A developer has asked Bedford Borough Council to rule on whether its plans for 95 new homes in Turvey will need a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
In a request submitted under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, Richborough says it intends to build around 95 dwellings and associated public open space on a 6.08-hectare (15-acre) site to the east of Newton Lane.
The applicant said the proposal is a classified as an “Urban Development Project” under Schedule 2 of the EIA Regulations.
While the site exceeds the 5-hectare threshold for considering an EIA, Richborough says it is not within a “sensitive area” and argues there are unlikely to be significant effects on soil, land, water, biodiversity, or human health.
The council will now review the request, taking into account the size and characteristics of the development, the site’s location, and potential environmental impacts, before deciding whether an EIA must be carried out.
More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 25/01524/EIASCR.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
