Maulden is a 'battleground for planning applications' as up to 30 more homes set to be built

A Bedfordshire village has become “a battleground for planning applications”, with 197 new homes built since 2015 and 131 pending, a meeting heard.

Maulden is in danger of “losing its identity”, Central Bedfordshire Council’s development management committee was told.

Applicant Maulden Vale Limited submitted outline plans for up to 30 homes on six acres of land at the back of 29 to 33 Clophill Road with the demolition of a commercial building and other works.

The site is predominantly grassland with some areas of hardstanding and a timber building, according to a report to councillors.

“Hedgerows are along most of the site’s boundaries, including a newly installed fence and hedgerow to the north,” said the report.

Senior planner Janine Richardson told the committee: “The plans include 30 per cent affordable, or nine properties, and a minimum ten per cent custom- or self-build homes.

“Contrary to policy, the site is predominantly located outside the settlement area of Maulden. The benefits it would bring outweigh the harm,” she said.

Philip Allen, from Maulden Parish Council, described it as “overdevelopment of the village”, saying: “The CBC Local Plan concluded a further 85 properties for Maulden would be a sustainable number.

“But there’ve been more than 180 built in recent years and the village has lost a number of green spaces, which are part of its identity. This site can’t be considered a windfall one.

“It would provide an extension of urban development outside the settlement envelope, which would be detrimental to the local green infrastructure and is out of character with other nearby housing schemes.”

Conservative Ampthill councillor Paul Duckett explained: “Since 2015, 197 new homes have been built, with 131 pending.

“That’s pretty much four times what the Local Plan has allocated for the village. Maulden has been a battleground for planning applications over the last few years.

“Greensands Country and the Greensand Ridge Walk, with its wildlife corridors, will be directly impacted by this incursion into the countryside buffer which protects Maulden Wood.

“A precedent exists with an approval for commercial use already. Gradually we’re losing the identity of Maulden as a village.

“At what point do we decide Maulden is full?” he asked. “It’s pretty much there now.”

Conservative Ampthill councillor Mike Blair agreed about the overdevelopment of Maulden, saying: “The previous application which was for 55 homes has been withdrawn and this is reduced to 30 now, but it doesn’t alter the lack of infrastructure.

“I’m concerned about the expansion away from the main road outside the village envelope.”

Russell Gray, from agent for the applicant Woods Hardwick Planning Limited, said: “One of the policies says non-employment uses of the site should be considered favourably in principle.

“The proposed development is a more compatible one in scale than an employment scheme would be in this location.

“The project would also deliver calming on Clophill Road and provide a wider benefit.”

A vote to refuse the plans was defeated with four votes in favour, six against and two abstentions. The development was then approved with seven votes in favour, four against and one abstention.