BEADLOW PARK Central Bedfordshire Council Call for Sites 2016 Planning Report on behalf of the Firoka Group April 2016 BEADLOW PARK Central Bedfordshire Council Call for Sites Consultation 2016 Planning Report on behalf of the Firoka Group DLA Ref: 2015/287 April 2016 CONTENTS 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 3.0 STRATEGIC CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 4.0 OUTLINE OF SITE .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 5.0 OUTLINE OF PROPOSAL .................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 6.0 INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY .......................................................................................................................................................................... 27 7.0 SITE CONSTRAINTS ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 8.0 DETAILS OF PROPOSAL ................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 9.0 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 35 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report proposes the development of a sustainable new An illustrative concept masterplan has been produced showing a settlement on part of the Beadlow Manor Golf Course. development of around 1,300 new homes, a new lower/middle school, neighbourhood centre, open space and a redesigned golf course, New homes are needed in Central Bedfordshire, possibly as together with a new par-3 academy course. many as 14,300 over and above existing sites; Many of the “easy options” to extend towns and villages have already been taken; New settlements will be needed to meet housing need – a new settlement at Beadlow Park could deliver around 1,300 new homes in a sustainable new community in the heart of Central Bedfordshire; A new lower/middle school is needed now in the Shefford area – a new settlement at Beadlow Park could deliver a sustainable location for this new school. A new settlement at Beadlow Park could deliver an upgraded golf course with a new clubhouse placed at the heart of the new community; Technical work has been undertaken to demonstrate the deliverability of a new settlement. 1 Site Address: Beadlow Park, nr Shefford DLA Ref: 2015/287 Date: April 2016 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report has been produced by DLA Town Planning on behalf of the owner of Beadlow Manor Golf Club. It is produced in response to the “Call for sites” launched by Central Bedfordshire Council in February 2016. The Council is starting work on a new Local Plan covering the period to 2035 and as part of this process is seeking potential development sites. 2.2 This report has been produced to aid consideration of the site through the Local Plan process. The format of this report reflects the structure of the pro forma published by the Council and expands on the information given in the completed pro forma. 2.3 Technical work has been commissioned in respect of highway, ecology, archaeology, landscape and utility provision and the findings of this work underpins key areas of this report. The level of detail given is sufficient for the allocation of the site in the Local Plan. However, this report does not provide a planning application level of detail and further work will be required prior to any planning application being made. 2 Site Address: Beadlow Park, nr Shefford DLA Ref: 2015/287 Date: April 2016 3.0 STRATEGIC CONTEXT take the majority of it. North Hertfordshire District Council is currently proposing 2,100 homes to the east of Luton to help An estimate of housing need meet Luton’s housing need but this still leaves a shortfall of 3.1.1 The Council’s call for sites is made in the context of a substantial around 9,000 homes up to 2031. increase in the overall housing requirement. The now withdrawn Development Strategy planned for a total of 31,000 new homes, 3.1.4 The new Local Plan for Central Bedfordshire will cover the period of which 25,600 were at that stage required to meet housing to 2035 and while additional demographic modelling will be need in Central Bedfordshire. Things have now moved on needed to cover this period, a provisional housing need figure is significantly and to help set the context for this call for sites provided to help set the context. submission, an estimate follows of the likely housing requirement over the new plan period to 2035. 3.1.5 A further four years’ worth of housing need in Central Bedfordshire (1,475pa) would equate to around 5,900 additional 3.1.2 The Council’s Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) homes. Calculating Luton’s unmet housing need to 2035 is published in summer 2015 set out an Objectively Assessed Need difficult at this stage but an additional four years at 450 homes for housing (OAN) of 29,500 dwellings between 2011- and 2031, per year (the current level of unmet need) would equate to equivalent to 1,475 dwellings per year. 1,800 additional homes. 3.1.3 Central Bedfordshire shares a Housing Market Area with Luton 3.1.6 Adding together the known need to 2031 for both Central where there is substantial unmet need which needs to be Bedfordshire and Luton and an initial estimate of the need from considered as part of the new local plan process. Luton’s pre- 2031-35 would give a total of 46,200 homes potentially needed submission plan published in October 2015 proposed a total of in Central Bedfordshire. 6,700 homes, against a need of 17,800 (2011-31). Central Bedfordshire is not necessarily responsible for meeting the 3.1.7 The Council’s current Housing Trajectory suggests a total supply entirety of this shortfall but, as the Inspector examining the up to 2035 of 31,855 homes. This leaves a total of up to 14,345 Development Strategy commented, in all likelihood will need to 3 Site Address: Beadlow Park, nr Shefford DLA Ref: 2015/287 Date: April 2016 homes still needing to be planned for, above and beyond the 3.2.2 The largest area of need is within the Luton Housing Market sites proposed in the Development Strategy. Area. Although there are major development proposals in this area already, there is still a substantial unmet need. Additional Table 3.1 - Estimated housing requirements in Central Bedfordshire (2011- proposals in this HMA or that relate closely to this HMA should 35) therefore be carefully considered. Housing Requirement Total Per Annum 3.2.3 The Beadlow Park site is located on the eastern edge of the Central Bedfordshire’s housing need (from 29,500 1,475 Council’s SHMA) Luton HMA. As such it could be said to be assisting in meeting Luton’s total housing need 17,800 890 housing need in this area. It is only 2 miles from the A6 – the Luton’s current unmet need 9,000 450 main north-south road linking Central Bedfordshire with Luton. Central Bedfordshire’s housing need 2031-35 5,900 1,475 There are also train links to Luton from Flitwick (around 6 miles Luton’s housing need 2031-35 1,800 450 Potential total housing requirement in Central 46,200 1,925 from the site). Bedfordshire 2011-35 Current estimate of supply to 2035 (from 31,855 3.2.4 Beadlow Park is also centrally located within Central Council’s Housing Trajectory) Bedfordshire and is well-placed to meet district-wide housing Current potential shortfall in Central 14,345 Bedfordshire need. The A507 is the main east-west route through Central Bedfordshire and provides the site with excellent road access Geography of housing need and the potential for significantly upgraded public transport. 3.2.1 The Council’s SHMA gave an indication of the geography of housing need across the Central Bedfordshire area. Figure 63 from the SHMA is included below. Although the Council’s consultants acknowledge that this work is not a precise science, it nevertheless provides a useful reference point for considering housing need and supply. 4 Site Address: Beadlow Park, nr Shefford DLA Ref: 2015/287 Date: April 2016 of benefit to the conurbation. However, sites to the north of the Report site conurbation are already included within the Council’s estimation of supply and there is likely to be little potential beyond the 9,281 dwellings already assumed to be delivered by 2035. Land east of Luton is within North Hertfordshire and the cost of the infrastructure needed to deliver a scheme of more than the 2,100 homes already identified by NHDC is likely to be prohibitive. There are considerable difficulties associated with development west of Luton, not least access, and the Council has not favoured