Draft document for transformation of Biggleswade Market Square branded "unambitious at best"

But town councillors accepted the initial paperwork was “more of a prospectus, than a detailed technical report”.

They opted to remove the agenda item from the exempt session of a town council town centre management committee meeting to voice their reaction in public.

Town councillor Duncan Strachan was unhappy with the document, saying: “This is creating a policy and a vision, without any public consultation.

“There are issues in here which are impractical. The concept might be brilliant, but we need to consider the practical implication of how this will work. This is far too important a document to rush. It’s the future of the town.

“We need a vision and to put that out there, but we want the observations of the public before we start consulting with our partners.”

Town councillor Andy Skilton explained: “When I last saw this, the removal of Century House was being considered, with the changing of White Hart car park into a piazza, as well as various changes to bus stop and station configurations.

“This is unambitious at best. There’s so much more we can do with our Market Square. We’re not the highway authority, so all we can provide is our aspirations. CBC isn’t obliged to do anything other than consider our comments.”

Mayor Mark Foster labelled the report “aspirational”, warning: “There’s a deadline and we’re talking about something the council hasn’t approved, such as the pedestrianisation of the Market Square.

“My recollection was it’s a shared space option. There’s reference to Century House, but we’ve no control over that.”

Town councillor Inessa Agnew suggested: “We’re trying to make changes and however small they should be progressive. What we’re seeing here isn’t quite there yet, as we’re lacking the detail behind the pictures.”

Deputy mayor Gary Barrett said: “This draft was to provide a document to take to others, whether CBC or the public, saying this is our initial vision.

“We want a reasonably professional looking blueprint, which wouldn’t necessarily cover all of the key points mentioned. We’re creating the debate through this, not producing all the answers to a town centre vision.”

Town councillor Jonathan Woodhead, who chairs the committee, acknowledged the status of the report, adding: “It’s more of a prospectus, rather than a detailed technical document.”

Rubbish in Bonds Lane is “currently an absolute disgrace” and “appalling at the Hitchin Street end”, according to town councillor Michael North.

“Why doesn’t Central Bedfordshire Council do something about this?” he asked. “Businesses aren’t putting rubbish in proper containers.”

Councillor Woodhead replied: “Officers have raised the issue, and a ward councillor mentioned it to CBC’s environmental health team. The response was a bit weak and wasn’t adequate, but we’ll continue to pursue it.”

The committee agreed to reconvene a working group to resolve the concerns raised and for a report to be presented to the town council in April, before a wider consultation with CBC, residents and other stakeholders.