Wilstead residents clashed with planning officers at a packed parish council meeting after works carried out on land near the A6 raised concerns about potential unauthorised development.
Dozens of people attended the Wilstead Parish Council meeting on Monday (11 May), where fears were raised about activity on a field following work over the early May bank holiday weekend.
Borough cllr Marc Frost (Conservative, Wixams and Wilstead) told the meeting he believed the scale of work went beyond minor changes.
He said fencing had been erected, hardstanding laid, a gate installed and waste deposited on the site, adding: “That’s not minor work. That is preparation, and we all know what’s coming and what it points to.”
Cllr Frost said he had pushed the council to act early, arguing that once development progresses, enforcement becomes more difficult and costly.
He also raised safety concerns about vehicles using the site entrance on the A6, describing it as “a fast road” where drivers would not expect turning traffic.
However, planning officers from Bedford Borough Council told the meeting they did not currently have sufficient evidence to take enforcement action.
Ian Johnson, service manager for heritage and compliance at Bedford Borough Council, told the meeting that the council had visited the site multiple times and had been told the land was intended for use as stables.
“We don’t think there’s sufficient evidence for us to take action at the moment… there’s no confirmed residential use or any other changes.”
The residents were told that fencing of up to two metres could be permitted development and that no planning application had yet been submitted.
The response prompted frustration among residents, with several arguing that the council should act sooner, based on what they described as a recognisable pattern of development.
“Incredibly naive”
One resident told officers they were being “incredibly naive”, while another said: “We all know why we are sat here… nothing is going to happen unless we do something about it now.”
Another resident said: “Bedford borough has a duty of care to the travellers to provide so many pitches for them, and it’s going to cost a lot of money.
“If they get on there for free and get a load of caravans on there, that alleviates it of that immediate cash problem as [the council] doesn’t have to pay for it. Is that true?”
Gavin Chinniah, head of planning and building control at the borough council, said the council has a need for “40+ pitches”, but the council would still take enforcement action.
Residents were urged to report any further activity, including photographs of work taking place, to help the council assess whether enforcement action may be required.
Cllr Graeme Coombes (Conservative, Wixams and Wilstead) said action needed to be “more robust” and warning against waiting until development had progressed further.
“We cannot just sit and wait for something to happen, we have to look at the powers available to us and do something about it,” he said.
“If I went down the street with a knife, the police wouldn’t say ‘I’m sorry we’ve got to wait until you actually stab somebody, ‘ they would stop me and arrest me, quite rightly so.
“The council has to be much more responsive to this.”
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
