Central Bedfordshire Council www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk Appendix A: Area A Assessments Central Bedfordshire Council Local Plan Initial Settlements Capacity Study CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN: INITIAL SETTLEMENTS CAPACITY STUDY Appendix IIA- Area A-Initial Settlement Capacity Assessment Contents Table AMPTHILL ................................................................................................................... 1 ASPLEY GUISE ............................................................................................................ 7 ASPLEY HEATH ......................................................................................................... 13 BARTON-LE-CLAY.................................................................................................... 18 BILLINGTON ............................................................................................................. 23 CADDINGTON ......................................................................................................... 27 DUNSTABLE .............................................................................................................. 32 EATON BRAY ........................................................................................................... 38 EGGINGTON ........................................................................................................... 43 EVERSHOLT (CHURCHEND) ..................................................................................... 48 FLITWICK .................................................................................................................. 52 HARLINGTON ........................................................................................................... 57 HEATH AND REACH ................................................................................................. 62 HOCKLIFFE ............................................................................................................... 67 HOUGHTON REGIS .................................................................................................. 72 HUSBORNE CRAWLEY.............................................................................................. 78 KENSWORTH ............................................................................................................ 82 LEIGHTON LINSLADE ............................................................................................... 87 MILLBROOK ............................................................................................................. 93 MILTON BRYAN........................................................................................................ 97 RIDGMONT ............................................................................................................ 101 SLIP END ................................................................................................................. 106 STANBRIDGE .......................................................................................................... 110 STEPPINGLEY .......................................................................................................... 114 STREATLEY .............................................................................................................. 118 Central Bedfordshire Council Local Plan Initial Settlements Capacity Study STUDHAM ............................................................................................................... 123 TEBWORTH ............................................................................................................. 127 TILSWORTH ............................................................................................................. 131 TINGRITH ................................................................................................................ 135 TODDINGTON ........................................................................................................ 139 TOTTERNHOE .......................................................................................................... 144 WESTONING .......................................................................................................... 149 WHIPSNADE ........................................................................................................... 154 WOBURN ................................................................................................................ 158 Central Bedfordshire Council Local Plan Initial Settlements Capacity Study AMPTHILL Ampthill is a densely developed urban settlement located in Central Bedfordshire with a residential population of approximately7000 people in around 3615 dwellings1. The settlement is an ancient market town containing a number of Georgian buildings and a Market Square which holds a market every Thursday2. The settlement is located just north of Flitwick, and around 6 miles south of Bedford. Ampthill Park, previously a royal lodge and hunting park, and Houghton House are to the north of the settlement, and is now used as public open space. CONTEXT & ASSETS Planning: The Parish boundary is identified by Central Bedfordshire Council3 and at this stage, there is no designated Neighbourhood Planning Area for Ampthill. The settlement is bordered to the east, south and west by designated Green Belt land. People, Community Facilities and Services: The geo-demographic profile4 for the area identifies the Parish as consisting of “younger households in housing priced within their means”, “elderly people reliant on support”, “established families in large detached homes”, “elderly people with assets”, “mature suburban owners in mid-range housing” and “thriving families with children and careers”. ONS data5 for the Ampthill ward area shows the median age to be 43. The area also has more residents under the age of 16 than over the age of 65. Ampthill contains a wide range of services and facilities including 4 community centres, 2 pre-schools/nurseries, 2 lower schools, a middle school, an upper school, 2 ATM’s, a bank/building society, a supermarket, a newsagent, a post office, a chemist, a dentist, an optician, 3 GP surgeries/health centres, 15 restaurants/takeaways, 6 food serving pubs, a non-food serving pub, outdoor recreational facilities, 2 children’s play areas and an entertainment venue. The settlement also contains a variety of other retail stores. Ampthill has a very active community with numerous community clubs. The settlement contains a large number of Leisure Strategy sites6. These include 2 large sites to the north (Coopers Hill Nature Reserve and Ampthill Park) and smaller sites around the town centre including allotment sites and a playing field. Ampthill has a small deficit of urban parks, formal large recreation areas, small amenity spaces, facilities for young people and allotments. However, the 1 Central Bedfordshire Council (2015) Ampthill Ward Profile 2 http://www.information-britain.co.uk/county39/townguideAmpthill/ 3 Central Bedfordshire Council Call for Sites Settlement Maps 4 Central Bedfordshire Council (2015) Ampthill Ward Profile 5 ONS (2011) Neighbourhood Statistics-Ampthill Ward 6 Central Bedfordshire Council Leisure Strategy GIS Map Data May 2017 AIIA_1/161 Enfusion Central Bedfordshire Council Local Plan Initial Settlements Capacity Study settlement has a surplus of countryside recreation sites, informal large recreation areas and play areas for children7. Education: The Firs Lower School is close to capacity however an increase in numbers is predicted in the pupil forecast and the school cannot accommodate expansion. Russell Lower School has existing capacity, however an increase in numbers is predicted in the pupil forecast and the school cannot accommodate expansion. Alameda Middle School has some existing capacity, however an increase in numbers is predicted in the pupil forecast and the school does not have the site capacity for expansion8. Redborne Upper School and Community College has some existing capacity; however, any spare existing capacity is likely to be used to accommodate growth already showing in the pupil forecast but an expansion is already planned. Employment: Ampthill contains a significant employment area9. The Ampthill/Flitwick employment area has 190 hectares of existing employment land, most of which is identified as in ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ condition10. ONS data11 for the Ampthill ward area shows that 40% of residents work full time, 14.6% work part time and 15.7% are retired. The main industries of employment for residents of Ampthill ward are wholesale & retail, education, and health & social work. 26% of residents work within the ward and 18% work elsewhere within Central Bedfordshire. The most commuted to location outside of Central Bedfordshire by ward residents is Bedford12 Transport and Movement: The settlement has access to the primary road network and is connected to the A507 to the west and south. The B530 runs from the north of the settlement to Bedford. The nearest railway station is located outside of the settlement in Flitwick, 2 miles to the south. The settlement contains bus stops for residential use, and there is access to the town centre via public footpaths. Bus: Ampthill is served by bus services connecting to surrounding villages and the larger towns of Milton Keynes, Bedford and Luton further afield. Whilst there are a large number of different services, they are infrequent, do not operate on Sundays or outside of peak periods,