Winter 2020 Issue No 66

Bedfordshire Matters

In this issue: 5 Living Countryside Awards 8-10 North under Threat 14 Campaign to Save Green Space Bedfordshire Matters Issue No 66: Winter 2020

Chair’s column Gerry Sansom

I would like to take this proposals for a new motorway opportunity to thank my fellow across open countryside from J13 Trustees and members for their on the M1 to Oxford where local support during my time as Chair. politicians lost votes and seats in a public backlash. As you will see later in this magazine, in our view there is Bedfordshire Local Authorities and a very serious crisis in local government are now resorting democracy in Bedfordshire which to secret meetings of unelected is becoming more and more officials to enable the formation of apparent - adversely impacting the “Growth Boards” - you can read ability of local residents to gain more about these in our feature on We write this edition of access to information regarding page 7. Bedfordshire Matters as the hugely important strategic impact of COVID 19 continues to CPRE Bedfordshire and our developments proposed for our dramatically impact our lives. colleagues from local CPREs county. across the Arc will continue The importance of our countryside Not least of these are the massive to encourage government and and biodiversity, our Natural Health housing developments proposed local authorities to correct this Service, to our general wellbeing by government across the Oxford- very serious democratic deficit has been brought into sharp Milton Keynes--Cambridge as a matter of urgency and to focus with more people accessing Arc together with East/West Rail – engage with local people through open green space to find quiet its proposed route and the impact proper public consultations and relaxation at these stressful times. of it. We explore these threats in debate. Also, to subject their We would like to say a big thank more detail on pages 8-10. development plans for Ox-Cam you to those members who to stringent Environmental Impact A survey of residents across were able to attend our AGM on Assessments. the Arc completed last year Zoom in September, it was lovely by our colleagues from CPRE To this end, local CPREs have to see some new faces. It was Oxfordshire, showed that 70% of written an open letter to all quite a short event allowing us to those surveyed had never heard Local Authority Leaders, Chief complete the legal requirements of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc or Executives and elected Mayors that we’re obliged to follow under the government’s development across the Arc (copied to MPs) Charity Commission regulations proposals - one million new requesting more openness and and those of our own Constitution. homes, equivalent to 20 cities the a fundamental change to their During the AGM, I stated that this size of Cambridge - over three working practices. year will be my last as Chair having times the number of homes as in completed the maximum period of the entire county of Oxfordshire Read the letter on our website seven years as Trustee that our (approx. 300,000 homes). www.cprebeds.org.uk/ Constitution allows. I shall stand resources/cpre-challenges- Government has refused a Public down from the role at the next arc-leaders-to-open-up-to-the- Consultation on their plans AGM in April 2021 but will continue public-on-development-plans- – fearing the sort of adverse to support CPRE Bedfordshire as a for-the-oxford-cambridge-arc/ reaction that met their Ox-Cam planning volunteer.

Cover photo credit – Nicky Vincent. Visit Nicky’s website for gift vouchers (valid for two years) and information about her photography services www.nickyvincentphoto.com

2 Issue No 66: Winter 2020 Bedfordshire Matters

Last year Bedfordshire Matters Connecting to nature in lockdown reported on research that feeling Nicola Scholfield, Nature Connection Guide, explains how a connection with nature not only nature can help us in difficult times. boosts our wellbeing, but makes us more likely to care for and take For as long as I remember, I’ve This is no surprise given there’s action for nature too. So it seems loved the natural world and now plenty of evidence that connecting with nature not only enjoyed activities spent out and spending time in nature can be helps ourselves, but the planet too. about in nature. Taking a walk good for our body and mind. As In 2021, I’m running an introduction in the woods and greenspaces well as lifting our mood, being in to forest bathing for CPRE around me and noticing what nature is associated with many Bedfordshire. This gentle walk will the seasons bring is a reliable health benefits including reduced introduce ways to help us slow way to lift my mood and help stress and blood pressure, down, calm our minds and tune in me feel energised. And in this boosted immune system and help the beautiful natural world we’re extraordinary year, spending time for anxiety and depression. part of. Look out for more details in the surrounding countryside One of the ways I’ve enjoyed about this in the coming year. during lockdown became even spending time in nature this year more valuable. is through forest bathing - a gentle Read more about forest bathing And I’m not alone. A survey by walk in my local woodland during on our website - https://www. Natural undertaken during which I pay close attention to the cprebeds.org.uk/discover/just- the lockdown in April found that beauty, feel, sights, sounds and a-walk-in-the-woods/ the majority of adults (87%) agreed scents of my natural surroundings. with the statement that “being in This immersion in nature brings nature makes me happy”. me a sense of calm and helps me feel connected to and part of the natural world.

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May The countryside next door A month of evening walks through Our Digital Engagement Officer, Shelly Dennison, reflects thick clouds of cow parsley. on becoming more familiar with the countryside on her Jackdaws teem above the canopy doorstep. their jack-jack rasp competing with the sounds of wind in the trees and sweeter birdsong. In the evening light through the leaves the woodland feels aglow in the setting sun, the sound of a woodpecker adds to the dreamy atmosphere.

April

Like many people, during January lockdown I got to know some Solitary robins perch on fallen local walks much better. One of branches and a pair of magpies our favourites, and the closest hop around on a blanket of fallen to home, was a walk through leaves. Every now and again a a small patch of woodland and grey squirrel appears, as if by along the surrounding bridlepaths. magic, half way up a tree. Over the course of the year May we documented this walk in Most striking is the abundance photographs and journal entries. of mosses and lichens – and the June They form a record of getting to sheer variety of colours, textures A treat – a thrush sitting on a know a small piece of the world and details. Once we’d started fence post, content to let us more deeply and understanding to spot them they seemed to be stand quietly and watch for a bit. how the seasons change it. everywhere. Wild roses in flower along the April bridlepath. In the afternoon the wood is October very green and full of bluebells, The wood takes on an autumnal butterflies and birdsong. The feel, leaves begin to turn to yellow vibrant light is dappled through and orange and form a carpet the trees. The water in the along the path. There are fungi brook is clear, flowing gently. everywhere, growing underneath Birds spotted include bluetit, trees, on rotten wood and along woodpecker and wren. The wild the edges of the paths. flowers include celandines and wood sorrel in abundance. June

4 Issue No 66: Winter 2020 Bedfordshire Matters

Living Countryside Awards 2021 goes digital! The Living Countryside Awards Promote rural businesses Inspire others to engage with have always been a flagship and organisations especially local projects or develop their own event for CPRE Bedfordshire. in light of the ongoing pandemic. ideas by establishing a resource They are a chance to celebrate We want to celebrate those on our website and follow up and recognise the people and organisations that are surviving activities such as project updates projects that are benefiting our and thriving despite the challenges, on social media and features in county’s rural environment and focusing on how they are doing Bedfordshire Matters magazine. urban greenspaces. In 2021 the this and what they can learn from More details will be announced LCAs will be going digital! Due each other. early in 2021 when we will be to Covid-19 and the uncertainty Connect projects and looking for volunteers, sponsors around social distancing and big people together to share and nominations. gatherings we have decided to their experience and take the LCAs in a new direction knowledge and showcase The Vale to ensure we can reach as many their work with a wider audience. Academy people as possible. These will be a series of virtual There will be a strong focus events based on the needs of on sharing knowledge and the nominees that will encourage experiences and learning from collaborative working, knowledge each other and our aim is that the sharing and learning LCAs will:-

Incredible Edible

Wooden Hill Coffee Queens Park Community Orchard Success in Aspley Guise The proposed site is located harm to local character. Therefore, circumstances’ do not exist, and outside of Aspley Guise the development did not meet the the development is contrary to settlement envelope, in the requirements of a rural exception the aims and objectives of section Green Belt and formally used as site in this location. The proposed 13 of the National Planning Policy allotments dating back to 1901. development would constitute Framework 2019. inappropriate development in the The planning application was for CPRE Bedfordshire supported Green Belt, which is by definition the erection of seven affordable Aspley Guise Parish Council with harmful, and would cause harm to homes and one market priced their campaign to ensure the its openness and would conflict home with nine allotments. The inappropriate planning application with one of the purposes of application was submitted as a on the Green Belt was refused the Green Belt. There were no Rural Exception Scheme. once more following the two material considerations identified previous applications to build out Central Bedfordshire Council which clearly outweighed the on this Green Belt Land. refused the application as the harm caused to the Green Belt. proposal did not relate well to the Consequently, ‘very special village setting and would result in

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Local spotlight We invited Edible High Town, a Luton based project, to tell us about their work. In the Summer of 2016, a plan was hatched to fund a community gardener for a handful of hours each week. The gardener’s role was to organise volunteer sessions and community gardening days to help transform some of our public green space. Initially, we were just tidying up and planting flowers and bulbs but after a few months we decided to focus our efforts on growing edibles and seven sites across the ward have started running gardening wildlife-friendly plants. (including a community orchard). and ESOL courses, using Perhaps because of the dramatic gardening as a way of teaching In the urban environment of a town circumstances, this year we have people English, whilst helping like Luton, walking past a raised seen a real increase in the sense transform our high street with bed at the edge of a high street of ownership from the community. herbs and soft fruits. car park and helping yourself to a Children have been watering bean strawberry or two, picking some shoots on a site adjoining their fennel or thyme or even digging up house, an elderly couple, uninvited, a handful of potatoes is a moment have been growing some more of delight at nature’s ingenious exotic veg in a raised bed, and provision. The produce has always prize-size pumpkins have been been free to pick for anyone who disappearing into unknown local so desires. homes. Now, Edible High Town is a Luton Council have been small rabble of local residents supportive, picking up our waste As our signs invite, if ever you who communicate mostly via and providing free mulch in winter. find yourself in High Town Luton, WhatsApp and help maintain Noah, a local homeless charity, do stop at one of our plots (all mapped on the edibleluton.org website) and please help yourself. If you’d like to know more drop us an email at ediblehightown@ gmail.com

Edible High Town received a Highly Commended award at the 2018 Living Countryside Awards in the Greening Urban Spaces category – go to p5 to find out about our plans for the 2021 awards...

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Local Democracy in Crisis Revealed! Secret meetings Council, Corby Borough Council, minutes of Oxfordshire County headed by Chief Executive East Northamptonshire District Council to find this information? Council, Kettering Borough Council Councillors of all political Council, South Northamptonshire to set up Ox – Cam Arc persuasions know more about District Council, Borough of Growth Boards. this than they are saying to Wellingborough Council and local people and this is totally CPRE Bedfordshire has learnt that SEMLEP. Philip Simpkins, Chief Executive of unacceptable! The residents Bedford Borough Council (BBC), For Bedfordshire Local Authorities of Bedfordshire should not be has been holding secret meetings to say that government plans for treated as second class citizens with other local authority Chief development across the Ox-Cam and kept in the dark. Arc are unclear is we believe, Executives across the Arc to Media coverage discuss development plans which a complete sham and it would Perhaps even more disturbing is will eat up huge areas of open appear they are being developed the total lack of comment on all of countryside. Simpkins is Leader in secret. this in the media at local, regional of this Arc Group of unelected We are asking BBC to come and national level (the Ox-Cam officials. clean and publish full details of all developments are of national meetings held by Philip Simpkins We understand that four new strategic importance) who appear in his role as Leader of the Arc’s Growth Boards have now been to have turned a deaf ear. established by these officials in Chief Executive’s Group on their It may not be coincidental that until conjunction with government – website, including minutes of the recently, a member of the Board Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, meetings and the names of those of SEMLEP was a regional director Central Area and the Cambridge & attending. Details of all Central of Global Radio one of the largest Peterborough Combined Authority. Growth Board meetings and who attends them should also be made news gathering organisations in Neither the Chiefs Executive’s public. the country and owner of local and Group nor any of these Growth national radio stations including On 2 July last year, the Deputy Boards have published their Terms Heart FM. We understand that Director of the Ox-Cam Unit of the of Reference. None has ever held he was also a past manager of Ministry of Homes, Communities & meetings open to the public or Johnston Press (JPI Media) who Local Government, wrote to Philip published agendas or minutes – own the majority of newspapers in Simpkins updating him on their instead everything is being done Bedfordshire. with the utmost secrecy. plans “to begin discussions with local partners across the Oxford The massive US property, land The leader of the CPRE Ox-Cam – Cambridge Arc on how we can investor and speculator, CBRE Working Group wrote to Philip together realise shared ambitions which is heavily involved in Ox- Simpkins way back in June asking for growth……” Cam developments (see the for details of the meetings and previous edition of Bedfordshire Why didn’t Mr Simpkins or Mayor for the introduction of a more Matters), has strong connections Dave or James Jamieson or democratic process but to date no to the media world through its Hazel Simmons, tell the people response has been received. association with Sir Michael Lyons of Bedford Borough, Central (Ex Chair of the BBC) who made The Central Area Growth Board Bedfordshire and Luton about a presentation on their behalf at includes: these “shared ambitions for England’s Economic Heartland growth”? Perhaps they were too Bedford Borough Council, Central recently, pushing the benefits concerned of the reaction from Bedfordshire Council, Milton of Ox-Cam to land owners, local people? Keynes Council, Luton Borough developers and speculators. Council, Northamptonshire County Why do we have to look at the Council, Northampton Borough

7 Bedfordshire Matters Issue No 66: Winter 2020 North Bedfordshire countryside under threat The Mayor of Bedford lines up the North Bedfordshire countryside for massive development after signing up to Oxford - Milton Keynes - Bedford - Cambridge Arc proposals from government and northern route for East/West Rail. Here we look at the impact this will have on the countryside in North Bedfordshire...

new northern “parkway” station Potential EWR Preferred route option area Potential EWR station Existing train line station area would be built to serve these new Potential new Network Existing train station Potential new Guided busway Network Rail station Rail station area

communities and yet prior to his

Sources: Esri, USGS | Esri UK, HERE, Garmin, FAO, NOAA, Towards Peterborough G Towards Norwich u i A14 d e election he had told the people d B Waterbeach u 0 s 1 w A a Papworth y Bar Hill A1 Histon Everard Milton of the Borough that he did not St Neots Cambourne (new)

M Cambridge North A428 1 wish to see new towns developed Towards Kettering, 1 Corby & Leicester Croxton Caxton Towards Ipswich Cambridge (modified) A6 on open countryside in North Abbotsley Bourn St Neots / Great Toft Comberton Dullingham Gransden Barton Sandy area (new) Cambridge South B1040 Roxton (Could form part of EWR) A1198 Bedfordshire. The impact of these Clapham 1 Tempsford B1046 1 42 Trumpington A1 A Great Eversden Gamlingay Haslingfield Hauxton Shelford proposals on the countryside Bedford (modified) Wimpole Blunham Harston Great A 13 3 Shelford 0 60 7 A603 Sandy A Bedford St Johns Potton Orwell already would be immense and Foxton Wrestlingworth Shepreth Hardwick Whittlesford Parkway the additional traffic would impact

Wixams A600 Meldreth A421 Biggleswade 05 Bassingbourn A5 across North Bedfordshire and the

A 1 3 Haynes 0 A6 1 Towards A1 Royston Milton Keynes Valley. & Oxford

Towards Luton Airport & London Towards Hitchin & London Towards Hitchin & London Towards Stansted Airport & London CPRE Bedfordshire recommended A. Ox – Cam Arc Agreement B. East West Rail – Northern the southern route (Route B) using as a parkway station to In March 2019 The Mayor of Route limit traffic entering the Bedford Bedford signed an agreement In addition The Mayor (and he says Town, improving the quality of life with government committing the other political parties in the of residents, and then following Bedford Borough Council to Council) pushed East West Rail to the already established A421 the government’s development accept the northern route for the transport corridor to Sandy. proposals for a massive Bedford to Cambridge section of urbanisation of the Oxford – the new railway. See the route A + B = “Call for Sites” Cambridge Arc. This agreement above. = A catastrophe for the which the council has never This will take the railway through countryside! published and for which no Bedford Station and across mandate from residents has been Now, following the recent “Issues the countryside north between obtained, is called “The Joint and Options” Consultation as part Clapham and before Declaration”. of the Bedford Borough Council’s turning east through tranquil Local Plan 2030 Review, the council The proposals include the countryside past Ravensden and has published details of the sites addition of 1 million new homes Wilden to a yet to be decided new put forward by developers for across the Arc and a population station somewhere around Sandy. consideration in the “Call for sites”. increase of 1.9 million people. This route was promoted by The CPRE Bedfordshire’s worst To put this in context, the entire Mayor as the best option because, fears have been confirmed with county of Oxfordshire has less he said to East/West Rail, new developers promoting massive than 300,000 homes! towns proposed by developers development proposals for new in the countryside north of towns around Twinwoods/Clapham Bedford (Twinwoods, Sharnbrook, and Sharnbrook// Colworth, Wyboston) would be and taking advantage of “better served by a northern the planned northern rail route. route”. By this he means that a

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Call for sites maps Map 1 (below) shows the sites (in pink) put forward for the Clapham, Twinwoods, Oakley, areas. Around 6,000 new homes.

To put the scale of these proposed developments in context, Sharnbrook village has 1,000 homes and the town of Ampthill has approx. 4,000 homes.

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Map 2 below shows the sites put forward around the Sharnbrook, Colworth, Souldrop, Harrold area: Around 4,500 new homes at Sharnbrook/Colmworth/Souldrop

Concerned residents should make their views known to the Mayor, their local Borough Councillor, Parish Council and to their MP, Richard Fuller. CPRE Bedfordshire will be doing our best to ensure that as many people as possible are informed of the potential destruction of our countryside – our “Natural Health Service”. Keep an eye on our website for regular updates.

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Success in Swineshead! Earlier this year CPRE Bedfordshire joined & Swineshead Parish Council and a local Action Group in their effort to stop a local farmer from destroying around 800 metres of field hedgerow in Swineshead. In July Swineshead Bedford Borough Council refused permission for the removal of all hedgerows Wixams Warehouse developments specified in the application. In the last edition of Bedfordshire Matters we reported on the impact Hedgerows are important in the of massive warehouse developments, sited closely to residential homes fight against climate change as and the Wixams Retirement village. A planning application for more they take carbon out of the air and warehousing at G-Park was given permission in December 2019 with no store it in their trunks, roots and pre application consultation with local people. The three new warehouses in the soil underground. There are will provide a total of 52,025 square metres of floorspace and stand lots of other benefits too, such as nearly 20 metres high. We expressed particular concern about the lack boosting biodiversity by making of engagement with residents by Bedford Borough Council (BBC) about great habitats for wildlife and these developments. reducing soil erosion. BBC has now expressed a willingness to consider some mitigation Hedgerows are also an important measures, such as the provision of a pedestrian crossing, road part of the landscape, they are resurfacing with low impact tarmac and introducing night-time parking a crucial part of the character of restrictions in the vicinity of the Retirement Village. BBC have also the Riseley Clay Farmland area. commenced air quality monitoring by measuring nitrogen dioxide levels During this year we know that on Bedford Road near the Retirement Village. many of you have been enjoying watching the seasons change However, residents still have serious concerns: through the hedgerows – from • High visibility of warehouses, especially for those whose homes look the spring blossom to the autumn directly onto the site. blackberries. • Heavy goods vehicles are accessing the distribution centre around Find out more about CPRE’s the clock which has led to major concerns about the impact of the work on hedgerows - https:// traffic on noise levels and air quality. Wixams Community Group, the www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care- Parish Council and ward councillor, Graeme Coombes, have been about/nature-and-landscapes/ pressing BBC to investigate options for an alternative access route hedgerows/ via a new link road. As Wixams continues to grow and as more new settlements are likely to be planned in the next Local Plan period, CPRE Bedfordshire would like to see more signs that BBC will be willing to be more proactive in their engagement strategies with new communities. It is only by working in positive partnerships with emerging communities that a successful approach to place making can be achieved.

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Success in Lockdown reads Clifton! One of our top tips for staying connected to nature during a Central Bedfordshire winter lockdown, or when the Council (CBC) has refused weather or the dark evenings planning permission for 39 mean you don’t fancy stepping homes on land off Pedley outside, is curling up with a Lane in Clifton for a third book. There are lots of brilliant time. books about nature and the CPRE Bedfordshire worked with countryside but here are three the Clifton Action Group and recommendations of books local residents, who responded published this year from our office in significant numbers to the team to start you off. application, leading to a positive Vesper Flights – Helen outcome for the community. Macdonald CBC outlined a number of reasons Vesper Flights is a fantastically The Accidental Countryside – for their refusal which included: varied collection of essays from Stephen Moss Local character the author of the popular H is Moss journeys across Britain in for Hawk. It’s a mix of memoir, The proposed development’s search of the hidden and unlikely history, science and travel writing open countryside location, places where nature thrives. which takes the reader from scale and layout would result in Most of the sites are urban or rural Cambridgeshire to New significant harm to the character man-made and include railway York. All the essays explore our and appearance of the site, sidings, gravel pits, churchyards relationship with the natural surroundings and landscape. and skyscrapers. Bedfordshire world, mingling love and grief as Matters readers might find the The proposal would also result Macdonald reflects on the climate sections where he explores in the merging of Shefford and and biodiversity emergencies. new housing estates where the Clifton. English Pastoral – James Rebanks developers are finding ways to Biodiversity encourage and incorporate nature English Pastoral is the long particularly interesting. The development would not result awaited follow up to The in net gains for biodiversity and as Shepherd’s Life, the surprise such was contrary to both national publishing hit of 2015. Rebanks More books and CBC planning policies. lives and farms in Matterdale in A specially curated woodland Cumbria. It examines the changes themed reading list - https:// Affordable housing in farming over his lifetime, www.cprebeds.org.uk/ The proposed development would reflecting on the way Rebanks, discover/blossom-and-books/ put pressure on existing local his father and grandfather have infrastructure and would fail to Our full length review of farmed their land. In the final make an acceptable contribution English Pastoral - https://www. section of the book we follow his towards the amount of local cprebeds.org.uk/discover/ journey to creating a wilder farm, affordable housing. other-peoples-stories/ with plenty of places for nature.

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The heart of CPRE Bedfordshire Volunteers are very much The team at CPRE Bedfordshire Could you or someone at the heart of CPRE have been very welcoming and Bedfordshire and make helpful, guiding me through all the you know be our new a real difference to our rules and procedures that need to Chair? be considered. Time demands are work. Now more than ever CPRE Bedfordshire, the flexible, which means juggling the people are appreciating the countryside charity, needs a work with other commitments is benefits of the countryside new Chair to lead our board of possible.” and are concerned about Trustees and develop our future the increase in development Volunteers support us in work. If you love the Bedfordshire and the loss of greenspace. many different ways and new countryside and want to help us Mike recently joined our opportunities are being developed grow in capacity and influence, we team of Planning Volunteers all the time. By joining CPRE would love to hear from you. and covers parts of Central Bedfordshire you will become Our current Chair is due to Bedfordshire. part of our friendly and supportive retire in April 2021 so we are team and have the chance to learn “When volunteering with CPRE now looking for someone with new skills. You will also make a Bedfordshire you feel that you are a passion for environmental and positive difference to the local helping local people to protect the countryside issues coupled with Bedfordshire countryside. character of the countryside from experience of the charity sector over-development. It’s interesting For more information on current and board management. You’ll to learn how to balance the desire volunteering opportunities go provide the vision and leadership for more homes in the countryside to www.cprebeds.org.uk/get- to ensure that CPRE Bedfordshire with the desire to maintain the involved/volunteering/ has a strong and effective voice historical character. whilst ensuring the requirements of the constitution are met and that our governance complies with charity law and best practice. This is an interesting and stimulating role that provides a chance to use your skills to really make a difference to the Bedfordshire countryside.

Apply online or for more information or an informal chat please contact Lois Wright at [email protected]. Full details can be found at volunteer.cpre.org.uk/ opportunities/14013-chair-cpre- bedfordshire-2020-09-03

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Campaign to save Open Green Space at Great Denham Great Denham residents were The closure of the golf club part of the original planning shocked to learn of the plan to not only represents the loss permission and the associated close the Bedford Golf Club. The of a highly popular leisure and new housing was marketed as a land agent, Bidwells, had taken no community facility enjoyed by ‘golf village’. steps to discuss the intentions of golfers and non-golfers alike, but Bidwells maintain that their main the owner with the communities also raises fears about the future motivation is to ensure that the affected or with Bedford Borough of an important green urban gap land is producing income for the Council until July 2020, although between the urban settlements of Trustees and that the golf club it appears that the decision was Great Denham and the / directors were of the view that taken in 2018. Bedford urban edge. Construction continuation of the golf club was of the golf club was an important

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no longer financially viable. The Local residents acted quickly to gap and that any development current plan is to close the course form an action group - Save the in the area must be made in and put sheep on the land to Great Denham Golf course and connection with a golf course. graze, repurpose the clubhouse as Urban Gap Community Group – a nursery and the greenkeepers which aims to stop any potential compound to be let to business. development on this green space. They maintain there is no plan for They have raised over £4,000 development ‘in the short term.’ to help fund legal advice and collected a petition with nearly However, the residents have 3,000 signatures. This petition been led to believe that golf club was presented to a meeting of directors were keen to enter into Full Council at Bedford Borough a five year extension of the lease. on Wednesday, October 14. The They find it difficult to see how the Council voted through a motion currently proposed change of use proposed by local Great Denham could be more profitable than the Cllr Jim Weir which states that the significant income that would be Council must uphold rulings that achieved through keeping the golf the Golf Course acts as an urban Great Denham Golf course club open.

Have your say – Luton Airport expansion plans

London Luton Airport ran a Development Consent Order concerns raised and also respond Consultation on their major DCO) to the Government in the to the short and potentially expansion plans at the end of Summer of this year. In June they longer term changes created 2019. These plans covered the announced that this was now by COVID 19. We will keep the period from 2020 - 2050 and being delayed until 2021. website updated with the latest involved:- developments on this and our They have however recently representations. announced two new consultations • Doubling passenger on increasing the capacity of the movements to 36-38 million Find out how to take part in the airport by 1,000,000 passengers a passengers per annum and consultations on our website year and changing the flightpaths www.cprebeds.org.uk/news/ • Increasing aircraft movements for arriving planes. luton-airport-latest-proposals/ from 135,000 to 240,000 per It will be interesting to see how annum. the Airport react to the many Jointly with CPRE Hertfordshire, we set out our concerns over these proposals which covered a range of issues relating to climate emergency, noise and air pollution, traffic, landscape, economic forecasts and the public consultation process. The Airport were originally intending submit their formal application detailing their expansion plans (known as a

15 Bedfordshire Matters Issue No 65: Summer 2020

Let’s get star counting! Join us Join us and be part of the movement for a countryside that benefits everyone! Without CPRE our countryside wouldn’t exists as we know it – and CPRE wouldn’t exist without people like you to support us. Becoming a member of CPRE is one of the best ways to celebrate and protect the countryside you love and membership starts at just £3 a month for individuals. To join, go online at www. cprebeds.org.uk, email us at [email protected] or call There is something quite magical that have truly dark skies. This year 01234 880624 about looking up to a dark sky 2,400 of you took part, raising your and seeing a canopy of stars eyes to the skies and counting twinkling in the night. These distant how many stars you could see Bedfordshire Matters is the biannual galaxies inspire a sense of awe within the constellation of Orion. magazine of Bedfordshire’s CPRE branch. CPRE Bedfordshire is a local independent and help us feel more connected You can see the results of the charity who works to protect and promote to the natural world. The idea that 2020 citizen science survey at the countryside and urban green spaces of someone hundred of miles away www.cprebeds.org.uk/what-we- Bedfordshire. can look up and see the stars too care-about/nature-and-landscapes/ is a comfort in a time when we are dark-skies/ disconnected from our loved ones. In 2021 the Star Count is from Sadly in urban areas light bleeds Monday 8th – Sunday 14th out from developments and limits February. Watch out for more the stars we can see. One of information and join in and the important CPRE campaigns help build a picture of our is to keep our skies as dark as dark skies. possible. Our annual Star Count helps record where there is significant light pollution and areas

CPRE Bedfordshire 43 Bromham Road, Bedford MK40 2AA 01234 880624 [email protected] www.cprebeds.org.uk

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