Marston Valley News

Save Brogborough Ringwork claim the “amazing” views from a castle site will be impeded by the proposed increase in warehousing at Marston Gate under Central Bedfordshire’s Local Plan.

The campaigners say the modifications for proposed MM33 Marston Gate Expansion in do not go far enough, as it still involves warehousing at 18.5m high, running alongside the A507.

Impacting local Greensand Ridge walks, the Grade II* listed Segenhoe Manor, as well as overwhelming the ancient ringworks site.

The consultation deadline for the Marston Vale New Villages Development Brief has been extended until 31 March 2021 by O&H Land.

Since the consultation was launched on 24 February, more than 800 people have viewed the consultation materials at the Marston Valley website, including the Development Brief which sets out the vision for the development.

Kendra and Django Turner, both from Lidlington, Bedfordshire are so appalled with the plans to build 5000 new homes on their doorstep that they have released a video calling for a Sir Tom Moore Country Park of 5,000 trees instead of the new villages.

Marston Valley is a proposal to build 5,000 homes in a series of new villages on land between Brogborough, Lidlington and Marston Moretaine, in Bedfordshire.

Residents and businesses in Marston Vale are encouraged to give their views on long-term development in the area by taking part in another major consultation.

O&H Land is running the consultation to get views on the Development Brief for the Marston Vale New Villages. (Marston Valley).

Local environmental charity The Greensand Trust in partnership with Greensand Country is putting the “Green into Greensand” and looking for Greensand Champions.

These are groups or individuals who are doing something amazing for the Greensand Country environment. The Trust wants to hear what people are doing and give them the recognition they deserve as ‘Greensand Champions’.

In order to address questions from the Planning Inspector, additional Local Plan evidence is now available on Central Bedfordshire Council’s website for comment.

Council said that the adoption of our Local Plan is one of its highest priorities to help make Central Bedfordshire a ‘great place to live’

Lidlington Action Group (LAG) has sent a letter to councillors at Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC).

The aim is to generate internal pressure on those submitting CBC’s response to the Inspector’s report at the end of April.

At the Local Plan examination last summer, the Planning Inspectors identified issues with the soundness of the Local Plan. They asked the CBC to look again at ‘reasonable alternatives’ to building 5,000 houses in Marston Vale.

CBC intends to publish their response on 30 April 2020 ahead of the re-convened examination in June.

Following a public examination of Central Bedfordshire Council’s (CBC) draft Local Plan this summer, The Planning Inspectorate has provided formal feedback to the council.

CBC received the feedback on 30th September 2019, but delayed publication until 14 October 2019 while it sought to resolve a number of legal issues regarding the content and process being followed.

The Council said that correspondence from third parties referred to by the Inspectors had unusually not been sent to CBC as the Local Planning Authority and the promoter of the Local Plan.

The focused letter raises a limited number of issues for the Council to respond to. In particular clarifying the content of some of the policies for strategic sites and issues around the current Sustainability Appraisal (SA).

The Council’s website says that no issues were raised in relation to a number of key points.

Central Bedfordshire Council’s (CBC) Local Plan is currently at the public hearing stage of its examination. These hearings are to be held over five weeks between 21 May and 26 July 2019. The Marston Valley development was discussed on Hearing Day 7 (13 June 2019).

Lidington homes would leave the village due to Central Bedfordshire Council’s Local Plan.

This was the claim made by the Lidlington Action Group at January’s Full Council Meeting. Lidlington Action Group told Central Bedfordshire Council that people’s homes would leave rural village and be part of a mini Milton Keynes if Local Plan goes ahead.