Plan submitted to build more homes on former school site in Bedford

A planning application has been submitted to Bedford Borough Council for the former St Andrew's School site on Pemberley Avenue.

The application proposes the demolition of existing buildings and structures and erection of 15 new dwellings, along with the conversion of an existing art block to a dwelling, and all associated works.

The application states that the current school site is vacant as the school operation has relocated to a new replacement campus.

The proposed development is for four three-bed and 12 "four-bed+" dwellings, all to be sold on the open market.

The applicant said the affordable housing associated with this development is to be delivered through the separate concurrent planning application on another part of the former school campus at the Rushmoor School site at 71 Shakespeare Road.

This site, which is listed as the former school's car park in the application, is for eight dwellings, which are all designated as affordable housing.

This, they said, brings the affordable provision to 32 per cent "which satisfies and exceeds the minimum policy requirement".

A Conservation Area Appraisal did not identify any heritage or nondesignated heritage assets on the St Andrew's site.

However, pre-application advice referred to a single storey pre-fabricated iron building which was part of the former church on the site and was constructed in the late 19th Century and that this building might be worthy of consideration as a non-designated asset.

The application said the council accepted that re-development of the site would likely result in the demolition of this building, along with the otherbuildings on the site which are of neutral or negative merit.

Full details can be found on Bedford Borough Council's Planning Portal, reference 22/00591/MAF. The current overall consultation expiry date is Wednesday, April 20.

An application (21/00872/MAF) to demolish existing buildings and structures and the erection of 17 new dwellings, car ports and associated works was withdrawn in May last year due to concerns regarding heritage impacts raised by the council's conservation officer.

The application for the eight dwellings at 71 Shakespeare Road has the reference 22/00590/FUL, and the overall consultation expiry date is Friday, Apr 12, 2022.