Plans for up to 330 homes on farmland at Salph End, near Renhold, have been submitted to Bedford Borough Council.
The proposal, on around 21 hectares of agricultural land between Hookhams Lane and Ravensden Road, includes a mix of housing, with 30 per cent affordable homes, alongside open space, drainage infrastructure, footpath improvements and new vehicle access points.
A previous proposal for the site for up to 400 homes was refused by the council in June 2020.
At the time, planning officers said the development would represent an “intrusion into the countryside”, harm the character and appearance of the wider area, and contribute to the coalescence of the village with Bedford.
Concerns were also raised about highways, infrastructure and the loss of agricultural land.
Withdrawal of Local Plan 2040
In planning documents supporting the new application, the developer says the proposal would help address the borough’s shortfall in housing supply, with the council currently able to demonstrate only a “3.35-year” supply of deliverable sites.
It also points to the withdrawal of the Local Plan 2040, meaning key policies used to determine housing applications are considered out of date.
An earlier planning appeal relating to the site concluded that development was “a matter of when, not if”, according to documents submitted with the application.
More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 26/00/724/MAO.
The overall consultation expiry date is Friday, 29 May.
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
