Bedford will need to find space for 12,000 more houses according to the government

Changes to government calculations mean the borough’s target is now 40% higher than it was
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Bedford borough will have to find sites for an additional 12,000 new homes following changes to government calculations, a meeting heard.

Bedford mayor, Dave Hodgson told the council’s executive yesterday (Wednesday, April 27) that government changes in calculating housing need have set the council’s new target 40 per cent higher than the 917 dwellings per year in its current local plan.

“Taking into account planning permissions already granted, commitments in existing plans, and allowance for windfall, the Local Plan 2040 needs to include sites to accommodate just over 12,000 additional homes,” the mayor said.

Bedford borough will have to find sites for an additional 12,000 new homes following changes to government calculationsBedford borough will have to find sites for an additional 12,000 new homes following changes to government calculations
Bedford borough will have to find sites for an additional 12,000 new homes following changes to government calculations

“Which over the 20 year plan period means that sites need to be in place to deliver 27,100 new dwellings and a similar number of new jobs.

“This is a big number for Bedford Borough and requires some larger strategic scale allocation to be made.”

The draft plan, which will go out for a six-week public consultation starting in mid-June, includes two development sites just outside the urban area.

These, the mayor said, will support the delivery of strategic green infrastructure projects at Bedford River Valley Park and the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway Park.

There will also be new growth locations focused on the transport corridor, where the mayor said is potential for rail-based growth alongside the A421.

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“In this latter category, there are two new settlements of about 4,000 new homes each.

“One is Little Barford, where a new rail station will provide at the intersection of East Coast Main Line and East West Rail.

“And one around a planned new East West rail station between Stewartby, and the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks,” he said.

Other developments south of Bedford include extensions to Wixams and Shortstown with some of this in brownfield land.

The executive was told that villages allocated growth in the 2030 Local Plan will not be asked to take more growth this time round.

Councillor Henry Vann (LibDems, De Parys Ward) the portfolio holder for town centres and planning, said there’s no doubt that homes are needed.

“But I think it is also true that there is no doubt that governments are in hock to developers and often fail to stand up for the infrastructure needs of residents, existing and future,” he said.

“The stronger and the greater strength that can be given to our arm to instruct developers to build GP surgeries, enough schools, enough school places, the facilities, the transport infrastructure, everything that we know we need in advance.

“All of this stuff is stuff that can be wheedled out or through viability assessments, and I do think we need to be conscious of that as this goes forward,” he said.

Following the consultation the council will decide whether or not to submit the plan for examination at its full meeting in January 2023.

“Having to update the local plan is the best way the council and local residents can resist development in unplanned locations,” the mayor said.

“This is an opportunity for local people to say what they do, as well as what they don’t, like about what is being proposed,” he added.