Bedford Borough Council’s Draft Local Plan 2015 – 2035 for submission

Bedford Borough Council - Local Plan 2035 Draft for submission CPRE Bedfordshire does not agree to BBC’s estimate of need for 19,000 new homes. Our calculation shows that 15,000 new homes are required BBC housing requirement and proposed allocations Total number of new homes required (SHMA) over the period 2015 - 2035 19,000 Already identified -11,183 Additional homes needed 7,817 Stewartby - New Village, brownfield site - 1,000 Bedford/Kempston - urban area & edge of urban area - 2,630 Group 1 villages - Bromham, Clapham, Grt Barford: 500 homes each - 1,500 Group 2 villages - Carlton, Harrold, Milton Ernest, Oakley, Roxton, Turvey: 25 – 50 homes each - 225 To be Allocated - 2,500 Total allocation 7,855 FOI Request shows: Housing needs of all the people of the Borough can be met with 50% of housing proposed by BBC

New Town at Sharnbrook, Colworth, Souldrop chosen Proposed New Towns Outstanding requirement = 2,500 homes by 2035 New town Number of new homes Lee Farm, Sharnbrook 4,500 + employment land Thurleigh Airfield 5,250 + employment land Twinwoods (MiltonErnest) 6,000 + employment land Wyboston 4,000 + employment land New Town at Sharnbrook, Colworth, Souldrop chosen Local Plan POLICY 27 At least 4,500 new homes (of which 2,500 will be delivered before 2035?) Including Colworth Science Park plus additional 7.5 ha (20 acres) employment land Town the size of Ampthill has approx. 4,000 homes

+ 25% bigger than Ampthill +40% larger than Higham Ferrers Sharnbrook has approx. 1000 homes New Town has at least 4,500 new homes TOTAL at least 5,500 new homes + 25% bigger than Ampthill +40% larger than Higham Ferrers

Unsustainable location – in green countryside & farmland CPRE Bedfordshire is opposed to the proposed Sharnbrook, Colworth, Souldrop New Town Unsustainable location – in green countryside & farmland Adversely impact local countryside and the setting of important deciduous woodland areas – largest and one of the most important SSSI sites in Bedford Borough - Odell Great Wood. Massive addition to vehicle movements – car and commercial Up to + 9,000 cars can be expected from the New Town alone New Parkway Station car park 500 – 1000 car park spaces Generating around +2000 vehicle movements per day

Poor East – West Rural Road Network To the West/South West To the East Mostly quiet rural roads through small environmentally sensitive villages Surrounding countryside some of the most tranquil in all Bedfordshire To the West/South West vehicles car & Commercial will go through: Harrold, Felmersham, Turvey, Carlton, Pavenham, Bromham, Oakley etc. Bridges liable to flooding during winter closing roads To the East vehicles Car & Commercial will go through: Knotting, Melchbourne, Upper & Lower Dean, Risely, Swineshead, Pertenhall, Thurleigh, Colmworth etc.

Poor quality data used by BBC to determine vehicle movements and impact Increased traffic on A6 - North & South – will adversely impact Bedford New Parkway Station New station has not been agreed by Network Rail House building will start before New Station

What about alternatives: Bedford South – 4,500 to 9,000 homes between Kempston Hardwick and Cardington - Along A421 Corridor – East/West - Along East - West Rail Corridor - Close to A6 – north/south infrastructure - Brown Field sites in sustainable locations - Site not included in Draft Local Plan Are there other sites – BBC will know!

BEDFORD LOCAL PLAN 2035 – DEVELOPMENTS IMPACTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE Derek Bliss FCILT

Colworth Village Traffic Proj. AM Peak Hour – Phase 1 Now Colw. Rush. Incr. Tot. Colw. Rush. Incr. Tot. A6 South 953 441 600 1041 1994 583 793 1376 2329 A6 North 456 261 0 261 717 85 0 85 541 East Thur. 291 138 0 138 429 216 0 216 507 West Harr/ 147 101 69 170 317 56 38 94 241 Pavenham Total 941 669 1610 3457 940 831 1771 3618 (Sharnbrook 2011 Census) (National Travel Survey) NB 2500 Houses at Colworth + 3400 Houses East Northants

Colworth – Key Traffic Numbers A6 South + 1050 – 1400 extra vehs. / AM peak Hour ex Phase 1 & Phase 2 with Rail Station. A6 South + 1450 – 1900 extra vehs / AM Peak Hour ex Phase 2. Total A6 South 2000 – 2650 vehs / AM Peak Hour Phase 1 & Phase 2 with Rail Station. Total A6 South 2450 – 3100 vehs / AM Peak Hour without Rail Station Phase 2. West via Villages + c170 vehs / AM Peak Hour.

COLWORTH – MITIGATION PROPOSALS New link road to A6 at Forty Foot Lane New link road to Souldrop Lane Rail Bridge-Ph2 New Railway Station at Forty Foot Lane-Ph2 (Not yet Commercially Justified but volumes could be sufficient compared to other new Parkway Stations} 20 min frequency Bus Service to Bedford No vehicle access to Business Park except via A6 and Forty Foot Lane

COLWORTH – Impact of Systra AM Peak Hour Routing Proposals To prevent rat running Systra are proposing to introduce traffic calming in all the villages and route all the new traffic down the A6 in Ph1. Increase in A6 volume south by c310 to 2639 Ph 1 & 3222 Ph 2 vehs. per hour. Result – Overloading of Milton Ernest – estimated capacity 2500 vehicles / hr. Max. Probable overloading of Clapham Rd R’about – design capacity 3600 vehs / hr.

Systra Costs of Road Improvements Wyboston - £4.782m. A421/A4280 grade separated Junc. £1m Twinwoods - £15.108m. Milton Ernest northern by pass £11m Thurleigh - £29.806m. Dualling of Thurleigh Rd. £14.5m Milton Ernest southern by pass £10m Colworth - £31.271m. New 2.5km Forty Foot Lane to A6 £6m New Railway Bridge link to Forty Foot Lane £14m

Proposed Station at Souldrop Network Rail Proposal – (£5.25m - £21m) A single platform with turn back facility to terminate some Thameslink trains ex Bedford Systra Proposal – (£5.25m - £21m) 2 platform station to be served by new half hourly MML Corby – London electric trains - Dec 2020 Both proposals include 500 space Car Park. Estimated reduction in A6 traffic south AM. PBA estimate 13.5% ie c450 vehs/peak hour Delivery unlikely until 2035 – 2044 plan