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Showing posts from November, 2015

Events for the Christmas Period at Dunstable Downs

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Christmas Wreath Making Chiltern Gateway Centre, on Dunstable Downs
Fri 04 Dec 2015 10:00 - 12:00
Sat 05 December 201510:00 - 12:00
11 December 201510:00 - 12:00
12 December 201510:00 - 12:00

Make wreaths with materials sourced from the local area.
£25 per person including a hot drink and mince pie.
Why not join us for lunch afterwards?
Booking essential ~ Call 01582 500920
dunstabledowns@nationaltrust.org.uk
Dogs are not welcome at this event.



Christmas Tree Dressing Day Chiltern Gateway Centre, on Dunstable Downs
Sun 06 Dec 2015 ~ 11:00 - 15:00
Help dress their Christmas tree, cut from the beautiful and well-managed Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. Write a wish to hang on the tree or make your own decoration.
Booking not needed.
Assistance dogs are welcome.


Family Walk Chiltern Gateway Centre, on Dunstable Downs
Sun 06 Dec 2015 ~ 14:00 - 15:30
Grab your wellies and join the Rangers for a family walk. Complete some of the '50 things to do before you're 11 3/4' on the way and co…
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Duster the Dog Helps Buster da' Illegal Cigs

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Duster helps with tobacco operation    
Super sniffer dog, Duster, has been helping Central Beds Council's trading standards team target rogue traders recently.

With Duster’s keen nose, three shops were found to be selling illicit tobacco products. In total, 402 packets of cigarettes and 81 tobacco pouches were discovered.

The operation, involving Central Beds, Bedfordshire Police, HMRC and Wagtail (which provided the sniffer dog Duster) targeted a number of shops across Dunstable and Houghton Regis suspected of selling illicit cigarettes and other tobacco products.

It was the first time that a sniffer dog had been used as part of an operation to target people selling illicit tobacco across Central Bedfordshire.

Anyone with any information should email trading.standards@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 8307.
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Government Respond to Beds Police Petition

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https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/110333?reveal_response=yes
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Central Bedfordshire Development Strategy Withdrawn

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Central Bedfordshire Green Belt To Come Under More Pressure to Find Space For More Houses
Last night Central Bedfordshire Council unanimously voted to withdraw the current Development Strategy, ending four years of work, after a government inspector had criticised the councils failure to build enough houses to help meet Luton’s need.

The local planning situation had changed following a report from the Office for National Statistics which had published new population projections. This had led to the current Development Strategy and the subsequent Allocations Local Plan being out of date.

The Secretary of State had confirmed that he would not call-in the Houghton Regis North 2 application, leaving the Council free to grant planning permission for this proposal, which was given in July 2015 subject to a legal agreement. Earlier this week, the S.106 legal agreement was completed, and consent was issued. Documents relating to the application for 1850 homes on land north of the Houghton Reg…
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Olly - Please Sign to Save Our Police - Will It Be 25% or 40% Cuts ?

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Olly Martins, the PCC for Bedfordshire Police wants people to keep signing a petition.

HRND editor, Alan Winter, put it to Olly Martins that this video may not now be relevant as the government had admitted making a hash of the calculations?

Instead of agreeing, Mr Martins replied,

"The revised formula wasn’t going to give us a fairer allocation before the spending review hit us, hence the video. Now the government isn’t introducing the new formula yet, but we’re still in the same position – no fairer allocation before the spending review hits. So we need to find savings of between £21million and £29million depending on whether the cuts are 25 or 40%. That’s worse than the assumptions we were making that persuaded me to trigger the referendum!"



Save our Police from ATP on Vimeo.

Save Our Police

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/110333

athinplace.co.uk


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Bank Could Become A Café & Extended Poundstretcher to Open Soon

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The National Westminster Bank in Bedford Square, Houghton Regis is set to close on November 18th. An application has been put in to Central Bedfordshire Council to change the former bank in Tithe Farm Road into a cafe or restaurant.

The bank have said that they only had 59 customers and that transactions had fallen by 34 per cent since 2011. An arrangement has been made with the Post office for customers to check balances and make withdrawals there.

A document in the application states, "The planning application has been submitted simply to establish whether the principle of the proposed change of use to a Class 3 (Restaurant/Cafe) is acceptable in this location."

In 1997 there was a refusal for a change of use. "SB/97/00492 CHANGE OF USE FROM BANK TO CLASS A3 (FOOD AND DRINK) - Refused.
Conditions or Reasons:
1) 1. The unspecified nature of the proposed uses, within Class A3 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 would, if conducted w…
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Councillors to Consider Grant Applications

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Mayor and Town Clerk.

On Tuesday, Town Councillors meet to decide how to divvy up money allocated to their grants funds.

Remaining in the Small Projects Grants fund for 2015/16 is  £4,300, but only one applicant has come forward for £500 to replace specialist indoor play equipment.

Under Large Project Grants (£501 & Over), a total of £33,800 has been requested. If all the applications are approved, councillors will need to budget these costs for 2016/17, and could affect the level of Council Tax. Three organisations have applied - Houghton Regis Memorial Hall Fund (to enhance stage presentation and facilities),  Dunstable & Houghton Regis Sea Cadets (to replace an outboard engine for their Unit safety boat), All Saints Parish Church Houghton Regis. The largest request is from All Saints who are requesting £26,000 towards their budgeted total costs of £37,858. A church representative will attend the meeting to explain their application to the Council.

Remaining in the Key Part…
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Are You Happy With Progress On Tree Work?

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Trees. Are you happy with the progress being made to tackle tree issues in Houghton Regis? Here: an overgrown tree in Tennyson Avenue| https://www.fixmystreet.com/report/709856Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Tuesday, 3 November 2015
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Bishop of Bhagdad Invited ISIS to Dinner

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... and was told, if they came they would chop his head off!

Fascinating interview on BBC Three Counties Radio this morning. Featured the Vicar of Bagdhad who says he invited ISIS round for dinner. https://soundcloud.com/thejvsshow/jvs-and-the-vicar-of-bagdhadPosted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
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Parking For Dunstable Shops To Get Dearer

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Parking for Dunstable shops to get dearer in the new year ...Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Tuesday, 3 November 2015
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Porz Avenue/Poynters Rd Roundabout Closure

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According to roadworks.org works are still scheduled for this coming weekend which look to be closing traffic at Poynters Rd/Porz Avenue roundabout. Diversions are also shown on the website.Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Tuesday, 3 November 2015



Porz Avenue/Poynters Rd Roundabout. A closure is expected to take place from 2000hrs on Friday 6th November to 2359hrs...Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Tuesday, 3 November 2015
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Olly Martins: I'll Get More Money For Beds Police By Switching M1 Cameras on All Day.

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Police Forces are looking at alternative ways of raising money. Olly Martins says, "the initiatives I'm now looking at...Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
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Lidl's Apply for Permission for a Supermarket in Luton Road, Dunstable

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Lidl, whose nearest stores are at Leagrave, and Luton town centre, are applying for permission to build a store on Luton...Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
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A5-M1 Link Local Roads New Layout From 6 November 2015

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A new section of road connecting Luton Road and Sundon Road opens this weekend, in advance of further M1 junction 11a...Posted by Houghton Regis News Desk on Wednesday, 4 November 2015
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Fraud Squad Fine Council Tax Benefit Cheat - £1830 to Repay + Fines & Costs

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Central Beds Council fraud squad investigations have uncovered a woman in Sandy who was overpaid £1830 in council tax support because she had wrongfully claimed that her husband was not working. The woman now has to pay fines and fees of £640, as well as having to repay the overpaid council tax support benefit.

Councillor Richard Wenham, Executive Member for Corporate Resources, said: “Although Mrs Butler acknowledges that what she did was wrong, the fact is that by failing to declare her husband’s work, she was illegally claiming council tax support.

“Any fraud takes away money from others who genuinely need it, which is why we will always take action if we suspect any wrongdoing.”

Anyone who suspects that someone is fraudulently claiming benefits can call the council’s confidential 24-hour fraud hotline on 0300 300 5557.

Any residents who want information about paying their council tax or to find out whether they are eligible for council tax benefit can call the Money and Benefits …
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More Popular Stories

Lidl Plans For 1.2million sq ft Regional Distribution Centre

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by Alan D Winter, Houghton Regis News Desk
Lidl, a family supermarket that takes pride in providing its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices, is on the verge of starting work on building its biggest ever Distribution Centre on Houghton Regis' doorstep.

Outline plans for the development were agreed under the existing Central Bedfordshire Council consent (CB/12/03613/OUT) and now a reserved matters application has been submitted. The company is now seeking approval for these plans, which could be concluded in March 2020.

The development proposals comprise the construction of a Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) of over  1.2 million sq ft of warehouse floor space, 612 associated car parking spaces, 141 HGV stacking spaces, 196 loading docks, 20 E-charging spaces, a drivers lounge, smoking shelters, two bicycle stores with 104 spaces for bicycles, four haulier cabins, three battery enclosures, a generator enclosure, sprinkler tanks, pump house hydr…
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Angry Resident Wants Peace Back as Chalk Pit Tourism Takes Off

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By Alan Winter updated 27 May

 An irate resident has contacted Houghton Regis News Desk to vent their frustrations about visitors to the Chalk Pit clogging up their unadopted roads.

The resident, who did not want to be named, wrote, “As a resident on Fieldstone, we’re after some help. The quarry has been advertised on social media so it now has visitors from a wide area. They are blocking our residential roads, leaving rubbish and glass everywhere in the quarry. Having BBQs, drinking and meeting for social gatherings. They are drinking and dancing in the streets gone 11pm. There needs to be parking and the quarry managed before all the recent hard work is undone. We want peace back.

“This parking and quarry issue has been going on for the last few weeks after advertising has appeared on social media. We heard someone say they had driven from Milton Keynes, and a neighbour has stated that 5 people he knows from Hemel Hempstead have attended. Just this morning, a friend from work saw it …
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L&D Hospital Mani Car Park Closes From 13 July - Bigger Car Park To Be Built

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Parking for visitors and patients at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital will get a welcome boost by the end of the year, as work gets underway on a new four-level car park on the footprint of the existing Lewsey Road car park.
The new car park will double the current provision for patients and visitors, and also provide more accessible parking as well as bicycle parking for patients, visitors and staff.










The new design will also improve the flow of cars, and reduce queuing and congestion on Lewsey Road.
The existing main visitor and patient car park (on Lewsey Road, opposite the main entrance to the hospital), will be closing on Monday 13 July.
Alternative parking will be available on site, in Farringdon Fields, off Calnwood Road. The Trust is reallocating staff spaces for the period.
But overall numbers may be limited so the Trust is asking patients and visitors not to bring their car if they can possibly avoid it, but to be dropped off instead. A new temporary drop-off point will…
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A New Secondary School For Houghton Regis

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Report by Alan D WinterCBC has agreed to forward fund a new school so it can be built for September 2022. 1,120 secondary school places are proposed with a sixth form.  To meet the need from housing development this will be expanded to 1,850 places as this is built.The school will meet the need for secondary school places for the local community and will be run by a new academy at the Kingsland site in Parkside, Houghton Regis. 
The plan includes a 220 place sixth form to be completed by July 2022. The wider site is already occupied by a Houghton Regis Secondary School that currently accommodates around 269 pupils. In recent years this has become less active and is due to close before the new school opens. This proposal has been developed in tandem with the housing developer Barton Wilmore to ensure that the appropriate links between the two are in place upon completion.


The proposed new school would initially share the wider CBC site with a Leisure Centre, a Technical College and a SEN…
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Consultation on New Secondary School in Houghton Regis

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Initial designs have been produced for a new 1,120 place secondary school, to be built on the Kingsland Campus, Houghton Regis, for September 2022. The proposal includes all the specialist and non-specialist teaching space required, as well as providing a sports hall, outdoor sports provision and car parking. The external appearance of the school buildings is subject to further design work. 
The concept for the new school is based on the superblock model and includes a 3-storey main classroom block, with a separate sports hall. This type of design is suggested by the Department for Education (DfE), and has been used for many new secondary schools across the country
The Council is currently at the pre-planning design stage, and is taking the opportunity to seek the views of the local community ahead of the planning application being submitted. The date for submission of the planning application has been tentatively set for the end of August 2020. 
This consultation is an important part of…
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Houghton Regis Academy Closure - Public Meeting 10 March

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Updated 2 March 2020

The Secretary of State for Education, in mutual agreement with the Trust, has now made the substantive and final decision to proceed to the closure of Houghton Regis Academy.  However, in order to reduce the impact of the closure,  a proposed closure transition plan has been agreed to which means the Academy will remain open for some year groups until 31 August 2022.

There will now be a ‘listening period’. The listening period is an opportunity for stakeholders and interested parties such as pupils, parents and staff to be provided with more information about the proposed closure process. It is also an opportunity for stakeholders to submit their views on how the process can best be managed. This period started today, 28 February, and will end at 5pm on 27 March 2020.

Parkside ward Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) councillor said, “I am aware of the concern the current position will be causing pupils, parents and the wider community at Houghton Regis. I am worki…
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Bidwell Heights - Go Ahead for New Build Despite Crime Concerns

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A development of 336 homes has been given the go ahead under delegated powers by Central Bedfordshire Council despite Bedfordshire Police having concerns that the layout would encourage crime.

The site is situated between the SSSI Houghton Regis Chalk Pit edge and Blue Waters woodland.




Bedfordshire Police Liaison Objected to the scheme, 'as it is considered that the proposed layout and design would present opportunities for crime'.

See planning layout - (pdf)

Another key concern came from Wildlife Trusts BCN who also drew attention to anti-social behaviour. Their concerns are listed as,

'Concerns regarding development so close to the chalk cliffs associated with the SSSI. The Trust strongly recommend that a robust engineering operation is designed and incorporated into the plans, at this stage of the process, to ensure that the stability of the chalk cliff is not weakened as part of any development that takes place in this location. The Trust also consider that there should…
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Plans For 66 bed care Home, Nursery & Shops at Lower Thorn Village

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(updated 14 June 2020)As part of the already approved outline development plans for the Lower Thorn area of Houghton Regis, detailed planning applications are now being submitted for a local centre. A decision for these applications is hoped for by mid-August 2020.
Houghton Regis Town Council will discuss the plans on Tuesday 16th June. A final decision will be made by Central Bedfordshire Council. The Town Council's virtual meeting agenda is available to download. If you wish to participate in this meeting you will need to supply an email address before 3pm on the day of the meeting in order to attend virtually by emailing your request. Instructions on Remote Meeting Guidance can be found here.
In all, three planning applications have been submitted to develop a local integrated centre on behalf of  HDD Houghton Regis Retail Limited. 



1. 66 Bed Care Home A 66-bed care home and its associated car park, means of access and landscaping.  Split over 3 floors. If permission were granted…
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Police Appeal After Man Robbed in Houghton Regis

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Bedfordshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was robbed in Houghton Regis.
At around 10pm on Saturday 1st August, the man was on Bedford Square, near the park, when he was approached by five offenders. The group attacked the victim and stole his phone, his bank card, and a quantity of cash.
During the attack, the victim sustained superficial cuts to his face, stomach and forearm, which required medical attention but are not serious or life-threatening.
The offenders are described as young men, wearing face masks with their hoods up, riding bikes.
PC Helen Pecorini, investigating, said: “Thankfully the victim only suffered minor injuries, but was left distressed by this incident. We are appealing to anyone in the area who may have the offenders before or after the incident.”
Anyone who can offer any help in this matter is asked to get in contact with the police, or contact Crimestoppers.  Alternatively, information about this incident can be reported via police reporting webs…
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Give blood during the Easter holidays

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Children who depend on life-saving blood transfusions are encouraging donors to give blood during the Easter holidays to ensure NHS Blood and Transplant has the blood stocks necessary to meet demand. Eight-year old Sophie Thorne is one of several youngsters contributing a 'thank you' picture to remind people in Luton and Bedfordshire that donating blood saves lives. Blood stocks are more vulnerable to shortfall around public holidays like Easter as the weather improves, and people go on holiday or enjoy days out with family. It is vital stocks are constantly replenished as blood has a shelf life of 35 days and platelets only seven days. Hospitals across England need more than 6,000 blood donations every day to treat patients. Blood or the components of blood are used to treat patients with medical conditions such as anaemia, cancer blood disorders, and those having surgery.
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Catherine Thorne, Sophie's mother, of Wootton near Bedford, said: "Sophie has a rare blood condi…
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Houghton Regis local news, events, council news, going on in Houghton Regis and nearby villages, Bedfordshire, UK. Editor Alan Winter

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Houghton Regis News Desk

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