Lidlington Parish Council
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Lidlington Parish Council Lizzie Barnicoat Clerk to the Council PO Box 1548 Bedford MK44 2DX u!u"t 2#1$ %o &ho' It Ma) Concern* +e"ponse to Central Bedford"hire Council Local Plan 2#15-2#.5 Draft Plan /ul) 2#1$ +egulation 18 Consultation Overview Lidlin!ton Pari"h Council "tron!l) o,,o"e" the ,ro,o"al in the con"ultation docu'ent for 50### hou"e" and a ne1 2u"ine"" ,ark, and the ,ro,o"al to take for1ard "ite" 3LP1#.0 3LP.$# and 3LP482 to the next "ta!e of the ,roce"". detailed re",on"e to the 1ide ran!e of 5ue"tion" ari"in! fro' the con"ultation follo1"0 and i" ,refaced 2) thi" o2jection*- Lidlin!ton Pari"h Council di"a!ree" 1ith Central Bedford"hire Council7" inclu"ion of the ,ari"h of Lidlin!ton a" an area in 1hich to 2uild 4 ne1 8illa!e"4 &ith the Council7" ,ro,o"al for "uch "i!ni9cant de8elo,'ent in Lidlin!ton0 the Pari"h Council 1i"he" to "et out in it" o2jection the 1ide ran!e of "u,,ortin! e8idence a" to 1h) thi" i" in 2reach of current ,lannin! ,rinci,le"0 a" follo1"4 Unique Character of Lidlington and Historical Context Lidlin!ton i" a "'all rural 8illa!e currentl) co',ri"in! le"" than :## hou"e"4 In recent )ear" it ha" "een a decrea"e in local facilitie", 2ut a "i!ni9cant increa"e in de8elo,'ent 1hich ha" "een the 8illa!e !ro1 in the ,a"t decade 2) o8er 2#;. %he character of the 8illa!e i" rural, 2ein! "et in the rollin! countr)"ide in the hi"toric Mar"ton <ale, allo1in! ,ro,ertie" to look out to !reen 9eld"4 %he 8illa!e i" al"o ,articularl) uni5ue, !i8en it ha" a rail1a) line 1hich run" throu!h the centre of the 8illa!e, effecti8el) di""ectin! it into t1o. %hi" i" a 8er) i',ortant factor to 2ear in 'ind4 >o1e8er, there ha8e 2een "o'e i',ortant recent chan!e"* %he con"truction of the 2),a"" and co',letion of the 421 2et1een the 1 and the M1 created a de"tination that attracted 8ehicle" of all cla""e" to the local area, and unfortunatel) to u"e the i''ediate 'inor, countr) road net1ork "urroundin! Lidlin!ton a" a "hort-cut0 or di8ertin! throu!h the 8illa!e it"elf, creatin! con!e"tion4 Centre Parcs, and an increa"e in other e',lo)'ent facilitie" in the local area" 1hil"t creatin! e',lo)'ent o,,ortunitie" ha" ne!ati8el) i',acted on the local road net1ork ,articularl) the 5#$, 1hich i" a ke) exit route out of the 8illa!e and ha" in recent )ear" 2eco'e a 8er) dan!erou" junction. " a de"i!nated "'all rural 8illa!e, the ,ro,o"ed exten"ion of 50### d1ellin!" 1ithin the ,ari"h co'2ined 1ith a ne1 2u"ine"" ,ark 1ill "1a', it. Central Bed" o1n ?ettle'ent >ierarch) "tate" thi" and con9r'" @,a!e 124 of the con"ultation docu'entA Lidlin!ton i" a "'all 8illa!e. %he Pari"h Council feel" that takin! thi" ,ro,o"al for1ard" 1ill in effect de"tro) Lidlin!ton7" uni5ue character and i" in direct contradiction of all the ca8eat" in the con"ultation docu'ent4 Brin!in! 50### hou"e" and a 2u"ine"" ,ark to the 8illa!e 1ill not kee, it "'all4 %hi" i" a ten-fold increa"e – 1hich i" clearl) o8er de8elo,'ent4 Consultation Process %he local authorit), in "ettin! out their ,ro,o"al" in the con"ultation docu'ent, ha8e done "o in a 8er) 'i"leadin! 1a) for re"ident" and 'e'2er" of the ,u2lic to trul) a"certain the "cale of the ,ro,o"al". In 'an) of the docu'ent" it ha" "i',l) 2een li"ted a" an allocation of 50### ho'e" to Mar"ton <ale0 1hich i" a 1ell-kno1n local area co',ri"in! a 8a"t area of land. It i" onl) in the 9ner detail that it 2eco'e" a,,arent 1hich ,art" of are 2ein! ,ro,o"ed for the 50### ho'e", and a!ain the de"cri,tion of their location i" 'i"leadin!. It i" onl) on reall) !ettin! into the in-de,th detailed 1ordin! that Lidlin!ton7" ,roxi'it) to the de8elo,'ent 2eco'e" a,,arent. %he "ite a""e""'ent clearl) "tate" that the"e ho'e" 1ill 2e 1ithin 8## 'etre" of Lidlin!ton ?tation. Cet there a,,ear" to 2e no 5ual'" that thi" 1ill not coale"ce and 1a"h o8er Lidlin!ton. Pro,er infor'ation 'u"t 2e 'ade a8aila2le in order to a""e"" thi" ,lan. Growth Development in the Local Area %he recent !ro1th in Central Bedford"hire ha" all follo1ed "i'ilar ,attern"4 In !eneral the) ha8e 2een de8elo,'ent" 1hich ha8e looked to enhance a ",eci9c area0 2rin!in! re!eneration to the local co''unit)0 "uch a" in Lei!hton Buzzard and Dun"ta2le. %hi" "t)le of de8elo,'ent ha" not "een the creation of lar!e ne1 "ettle'ent" 1hich coale"ce 1ith or ex,and into an exi"tin! 8illa!e "ettin!4 %he ,ro,o"ed chan!e" in Lidlin!ton therefore a,,ear to 2e contra to the CouncilD" ,re8iou" ,o"ition on "uch de8elo,'ent4 Landscape and Visual Impact on Wider Community 3o one i" entitled to a countr)"ide 8ie1, 2ut thi" land i" ,art of the e"ta2li"hed Mar"ton <ale area. %he con"ultation docu'ent refer" to 'aintainin! a 8i"ual !a, and talk" a2out coale"cence4 >o1e8er, it "ee'" "u,re'el) o,ti'i"tic to 2elie8e that thi" can 2e 'aintained 2et1een the 4 ne1l) 2uilt de8elo,'ent" in clo"e ,roxi'it) to one another and an hi"toric "'all rural ,ari"h4 Lidlin!ton i" ,redo'inantl) lo1-den"it) de8elo,'ent. >i"tor) "u!!e"t" that an) "che'e" 2rou!ht for1ard 1ill 2e hi!h den"it). %hi" i" totall) a!ain"t ,lannin! ,olicy !uideline". ?uch de8elo,'ent 1ould 2e out of kee,in! 1ith near2) hou"in! and it i" i',o""i2le to fore"ee ho1 "uch hi!h den"it) hou"in! 1ould 2lend into the rural land"ca,e. %he Pari"h Council 2elie8e" thi" 1ould ha8e a detri'ental 8i"ual i',act and 50### hi!h den"it) hou"in! i" out of kee,in! 1ith the character of thi" "'all 8illa!e 2a"ed in the Mar"ton <ale4 Noise Pollution ?ince the "ite" ,redo'inantl) 1ra, around the hou"in! area of the ,ari"h, durin! the con"truction ,ha"e Lidlin!ton 1ould 2e "u2jected to unacce,ta2le noi"e and di"tur2ance, not to 'ention di"ru,tion to local road" and "er8ice"0 for a ,rolon!ed ,eriod. %hi" i" not acce,ta2le4 Highways and Transport %he ,ro,o"al for 4 lar!e 8illa!e" @o8er 10### hou"e" eachA 1ith no clear route of acce"" other than onto road" 1hich ha8e e8ol8ed on the ancient hi"torical route" and 1ere not ori!inall) de"i!ned or en!ineered to 'odern hi!h1a) re5uire'ent", i" "hort-"i!hted. %he"e 8illa!e road" are 1holl) un"uita2le to "u"tain the lar!e 8olu'e" of traEc that 1ill re"ult at the ,eak ti'e". It i" clear the 8illa!e road net1ork and infra"tructure of Lidlin!ton 1ould not 2e a2le to acco''odate an) re5uired acce"" ,oint"4 " a re"ult of the recent de8elo,'ent 'entioned in a2o8e0 the increa"e in 8olu'e" and ",eed" of traEc, not onl) in the 8illa!e 2ut on local "u2"idiar) road", i" 8er) noticea2le at ,eak Fo1"4 >a8in! "uch a "i!ni9cantl) lar!e hou"in! de8elo,'ent 1hich relie" on direct hi!h1a)" acce"" onto the local road net1ork and 1hich ,otentiall) include" direct acce"" onto a 7C7 uncla""i9ed road i" not acce,ta2le4 It i" u"ual for lar!e hou"in! de8elo,'ent" to 2e "er8iced 2) direct acce"" onto ur2an road" 1hich are ,art of the 'ain hi!h1a) route4 %he a""ociated traEc fro' 50### hou"e" 1ill ha8e a "i!ni9cant detri'ental i',act on the road net1ork 1ithin the ,ari"h0 1hich a" ,re8iou"l) detailed i" not de"i!ned to co,e 1ith thi"4 %he 3ational Plannin! Policy Gra'e1ork @,ara!ra,h" 2H-41A "tate" that ,lannin! ,olicie" "hould ‘acti8el) 'ana!e ,attern" of !ro1th to 'ake the fulle"t ,o""i2le u"e of ,u2lic tran",ort, 1alkin! and cyclin! and focu" "i!ni9cant de8elo,'ent in location" 1hich are or can 2e 'ade "u"taina2le’. %he 3ational Plannin! Policy Gra'e1ork further "tate" that ,lannin! ,olicie" "hould ai' to achie8e ,lace" 1hich ,ro'ote acce""i2le en8iron'ent" containin! clear and le!i2le ,ede"trian route"0 and that de8elo,'ent" "hould 2e de"i!ned to !i8e ,riorit) to ,ede"trian" and cycli"t"4 %he 3PPG, hi!h1a) de"i!n "tandard" @D+MBA and local ,olicy re5uire hi!h 5ualit) ,ede"trian and cycle link"4 %he Pari"h Council 2elie8e" there i" "i',l) not "uEcient roo' 1ith the narro1ne"" of the local 8illa!e net1ork to acco''odate additional foot-1a)" or indeed a cycle1a).