WINTER 2015 - 16 ISSUE NO 56 BEDFORDSHIRE MATTERS Alarm at inflated housing figures for Bedford Borough CPRE Bedfordshire has been alarmed at 2032 is planned to take place on the hike in projected housing numbers open countryside. So if this plan goes that Bedford Borough Council (BBC) ahead, we feel that the quality of life of claims it needs between now and 2032. present and future generations will be Green Belt around Harlington It has been consulting on its Local Plan irreversibly damaged. 2032, which once adopted will inform CPRE Bedfordshire recognises the North of Luton Green Belt the housing and development policy in need for new homes and we have been Parishes Group the Borough - identifying the number of generally supportive of Bedford Borough houses needed and where they go. CPRE Bedfordshire is bringing together a Council’s current Local Plan 2021, but partnership of parishes impacted by the BBC claim that they need a massive there is no demonstrable local need now approved North of Luton Framework 17,367 new homes to be built over this for this scale of housing development. Plan. The Plan includes a new major period – a figure we believe is greatly Around 40% of these new homes are road - A6 to M1 link - and a Rail Freight inflated and not reflective of local being built for people moving into the Interchange and warehousing site at need. This includes 900 new homes in area, rather than Bedford Borough Sundon Quarry (J11A), which threaten Clapham (doubling its size), 500 more in residents, prompting fears that Bedford the AONB at Sundon, the SSSI at Sundon Bromham and 500 in Great Barford with Borough is becoming a building site for Quarry and the ancient woodland of hundreds more in other villages across London. George Wood. North Bedfordshire. Continued on page 3 CPRE Bedfordshire has brought local The vast majority of the house parishes together to form a Green Belt building in the Council’s Local Plan Parishes Group, to better co-ordinate our responses to these and other threats posed by the Plan. The parishes of What now for Planning in Central Bedfordshire? Sundon, Harlington, Chalton, Chalgrave, With the Development Strategy withdrawn and a crucial five-year housing land Toddington and Streatley have had an supply yet to be defended, Central Bedfordshire is in a weakened position to initial meeting, and it is hoped that the refuse hostile development. We have asked Jason Longhurst, Director of Business residents of these villages will feel able and Regeneration at Central Bedfordshire Council for his views on where we go to become more involved in actions from here. Go to page 6 to read more about CBC’s planning issues and Jason to defend their communities and the Longhurst’s responses to our questions. broader countryside. Standing up for your countryside BEDFORDSHIRE MATTERS ISSUE NO 56: WINTER 2015-16 Editorial Report from the Chair Nicola Scholfield Gerry Sansom But concern is growing among CPRE branches across England regarding the influence of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) on the planning process and in particular on new housing numbers and infrastructure projects. Bedfordshire is in the South East Midlands LEP (SEMLEP). It is now in Welcome to the latest edition of As we enter the New Year we are faced control of budgets worth £100s of CPRE Bedfordshire’s magazine, which with the unusual situation that all millions from Transport to European highlights the work of your local CPRE three Local Authorities in Bedfordshire Funding. LEPs are run by Boards chaired branch over the last six months. (Luton, Central Bedfordshire and by and made up of private sector Bedford Borough) are in the process Our committed team of volunteers organisations together with the Mayors of developing new Local Plans, as well continue to be very active in standing and Leaders of the Local Authorities as neighbouring Milton Keynes. These up for our beautiful countryside, in large in their areas. Their meetings are Local Plans are very important because part monitoring and responding to local held in private and minutes, if issued they will set out, among other things, planning issues. at all, are scant in content. Recently the number and locations of new homes SEMLEP decided to consider applying In 2016 we’ll be bringing back our ever Local Authorities would like to see built to government for Devolution (i.e. popular Living Countryside Awards, in their areas over a 20 year period. seek devolved powers and funds from which recognise the people and The Local Plans are developed over a Westminster to themselves). They projects making a positive difference to period of around two or three years. felt that one of the key attractions Bedfordshire’s countryside. they could offer government was “the At various times during the production Most of this work is done by our friendly potential to deliver significant numbers process the Plans are presented for team of volunteers. If you’ve ever been of new homes”. consultation with local residents, Parish interested in getting more involved in and Town Councils and other interested We wonder how many elected the branch, 2016 could be a great year parties such as ourselves. This councillors or residents are aware to begin. On page 10 we have details of eventually leads to a final Plan which of exactly what is happening at volunteer positions we need filling, plus is then submitted to an Independent SEMLEP or of the decisions being details of our forthcoming events. Inspector for an Examination in Public. taken. For example, are the residents Wishing you a wonderful year ahead! The Inspector will then either agree to of Bedfordshire being informed of the the Plan or refuse to accept it. implications of Devolution and what it Nicola Scholfield might mean to them? Have they been CPRE Bedfordshire recognises the asked for their views? Do we have your email? need for new homes and we will be commenting on all four Local Plans and CPRE say that LEPs should be publicly CPRE Bedfordshire sends out a where necessary campaigning to ensure accountable, with LEP boards or monthly e-bulletin with news that our precious countryside and committees considering planning of our events and activities to green spaces in towns and rural areas issues consisting primarily of, and led our members and supporters in will be protected for current and future by, elected councillors. They should Bedfordshire. At the moment we generations. The comments we have meet regularly, formally and in public, only have email addresses for made to Local Plans will be posted on have their full minutes made publicly about half of our members. It’s a our website. available and they should be liable to great way of keeping in touch – Freedom of Information requests in the There are huge pressures on Bedfordshire to be added to our e-bulletin list same way as any other public body. to build more new homes in order to please email us at cater for London overspill. We believe In our view there is a growing democratic [email protected]. London should do more to house its own deficit in local government and it needs citizens before looking to build on our to be tackled urgently. precious countryside. Gerry Sansom 2 Standing up for your countryside ISSUE NO 56: WINTER 2015-16 BEDFORDSHIRE MATTERS Around the County Bedford Borough New Homes Bonus The New Homes Bonus is a grant Bedford Borough Council Local Plan 2032 paid to Local Authorities for every new home built. Cont from front page – based on the Official Population Data Bedford Borough is one of the from the Office of National Statistics CPRE Bedfordshire believes that the largest recipients in the country and drawn from the latest 2011 UK figure of 17, 367 new homes proposed of New Homes Bonus despite census information. However, the by BBC is completely unsustainable, and being one of the smallest local Council had told its consultants that it will have serious impacts on our already authorities, indicating just how was concerned these official population congested transport systems, schools many new houses the Council has estimates were too low. As a result of a and healthcare facilities, along with built so far. review, a second scenario was provided, putting further strain on our pressured which gave the higher number of new Government figures recently regional water supply. dwellings required – which has an released show that in the four According to its own figures, the average increase of +15% over the first year period to the end of 2014/15 Council has already allocated sufficient Official Population Data scenario. Bedford Borough Council received land (with outline or full planning £12.7m in New Homes Bonus. For We have not been able to ascertain permissions) to enable the building the latest 2015/16 financial year the reasons why this second, higher of around 13,000 new homes – more alone a further £6.7m has been population scenario was chosen to than sufficient for Local Need and that allocated to Bedford Borough provide the final forecast of housing number would also cater for a very much Council bringing the total to around need for Bedford Borough of 17,367. more reasonable proportion of Inward £20m. We would like Bedford Borough Council Migration until 2032. to explain why official population data We believe that this may be The Council’s consultants who derived from the Office of National Statistics influencing the inflated housing the 17,367 new homes figure provided have been overlooked and a higher numbers in the BBC Local Plan two scenarios for the Council.