Plans for up to 1,100 homes south of Shortstown have been approved, despite a warning from Anglian Water that the Bedford Water Recycling Centre is already exceeding its permitted flow limits and that more foul water would create an “unacceptable risk of pollution” to local watercourses.
The company told last night’s Bedford Borough Council planning committee (Monday, 17 November) that it wanted a “Grampian-style” condition to delay occupation of the new homes until an upgrade to the Water Recycling Centre is complete.
Anglian Water representative, Hanna Wilson, said: “If planning consent is granted without our recommended condition, the developer could connect regardless of these constraints [to the system].
“This would put the environment and our existing customers at risk. Our proposed condition simply ensures that connections are delayed until our Bedford growth scheme is delivered. We are addressing capacity issues; we are not seeking to block development.”
Anglian Water added that they had obtained a King’s Counsel (KC) opinion confirming that such a condition would be lawful.
The committee heard that the borough council had taken its own independent legal advice, which did not support imposing the condition.
Head of Planning and Building Control Gavin Chinniah said a planning condition must be lawful, proportionate and meet national policy tests, and that Anglian Water had not provided the site-specific modelling needed to justify it.
“There’s been a lack of engagement from Anglian Water with the planning department; we’ve only had one meeting in two years, ” he added.
The applicant’s representative accused the water authority of “effectively attempting to use the Planning Act to avoid its legal obligations under the Water Act”.
Committee chair, cllr Jonathan Abbott (Lib Dem, Clapham and Oakley) criticised Anglian Water’s environmental performance and long-term investment decisions.
Read: Police called after activists attempt ‘citizen’s arrest’ of Anglian Water CEO
“It does frustrate me that we have a consultee who [sic] has been pointed out by a few people, pays out hundreds of millions of pounds a year in dividends, giving bonuses to people who pollute our rivers, and you do.
“The Great Ouse environmental trust [BedsGOVET), take soundings of the pollution you’re putting in our river from your plant, your station up near Odell,
“I find it a little galling to then hear you going, ‘oh, please stop’ when you’re all already doing this to our environment, you’re doing this to our communities.
“I appreciate you don’t want to do further damage, [But] you should be, in my view, investing properly, and you should have been investing properly for a long time.
“It does really frustrate me that there’s an organisation who should be doing the right thing, [but] don’t do the right thing at the right time. I’m always frustrated by Anglian Water, I’m afraid,” he said.
Planning was granted subject to planning conditions.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
Update: This article was updated at 09:28 on 24 November 2025 to correct the title of Gavin Chinniah and the spelling of Hannah Wilson’s name, which were incorrect in the source content.
