Executive Members have given the thumbs up to a Development Brief for Potton Road
Members of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive
have gaven the thumbs up on Tuesday (27 May) to a Development Brief which will
guide the future development of land at Potton Road, Biggleswade.
The plans are part of the next phase of the council responding to housing needs across the area, managing growth and improving infrastructure and connectivity in the region.
The 11 hectare site, on the north-western side of the B1040, is allocated for residential development, with a minimum of 330 homes. Any development will have to follow the council’s recently adopted Design Guide and will be made up of a mix of dwellings, including affordable housing.
However, the proposals also include improvements to existing road infrastructure. The development will not move forward until trigger points in development to the land east of Biggleswade are reached. This means that an eastern relief road with a roundabout on Potton Road will be completed, as well as a detailed transport assessment, before building starts at this site. The relief road must be delivered by the time 700 homes and complete and occupied in the eastern development.
The plans are part of the next phase of the council responding to housing needs across the area, managing growth and improving infrastructure and connectivity in the region.
The 11 hectare site, on the north-western side of the B1040, is allocated for residential development, with a minimum of 330 homes. Any development will have to follow the council’s recently adopted Design Guide and will be made up of a mix of dwellings, including affordable housing.
However, the proposals also include improvements to existing road infrastructure. The development will not move forward until trigger points in development to the land east of Biggleswade are reached. This means that an eastern relief road with a roundabout on Potton Road will be completed, as well as a detailed transport assessment, before building starts at this site. The relief road must be delivered by the time 700 homes and complete and occupied in the eastern development.
Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development shared his thoughts
Cllr Nigel Young, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and
Economic Development, said: “This Development Brief for Biggleswade feeds into
our wider plans for the whole of Central Bedfordshire but it is also focused on
giving that development a real sense of place. It will guide planning
applications that come forward in the future but now that we have our Design
Guide we can really make sure that new developments are of the highest quality.”
The decision follows a public consultation
The decision follows a period of public consultation, during
which local residents had the chance to feed in their views on the plans.
Comments covered access to the site and traffic, impact on the neighbouring
environment and how to ensure the new homes are of good quality.
Keeping the area open and connected
Jason Longhurst, Director of Regeneration at the council, said:
“We are continuing to look at how development sites can be brought forward in a
sustainable way. It isn’t just about meeting housing need, although that is
clearly a priority for us, but it is also about making sure the right
infrastructure is in place to keep the area open and connected. Conscious of
traffic in the area, we’ve ensured that the Eastern Relief Road will need to be
in place before work starts on this site, but it is important for us to have a
clear Development Brief for the future.”
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