Local action group campaign to save Thomas’s Meadow

CPRE Bedfordshire are supporting the Shillington and Gravenhurst local action group in their campaign against development on Thomas’s Meadow in Shillington.

The site has been the subject of a number of planning applications in recent years, all of which have been refused by Central Bedfordshire Council. In 2019 an application for 19 houses went to an Appeal Inquiry and was dismissed.

A planning application has now been submitted for eight self-build homes with all matters reserved except access. This means it is an outline planning application and does not include detailed information on things like appearance and landscaping.

There are several areas of concern:

The site is outside the settlement envelope

The proposal of eight new dwellings would significantly harm the undeveloped and open character of the site which contributes to the setting of the area. The proposal is outside the settlement envelope and fails to conform to many of Central Bedfordshire Council’s current policies.

The site is in a Conservation Area

Development of the site would result in the loss of the open land which plays a positive role in the established conservation area and setting of the Grade I listed Church which would therefore harm their significance.

You can read more about the Shillington Conservation Area here: shillington_tcm3-12968 Conservation Area

The site is not included in the Local Plan

This housing development was not selected or included in the adopted Local Plan which includes self-build homes in their allocated site plans many of which are being built out.

The site is not needed to provide land supply

The Council does not need this site to provide sufficient homes for the Local Authority as the Council has 5.24 years of land supply in accordance with its own figures.

What can I do?

Members of the public can submit objections via Central Bedfordshire Council’s planning portal. Objection submissions should clearly state “I object to the development” otherwise it will be treated as a comment. The consultation period for objections/comments to the Council ends on October 20th.

You can also read all the documents relating to the application via the planning portal.