has been worded in such a way as to encourage people to tick “in a new town or village (such as Wixams) – thinking this means growth at Wixams. It does not – it means another new town…….
Q11 – Would not burden exisiting towns / Maintains the rural area / Is a more sustainable option / Would utilise brownfield sites / Would have less impact on the countryside
Q12 – Continue expanding our existing employment areas
Q13 – Would have less impact on the countryside
Q14 – Whether the land is brownfield or gereenfield / Impact on the landscape / Relatin to existing settlements
Q15 – No
This is your community and your village. Take action now otherwise inaction will be taken by the Council as agreeing to excessive housing building targets.
Council Reviews its Planned Housing Building Targets – possibly upwards!
Central Bedfordshire has launched a new consultation reviewing what was thought to have been its development plans till 2030. The accompanying document yet again floats the idea of a ‘totally new settlement’ in Central Bedfordshire despite their involvement in the Wixams and previous heated debates over such a concept locally.
This is a public consultation and MMAG strongly encourages you to get involved and book to attend one of the workshops and/or complete the questionnaire on line.
Main Council Website for Current Consultations - expand “Have your say on the future development of Central Bedfordshire”
Development Strategy for Central Bedfordshire Issues and options discussion paper - please read first before completing Questionnaire
Link to Online Questionnaire - must be completed by 28th March 2012. Paper copies of the documents will be available from libraries, customer contact centres or can be sent by post on request.
Workshops – There will also be four workshops for residents and stakeholders to inform the Development Strategy. These will be held on the following dates:
1 March and 6 March – Watling House, Dunstable, High Street North, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 1LF, 6pm – 9pm
8 March and 14 March – Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ, 6pm – 9pm
If you would like to attend one of these workshops please contact Sally Hicks to book your place by telephone on 0300 300 4353 or email ldf@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
MMAG will be represented at the 14 March Workshop
Another 125 Houses on new development site planned
MMAG has submitted its objections to Central Bedfordshire Council,following the application to develop a new housing and employment site behind the Little Chef. If approved the village would find itself stuck between two large scale development sites whose completion would take several years and increase the village substantially and placing pressure on school, health and transport structures. Click Here to view Letter
MMAG draws the line over additional new housing development
MMAG have recently written to Richard Carr, Chief Executive of Central Bedfordshire Council to oppose a new development site potentially getting the green light before the first house on Marston Park is even built – Click Here to view letter
The site allocation at Moreteyne Farm for land behind the Little Chef could be started for large scale house building next year despite the fact that Marston Park, which will increase the size of the village by about a third, has only just begun and will be in development for several years. Click Here to view full post
Warren Farm Housing Development – Ampthill
What with our proposed/potential developments in Marston Moreteyne MMAG supporters will be interested in a website set up by developers to ‘inform’ residents of ‘developments’ in nearby Ampthill. We may see something similar here. http://www.warrenfarmampthill.com/index.html
Development of Land between old A421 and new A421 at Marston Moreteyne– Public Exhibition 16th June
The land situated between the old A421 (Bedford Road) and the new A421 and Wood End have been indentifed as a site for development by Central Bedfordshire Council under its Site Allocations Development Plan Document.
Please click here to view the Site Allocations Documents.
The site has been allocated for mixed use development of housing and employment. Hallam Land Management intend put forward a planning application in respect of this land – it is unclear at the moment whether this company is the only prospective ‘bidder’ for the land.
More information including maps detailing the area involved are on thier website at http://www.dlpconsultants.co.uk/moreteynefarm/
Hallam Land Management are conducting a public exhibition at Bedford Road Methodist Church Hall on 16th June 2011 – 2pm – 7.30pm where representatives will be available to question further.
Central Bedfordshire (North) Site Allocations Development Plan Document – MMAG reply Sept 2010
MMAG asks Inspector to kill of Northern Marston Vale Zombi Strategy
MMAG have submitted their concerns relating to the proposed housing site allocations affecting the village of Marston Moreteyne – Click Here to view Letter
EERA ‘New Town’ in Marston Vale
The East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) has included Central Bedfordshire as an option for a new 20,000 home settlement – sound familiar? Click Here to read more
Central Beds Normal Planning for Additional Housing
The ongoing normal planning process for additional housing within Central Beds includes some for the Marston Moretaine/ Marston Vale area. Click Here to read more
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