4,400 home plan for Little Barford could have 'big implications' for possible Tempsford New Town
A planned garden community development near flood plains in north Bedfordshire could have “big implications” for a possible new town nearby, according to a local authority leader.
The 4,400-home, employment space and community infrastructure project proposed for Little Barford might impact future potential development at Tempsford, according to Central Bedfordshire Council leader and Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny.
“The developer seeking to build this housing north of Tempsford has begun the planning process with Bedford Borough Council,” he explained in a social media post.
“Some associated planning documents highlight the increased potential for flooding at the site. Could this have implications for proposals of a new town nearby?” he asked.
“The developer’s report acknowledges that building on the Little Barford site could result in more chance of flooding because of the placement of proposed buildings and infrastructure within identified flood risk areas.
“I’ve repeatedly highlighted to the government that Tempsford isn’t the ideal location for a new town because of the sheer size of the local flood plains.
“The body which would rule on large-scale building on land next to the flood plains would be the Environment Agency. It highlights concerns about both surface water (on the ground during heavy rain) and ground water flooding (where the water table rises about sustained wet periods) in this area.
“Given the EA’s opinion will be critical as to the government’s decision on a new town, it’s good to see such a detailed report which raises so many areas of concern about building in this area.”
Bedford borough approved its Local Plan for housing two years ago, “with significant impact on Tempsford and the surrounding villages”, he warned. “The Bedford Local Plan still needs to be formally adopted, which requires a government inspector to approve it.
“An inspector said he couldn’t yet find the plan to be ‘sound’ as of the end of 2023, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely this will ever be adopted. Tempsford has been left with significant uncertainty on the basis of a report indicating that a huge new town could be built around the village.”
A report produced by the think tank UKDayOne suggested Tempsford and its surroundings might be ideal for a new town, while the Labour government has targeted building 1.5m new homes across the country.
UKDayOne said: “The Tempsford new town could be a major city with homes for 250,000 to 350,000 people, larger than Oxford or Cambridge and comparable to the largest postwar new towns. It could also be a major employment centre, especially in life sciences.”
The government itself has backed the idea of new towns, without commenting on Tempsford directly, added councillor Zerny. “It’s told me proposals are likely to be published this summer.
“Lands Improvement, which is the Little Barford site developer, has been liaising with Bedford borough in advance of a formal planning application. With no sign of the Bedford Local Plan being adopted, the developer has applied to the council for an environmental impact scoping opinion and apparently wants to start making progress.”