CPRE Bedfordshire has calculated that, from information released by the council as part of its Local Plan 2032 consultation, around 40% of the massive 17,367 new homes proposed to be built in Bedford Borough over the period is due to net “inward migration” into the borough.

The vast majority of this “inward migration” will be from London, the GLA and surrounding counties.

Therefore, just over half of the 17,367 total is due to the housing needs of the local residents of Bedford Borough.

A CPRE Bedfordshire spokesperson said:

"These housing numbers are completely unsustainable. London, the GLA and other counties surrounding London are refusing to build affordable homes for its population and the result is that people are being driven out of the capital.

If these plans go ahead Bedford Borough (and indeed Bedfordshire as a whole) will become a massive building site for London destroying our precious countryside. We are already building huge numbers of new homes – e.g. the Wixams new town, the area to the west of Kempston, around Wootton and Bedford itself.

Continuing at this very high rate is simply unsustainable. For example, these new plans will mean that 900 new homes will be built in Clapham (doubling its size), 500 more in Bromham and 500 in Great Barford with hundreds more in other villages all across North Bedfordshire."

CPRE Bedfordshire believes that one of the main reasons that Bedford Borough is proposing these very high numbers is to ensure that it continues to receive a high level of new homes bonus from the Government.

Government figures recently released show that in the 4 year period to the end of 2014/15 Bedford Borough Council received £12.7m in new homes bonus. For the latest 2015/16 financial year alone a further whopping £6.7m has been allocated to Bedford Borough Council bringing the total to around £20m. This is a huge sum of money. (See Note 1 below)

Bedford Borough is one of the largest recipients in the country of new homes bonus despite being one of the smallest local authorities, indicating just how many new houses the council has built so far.

The CPRE Bedfordshire spokesperson said:

“Having had its funding cut from central government the council is desperate for new funds and, it appears, will stop at nothing to get it, including setting totally unsustainable numbers for new houses.”

CPRE Bedfordshire recognises the need for new homes and we have been generally supportive of Bedford Borough Council’s current Local Plan 2021 but there is no demonstrable need for any further homes.

According to its own figures, the council has already allocated sufficient land (with outline or full planning permissions) to enable the building of around 13,000 new homes – more than sufficient for local need and that number would also cater for a very much more reasonable proportion of inward migration until 2032.

Building huge numbers of new homes for people moving out of London and commuting back will make congestion on already overcrowded commuter trains unbearable.

The local rural and urban road networks are already seriously overcrowded at peak times and falling into disrepair. New roads being built e.g. western by-pass A6 link, will only provide a short term improvement at best.

This area of eastern England has very serious problems in supplying the water requirements of current residents let alone the increase proposed by these inflated housing numbers.

That’s without considering the impact on hospitals, schools, etc. People moving into the borough from London will only push house prices higher for local people.

It’s quite simply planning madness.

The vast majority of the house building in the Council’s Local Plan 2032 is planned to take place on open countryside. If this plan goes ahead our quality of life will be irreversibly damaged for present and future generations.”

CPRE Bedfordshire is calling on the public and town and parish councils to respond urgently to Bedford Borough Council’s current consultation on the Local Plan 2032 and to write to their MP and local councillor highlighting their concerns at this unsustainable level of house building.

Notes:

1. New homes bonus is paid by Central Government – it is calculated according to the number of new homes built in the local authority area per year. Details of new homes bonus allocation for 2015/16 can be found here and details of new homes bonus paid for the 4 years to 2014/15 can be found here. 

2. CPRE Bedfordshire recognises the need for new homes and has supported Bedford Borough Council’s current Local Plan 2021 which itself contained a high house building target. However, we strongly believe that continuing this level of house building in the years through into 2032 is completely unsustainable for the reasons laid out above.