Decision Day For Whitbread's Town Centre Car Parking Plan

Whitbread's will learn this week whether or not they will be allowed planning permission to use land at the former Co-op site in Houghton Regis town centre as "car park with minor works, the temporary stationing of two portable buildings for ancillary use as security and shelter and temporary stationing of lighting".

The car park has been closed to the public since 16th February 2014.

WEBCAST

The case is due to be heard at Central Bedfordshire Council's Development Management Committee which meets from 10:00am on Wednesday 28th February. Planning Application No. CB/18/00077/FULL will be heard during the day. These meetings are cast to the internet, via live video, and are also available to view afterwards.

A report to the committee recommends approval. The recommendation is that permission ceases at the end of July 2018 or another date to be agreed so that the commencement of works on Houghton Central is not compromised. Another recommendation is that the car park gates shall be closed, and the lighting columns and light fittings fixed to the inside face of the hoarding shall not operate, outside of the hours 07:00 to 20:00 Mondays to Fridays and at weekends".

Houghton Regis Town Council included a memo in their Spring edition of their Town Crier, in connection with the car park application, which says that a sum of money from Whitbread's will be available for the community.

The whole site already has permission for living and retail use and includes 170 independent living units, as well as retention of the Red House under planning application CB/16/03378.

A Facebook Group associated to Houghton Regis News Desk has more information about that.

Houghton Regis Town Councillors expressed reservations at the Whitbread car park application when they met in January, not least because the former car park at the site has been closed since, being detrimental to the amount of parking available in Houghton Regis town centre. View their meeting here: