After a 22-month long programme of planning, design and engagement on plans for Little Barford, Lands Improvement has submitted an Outline Planning Application to Bedford Borough Council.
The application is for up to 4,400 new homes, together with the full range of infrastructure identified within the withdrawn Local Plan. This includes new healthcare, education, retail, cultural and community facilities, ensuring that growth is supported by the essential services and amenities required to create a sustainable new community.
An Outline Planning Application is used to determine whether a development is acceptable in principle before more detailed proposals are prepared. Outline Planning Applications are often used on large, strategic sites like Little Barford for the purpose of fixing the key parameters of the proposals, including location of different uses across the site and the location and delivery of key supporting infrastructure.
As part of the submission, Lands Improvement has submitted a wide range of supporting documents outlining the extensive technical work undertaken to inform the proposals. These include environmental and transport assessments, governance and management plans, a Design and Access Statement and a Statement of Community Involvement, among other technical reports.
Lands Improvement will continue to work closely with Bedford Borough Council to ensure all necessary information is in place to support the statutory consultation process. The statutory consultation will be led by Bedford Borough Council, and stakeholders and members of the public will have the opportunity to review the application and submit comments once the consultation begins.
Following the statutory consultation and review period, the Outline Planning Application will be determined by Bedford Borough Council’s Planning Committee. If approved, further detailed applications – known as Reserved Matters applications – will be consulted on and submitted. These will set out the detailed design of the development, including layout, buildings, landscaping, open space and infrastructure across each phase of the site.
Lands Improvement would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the development of these proposals to date. We will continue to update the website as we progress with the planning process and there will be further opportunities for the local community to get involved with future detailed proposals.