Consultation over plans for 5,000 homes and business park near Marston Moretaine branded a 'tick box exercise'

A development brief for a 1,436-acre housing and employment project, which would transform an area of the north Bedfordshire countryside forever, has attracted criticism over the public consultation process.

Creating four new villages at Marston Vale, with 5,000 homes and a business park, is one of the large Central Bedfordshire Council Local Plan site allocations.

A mixed-use development would deliver the properties and a 75-acre employment area, near junction 13 of the M1, on land south of Marston Moretaine, east of the A421 and west of the Marston Vale railway line.

Developer O and H Properties Limited received 134 written comments to a consultation process, which has been described on social media as a "tick box exercise" by Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker.

"Members should be aware that some residents were initially missed during the distribution of leaflets at the beginning of the consultation," according to a report to Central Beds Council's development management committee.

"But letters were then sent to these residents and the consultation period was extended by two weeks," said the report.

"The total period of time allotted to the consultation period by the application was five weeks.

"Central Beds Council is satisfied that the consultation has covered an acceptable range of residents and consultees, and has been meaningful and inclusive."

Planning officers are recommending the brief be endorsed by the committee at its meeting on Wednesday. (March 16)

The blueprint shows how plans to deliver the housing between Marston Moretaine and Lidlington would meet the local authority’s "aspirations for a high-quality and sustainable development in this location".

"It identifies opportunities and addresses constraints while setting out the vision, objectives and key principles for the development."

The document has been reviewed and commented on by the Marston Vale stakeholder reference group, added the report.

This was formed of representatives of the parish councils within Cranfield and Marston Moretaine ward, and Lidlington and Marston Moretaine action groups.

Brogborough Parish Council, Lidlington Parish Council, and Hulcote and Salford Parish Council are among organisations to have responded to the redevelopment of the locality.

Councillor Baker said on social media: "O and H has ignored requests from parish councils, the public and independent councillors to think harder and produce a better plan.

"Instead the applicant is ploughing on with a plan which fails to:

> explain how to protect communities west of the M1 from Milton Keynes bound traffic;

> address the confusion over railway stations it relies on, but which East West Rail wishes to close;

> recognise Milton Keynes as a place people may wish to go, with no thought to good public transport links beyond some lines on a map;

> provide a solution to accessing Ampthill and Flitwick without travelling through villages, such as Lidlington and Millbrook;

> and integrate with the A421 cycle path, which stops abruptly on the western side of the M1 J13.

"A brief is required for developments of more than 300 properties, but avoids committing the local authority to approval of any subsequent planning application.

"Members should note there's an undetermined outline scheme for the development of Marston Vale," explained the report.

"Guidance states the brief should ideally be endorsed by the council before such an application, but preparation work on the document has been lengthy.

"Officers don't consider that this would be a justifiable reason to withhold endorsement.

"The site is situated between the settlements of Marston Moretaine, Lidlington and Brogborough, centrally within the Forest of Marston Vale.

"Other landmarks in the wider area include Millennium Country Park and Forest Centre, Stewartby Lake and the Marston Gate employment area."