Battlelines set again over developments in Langford and Potton

Developers are once again trying to push through large scale planning applications in two Chronicle country towns after they were refused by Central Bedfordshire Council.
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In Langford, a bid for 95 homes on Loft Farm off Church Street (pictured), has been resubmitted by Rosconn Strategic Land after being refused earlier this year.

Up to 91 residents and the parish council had objected to the scheme.

In refusing the scheme the council said: “By reason of the access, and the scale of the development, the development would unacceptably harm the amenity of residents within Tithe Farm Close, and specifically No.14 Tithe Farm Close.”

And in Potton, developer Planning Prospects Ltd is appealing the refusal of CBC to grant planning permission for 42 houses on Sandy Road, Potton. The council refused the application in March this year.

Campaigners against the original Potton proposal are urging people to contact the planning inspector to lodge their objections.

In Langford, parish councillors objected to the Loft Farm plan, saying there were sustainability issues in the village. They said parents concerned about increased traffic would not allow their children to cycle to Henlow Academy.

The site was not covered by CBC’s emerging Local Plan, due to go before inspectors next week and was outside the village settlement envelope.

Councillors were also concerned that Biggleswade was the nearest major town and at peak travel time there would be a significant number of people from the proposed development driving into the town and finding nowhere to park given the issues that already existed there.

“There were outstanding queries regarding the width of the proposed access route through Tithe Farm Close and an alternative should be found from Church Street though this would incur a cost for the applicant.” they said.

Parish councillors said if CBC approved the scheme that the existing zebra crossing be upgraded to a Puffin signalled crossing before building work started because of the related increase in traffic and the use of the crossing by children going to/from school.

The latest application, submitted last week still has access from Tithe Farm Close and would connect to Church Street.

In their application developers said: “An additional pedestrian access is also proposed and will connect directly to Church Street and is intended to provide footpath connectivity through to the River Ivel County Wildlife Site to the west of the site and the existing riverside pathway. The proposals also include a large area of open space on the western side of thesite which has the potential to become an extension to the existing Local Nature Reserve located to the south west.”

In Potton 105 people had objected to the plans for 42 new homes in Sandy Road near to the cemetery.

CBC refused the plan, stating its open countryside location and scale would create a development that would result in significant harm to the character and appearance of the site, surroundings and setting of Potton.

It also stated in the absence of a completed legal agreement securing financial contributions and the provision of affordable housing, the development would have an unmitigated and unacceptable impact on existing local infrastructure and would fail to make an acceptable contribution towards local affordable housing stock.