A partnership between housing association bpha and the Hill Group has asked Bedford Borough Council to confirm whether its plans for 170 new homes off Mowbray Road and Moor Lane, Bedford, require a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The request, submitted on behalf of Progress Investment Partnership (PIP), outlines proposals to build housing on the northern section of the site, with existing football pitches and sports facilities moved to the former Abbey Middle School grounds to the south.
The land is bordered by residential areas to the north and west, allotments to the east, and the former school site to the south.
A new footbridge across Elstow Brook is also included in the plans.
In their submission, the developers state that the project is unlikely to have significant environmental effects and argue that a full EIA should not be required.
They note that the land is partly allocated for housing in the Bedford Local Plan 2030 and sits in an area of low flood risk.
The letter also says that any impacts relating to traffic, ecology, drainage and construction can be managed through the normal planning process.
More information can be found at Bedford Borough Council’s planning portal, reference 25/01654/EIASCR.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
