Bedfordshire villagers' anger at plan to build 250 new homes

Details of the proposed development, off Northampton Road, have shocked both villagers and the parish council.

Sian Woodfine, parish council vice-chairman, said: “We were frankly alarmed and shocked and will be writing to the land owner and developer to refute this in the strongest possible terms.

“A consultation was circulated by the parish council in December and this plan was rejected as one of the local Neighbourhood Plan preferred sites.

“So we were shocked when this went out as were not consulted as a parish.”

One resident who has lived in the village for 50 years said she was alarmed at the scale of the development and impact it would have on infrastructure and traffic. She said: “This is a beautiful, open green site and would spoil the village. And what about all the extra traffic and schooling needed?”

A spokesman for the parish council added: “Bromham Parish Council and Bromham Neighbourhood Plan Group are not connected with, and knew nothing about this consultation. This site is not a preferred site for development in Bromham as is clear from the two consultation exercises the Neighbourhood Plan Group has undertaken with residents.

“We believe it is important residents were able to compare and consider all the sites under consideration and so form a rounded view about the location of development within the village.”

“The Northampton Road site was included in both of the consultation exercises along with all of the other sites proposed within the village.