Plan to expand Bedford Greenacre school approved

The application, originally deferred in April, was brought back before the Planning Committee on Monday, May 19, after updated travel data and mitigation measures were submitted.

Panel members had previously asked for more information on how the increased traffic from additional pupils would be managed.

Gideon Richards, manager for development management (planning), told the committee that a revised travel plan had since been approved, which includes aims to reduce single-occupancy car journeys by two per cent per year.

“The travel plan outlines a number of aims, measures, and initiatives of how the school is seeking to encourage alternative modes of transportation to reduce the need for trips to be undertaken by the school by private car,” he said.

However, councillor Leigh Coombs (Lib Dems, Shortstown) questioned the accuracy of the figures in the new travel plan, highlighting that one table appeared to overstate the number of pupils using school buses.

“It says 73 in total, but the actual bus figures only add up to 54,” he said. “That could mean more pupils are actually travelling by car than the data shows.”

Officers acknowledged the discrepancy, attributing it to a likely miscalculation.

But they said that even in a worst-case scenario — assuming all the “missing” pupils were using single-occupancy vehicles — the total number of car journeys would still be below what was originally allowed when the school was granted planning permission on appeal.

Mr Richards said: “We’re working on survey data anyway, so it will fluctuate, there will be changes.

“It’s based on a travel survey that’s been done at a particular point and time.

“I don’t think we’re relying exclusively on that.

“I’d be happy with members still making a decision based on [this] data.”

The increase in pupil numbers will now go ahead, subject to updated conditions.