Plans for up to 1,000 new homes on the former Ford End Road gasholders site in Bedford have taken a step forward.
This follows a formal request from the developers to Bedford Borough Council for an opinion on whether the scheme requires a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The submission describes proposals for “up to 1,000 dwellings” alongside commercial floorspace, community-use space, public open space, and riverside walking and cycling routes on Ford End Road.
The proposed masterplan divides the development into three zones: an “Arrival Zone” with retail and commercial uses; a central park and wetland area; and a southern woodland zone with residential buildings and amenity space.
The application letter says building heights are expected to range from two to six storeys, with the potential for additional taller buildings subject to further design work and assessment.
In the screening request, the applicant’s consultants argue the redevelopment is unlikely to give rise to “significant environmental effects” requiring a full Environmental Impact Assessment under the regulations.
The site forms part of the wider Ford End Road allocation identified in Bedford Borough Council’s Local Plan 2030 for residential-led mixed-use redevelopment.
The borough council must now issue a formal screening opinion to determine whether a full environmental impact assessment is required before a planning application can be submitted.
More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 26/00867/EIASCR.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
