Location ID: N16 Name: Biggleswade North Location area: 51.1 hectares Proportion within Study Area: 100% Small urban infill site / extension, in close Typology: proximity to public transport interchange Assumed net density: 55 dwellings per hectare Assumed total net capacity: 1,686 dwellings Estimated net capacity 2015-2035: 1,200 dwellings Spatial options Which spatial options does the location meet the criteria for? New settlements (>1 km from existing top-tier settlement and >2000 capacity) Village extensions (<100 m from existing non top-tier settlement) (<1.2km from railway stn, guided busway stop or park & ride facility, or Growth in transport corridors <1km from A-road or motorway) Urban extensions (<100 m from top tier settlement and not within urban area) Urban intensification around (<1.2 km from railway stn, guided busway stop or park & ride facility) public transport hubs Constraints Which types of secondary constraint are present within the location? Historic environment Listed Building No Historic environment Conservation Area No Biodiversity Priority Habitat Inventory Yes Biodiversity Locally designated wildlife site No Biodiversity Local Nature Reserve No Biodiversity Local geological site No Landscape Locally identified sensitive landscape No Air quality Air Quality Management Area No Soil quality Grade 1, 2 or 3 agricultural land Yes Water quality Source Protection Zone 1 or Zone 1c No Flood risk Flood Zone 2 No Flood risk Flooding from surface water (1 in 100 year) Yes Energy infrastructure High voltage electricity line 400 m buffer zone No Mineral resources Mineral Safeguarding Area Yes Open space, sport & Sustrans national cycle route Yes recreation Open space, sport & Publicly accessible open space Yes recreation Access to services and facilities Which services and facilities are present within indicative walking distance of the location? Railway stations, guided busway stops and park and ride facilities (1.2 km) Yes Major employment areas (2.0 km) Yes Town centres and major out of centre retail parks (0.8 km) No Publicly accessible open spaces (1.2 km) Yes Secondary or upper schools and further or higher education establishments (2.0 km) Yes Lower, middle or primary schools (1.0 km) Yes Local / neighbourhood centres (0.4 km) No NHS primary healthcare (GPs) and hospitals (1.2 km) Yes Bus stops, inc. stops on non-guided sections of guided busway (0.8 km) Yes Deliverability Is the location likely to be available for development and is there a reasonable prospect of delivery of the site within the time period? Highly likely The entirety of the growth location comprises sites submitted by promoters through the Call for Sites process. Is there a reasonable prospect that required strategic infrastructure can be delivered within the time period? Highly likely Within 1.2km of existing public transport interchange and 1.0km of existing strategic road. Existing Biggleswade railway station is one stop away from the planned East-West Rail interchange at Sandy (Medium/50% likelihood of delivery by 2035). Development of this scale is likely to require minor improvements to existing transport infrastructure. Any known critical strategic utilities requirements are significantly funded. Is there likely to be current demand for this scale of development in this location? Moderately likely Location offers moderate access to quality of life attractions (cultural, sports, leisure and/or natural assets), and moderately convenient access to employment and amenities. These factors are reflected in what are moderate average local residential sales values. Is there likely to be potential future demand for this scale of development in this location, if planned regeneration, employment, and infrastructure projects are delivered? Moderately likely (no change from current assesment) Housing demand may increase in line with the regeneration of Biggleswade town centre. The existing Biggleswade railway station is one stop from the planned Sandy East-West Rail interchange (Medium/50% likelihood of delivery by 2035). OVERALL DELIVERABILITY ASSESSMENT (see decision flowchart in Methodology section) Medium Viability Viability of cleared and serviced development parcel Moderately likely High level viability modelling suggests that development at the assumed density exceeds the Threshold Land Value at current costs and values with lower than policy compliant affordable housing provision. Assumed density: 55 dwellings per net developable hectare (Small urban infill site / extension, in close proximity to public transport interchange ) Is there a reasonable prospect that required local infrastructure and abnormal cost items can be delivered within the time period? Less likely All of the growth location is understood to be greenfield High level viability modelling suggests that development at the assumed density could not offer contributions towards local infrastructure and abnormal cost items of over £30,000 per residential unit / £750,000 per net developable hectare, even with zero affordable housing provision. OVERALL VIABILITY ASSESSMENT Low Transport Small urban infill site/extension (51.1 ha) north of Biggleswade and lying adjacent to the East Coast Mainline. The southernmost portion of the site is located at a distance of around 2.0km from Biggleswade Train Station, where Great Northern operate train services between London King’s Cross and Peterborough. National Cycle Network (NCN) route 12 runs through the site and serves Biggleswade to the immediate south, albeit this part of NCN 12 is discontinuous and does not currently provide access beyond Biggleswade in either direction. Indicative traffic conditions The potential growth option is accessible via Furzenall Road and Potton Road to the south and south east. Immediately to the south of the site, speed reductions greater than or equal to 20% are apparent on close to the junction of Potton Way/Stratton Way. Further south, speed reductions are also evident near to Biggleswade Town Centre. To the west, speed reductions can also be observed on the A6001 and B658, close to the roundabout with the A1. Speed differentials ≥ 30% speed 20% ≤ speed 10% ≤ speed 10% < speed No speed reduction reduction < 30% reduction < 20% reduction reduction Road type Motorway A Road B Road Minor Road Other Road Recorded journey to work O-D movements in the vicinity of this location suggest that car/van trips are likely to be added to the road network as shown below: Route Traffic distribution1 Main roads likely to be affected Southern routes towards Stevenage and Welwyn 27% A6001, A1 Hatfield South-Eastern routes towards North Hertfordshire 25% A1, A6001 North-Western routes towards Bedford 14% A1, A603 South-Western routes towards Luton 9% A6, A507, B658 Northern routes towards Huntingdonshire 8% A1 Western routes towards Milton Keynes 8% A1, A603, A421 North-Eastern routes towards South Cambridgeshire and 7% A1, A428 Cambridge Eastern routes 2% B1040, B1042 1 Based on at least 75% of car/van trips originating in Central Bedfordshire Middle Super Output Area 005. Commuter travel mode split 3% 0% 1% 10% Public transport (10%) Active travel (17%) 17% Taxi (0%) Car or van (69%) 0% Motorcycle (1%) Work from home (3%) Other (0%) 69% Indicative number of jobs within 60 minutes by public transport in relation to the closest bus stop to the potential housing area: Based on existing conditions: Based on assumed future conditions: 0 - 60,000 0 - 60,000 60,000 - 120,000 60,000 - 120,000 > 120,000 > 120,000 Indicative number of jobs within 30 minutes by road in relation to the centre of the potential housing area: Based on existing conditions: Based on assumed future conditions: 0 - 75,000 0 - 75,000 75,000 - 215,000 75,000 - 215,000 > 215,000 > 215,000 Personal Injury Collisions (PICs) 1 Perimeter (200mt) 2 Perimeter (1,000mt) 2 Fatal 0 (0.00 collisions per ha) Fatal 0 (0.00 collisions per ha) Serious 1 (0.02 collisions per ha) Serious 11 (0.22 collisions per ha) Slight 11 (0.22 collisions per ha) Slight 76 (1.49 collisions per ha) 1 Years reviewed: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. 2 PICs on existing road network within a perimeter that is set 200 and 1,000 metres outside each housing area. Transport infrastructure investment Key transport infrastructure investment for which it is likely to be a relationship with this growth option: ID Name Likelihood of delivery by 2035 R3 A428 Widening (Between A1 and Medium (50%) Caxton Gibbet) R5 Biggleswade Eastern Relief Road Confirmed (100%) R14 A1 East of England Improvements Medium (50%) P2 East West Rail (Western Section – High (75%) Phase 2) P3 East West Rail (Central Section) Medium (50%) P8 Interchange at Biggleswade Medium (50%) P11 Interchange at Sandy Medium (50%) Due to the proximity of Biggleswade, and the relatively short distance to Sandy, there are likely to be benefits arising from interchange improvements at the rail stations in both towns (P8, P11). Similarly, the proposed East West Rail link (P2, P3) is proposed to pass to the north of this option through Sandy, which provides an opportunity to expand access to employment via public transport. There are also opportunities to be gained as a result of improvements made to the A428 between the A1 and Caxton Gibbet (R3), and the Biggleswade Eastern Relief Road (R5), and an opening to join up housing growth with strategic plans such as the A1 East of England (R14). Potential transport interventions Potential transport interventions to improve the relative performance of this growth option are shown below: