Houghton Regis News Desk

A planning application to build 12 homes next to Tithe Farm Recreation Ground on Tithe Farm Road Houghton Regis has been submitted. If approved, the plan will see 8 townhouses being built facing onto Tithe Farm Road, with a further 4 townhouses being built behind  facing Short Path, and closer to an existing children's play area. 24 parking spaces would also be included contained on the development site. The site is opposite one end of Recreation Road. In 2013 it was proposed to build a 58-bed nursing home there, but it is thought the proposers of that scheme could not make it financially viable. Proposed street view:   Viewed from Tithe Farm Rd Viewed from Short Path Plans for this development site can be viewed on the CBC planning website or by searching for plan CB/18/02275/FULL at http://j.mp/cbcplanning . Any public comment on the scheme should be addressed to the case officer by email  planning@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk The proposed development

Join this fun, family challenge on Tuesday 24th July & Tuesday 7th August between 11am – 2pm (last entry 1pm). This is a FREE activity for all the family to enjoy. Explore the park, find the markers, complete the challenge and have fun together. The meeting point for the activity is in the foyer at Houghton Hall Park Visitor Centre, Park Road North, Houghton Regis, LU5 5FU. The Houghton Hall Park Renaissance and Renewal Project is being managed by Central Bedfordshire Council in partnership with Houghton Regis Town Council and is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund. Parking is free for up to 3 hours, but parking spaces are limited so please arrive with plenty of time. For further information about the activity please visit www.xplorer.org.uk .

An application to build 100 homes at Bury Spinney, off Thorn Road, Thorn, Houghton Regis, was today turned down by Central Bedfordshire Council's Development Control Committee. The proposals included only 10% affordable housing. Cllr Jimmy Carroll, chair of the Houghton Regis Town Council Planning Committee addressed the committee, highlighting that only 10% affordable housing was proposed, that had caused problems in HRN1 area. He said there was poor access from the narrow Thorn Road, and that the amount of S106 contribution proposed was too low. Cllr John Kane (CBC, Houghton Hall) made some suggestions about a proposed 12 homes for over 55s, that those could be affordable housing, and that the footpath to Bedford Rd should be made up, should the committee want to approve the application. Cllr Tony Swain (CBC, Tithe Farm) had concerns about the development being constructed surrounded by open fields, and children getting to school. He was also opposed to the 10% afforda

Proposals are being worked up for ‘The North Chilterns Landscape initiative’.  Local interest is being gauged and there is a desire to get more community input to the emerging ideas for the initiative. Local organisations are being invited to a consultation event on 24th July. >>> Download the NCC Summary document June 2018 <<< Need and opportunity for the initiative The Chilterns Conservation Board is the body set up by the government to conserve and enhance the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and promote public awareness and understanding of the area. Together with local partners  (including local authorities, wildlife trusts, Natural England and other heritage and conservation organisations) proposals are being worked on for an ambitious community, wildlife and heritage initiative in the North Chilterns – ‘The North Chilterns Landscape initiative’. The urban areas of Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis are surrounded by wonderful w

This summer, libraries across Central Bedfordshire will take part in the national Summer Reading Challenge. This year it will have a Beano theme to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the iconic British comic. Children will be able to join the challenge for free from Saturday, 21 July at their local library. This year’s challenge will be called ‘Mischief Makers’ and will give children the opportunity to explore a map of Beanotown to find the mysterious buried treasure and become ultimate mischief makers! Dennis, Gnasher and friends will help them solve clues and collect stickers, having lots of fun and adventures along the way. The Summer Reading Challenge is simple. Children are encouraged to read books of their choice during the holidays, with collectable incentives and rewards. There’s also a certificate and medal for every child who completes the challenge. Teenagers can also apply to become a Reading Hack volunteer and help out at their local library during the summer. As

A meeting was held between residents and Arriva at the Town Council offices on 20th March which was well attended. Residents raised concerns, and Arriva have now responded. Their response is on the Agenda for the Town Partnership committee between the CBC and Town Councillors planned for 24th July 2018. The statements from Arriva reads, "It has been appreciated that the 33 has not been suitable. In response to this from the end of August, Arriva are removing the 33 and introducing a 38 service which will serve Dunstable, Houghton Regis, the hospital and will have a faster route into town. At this point, the resource available means that Arriva can only provide an hour[ly] service but with good usage and demand that can be reviewed [that] as the service grows. "Unfortunately, it has not been possible to put the Z back on its old route. It is accepted that the decision not to reinstate the Z will be disappointing but it is hoped restoring the links that were requested

Pictured above the placed winners of the Pet Dog of the Year Competition run by Central Bedfordshire Canine Trust. The competition started at 10am with the puppies class. Just three owners and 4 dogs took part in this section. Puppy entrants. Puppy entrants Puppy winner The competition then moved onto the adult entrants, dogs aged 1 and up. It was hot while waiting in the sunshine to be judged. Here are the adult winners. Entry was only 50p, and all entrants received a souvenir rosette. To find out more about the Central Bedfordshire Canine Trust tel. 01582 973614 or see them on Facebook .

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Helen Nellis, announced the appointment of her new Vice Lord-Lieutenant at a dinner held yesterday evening for her Deputy Lieutenants, to mark the retirement of her current Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Col Colin Mason OBE TD, on 19 August 2018.  Colin has been Vice Lord-Lieutenant since 2005 supporting the previous Lord-Lieutenant, Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO DL until 2012, and being recommissioned on the appointment of the new Lord-Lieutenant, Helen Nellis. The new Vice Lord-Lieutenant will be Colonel Christopher Hugh Sharwood-Smith MBE DL and his appointment will commence on 19 August 2018. The Lord-Lieutenant, Helen Nellis, said: "I wish to pay tribute to the enormous contribution made by Colonel Mason in his 12 years of service as Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire.  He is a remarkable man of great integrity who has given loyal and dedicated service to the county and to HM The Queen.  I look forward to working with his suc

Bedfordshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a series of break-ins at schools in Houghton Regis. Offenders have gained entry to Tithe Farm Primary School, in Tithe Farm Road, on four separate occasions between Wednesday, 27 June and Friday, 6 July. The first break-in occurred at around 1am on Wednesday, 27 June. Three males were seen running from the scene towards Hillborough Crescent. They were wearing hoodies and rucksacks and believed to be in their teens or early 20s. Offenders gained entry to the school again just after 9pm on Thursday, 28 June. During both these break-ins, a number of small electrical items such as laptops and iPads were stolen. Two further break-ins took place on Wednesday, 4 July at around 9.30pm, and on Friday, 6 July at around 11.30pm. On both occasions, nothing was stolen but the damage was caused inside the school. After the fourth break-in, two men were seen leaving the scene. Offenders have also gained entry to Hawthorn Park Primary

Central Bedfordshire Council is to hold a series of public drop-in events to share early plans for a proposed M1-A6 Link Road. The new strategic link road would run from the A6 Barton Road to junction 11a of the M1 motorway, joining up to the A5-M1 Link Road, to provide a strategically important east-west link. The proposed new road would be 2.75 miles (4.4km) long and could create part of a northern bypass for Luton. The preferred layout would have a 50mph speed limit and be a mixture of single and dual carriageway, with junctions to a new Rail Freight Interchange at Sundon and proposed new housing development. The existing A6 road has approximately 26,000 vehicles on it each day. A new link road would help to relieve current congestion and improve safety in Luton, as well as ease traffic on the local village roads used as rat-runs, such as Lower Sundon, Upper Sundon and Streatley. The plans also suggest a number of upgraded footpaths, cycleways and bridleways in the area. Th

By Alan D Winter A reuse shop at the council’s new Household Waste Recycling Centre at Angels is now open for business. The shop, which is open seven days a week from 9am-5pm including bank holidays, sells those items taken into the council’s recycling centres which can be reused.  According to  Central Bedfordshire Council the reused items go towards the authority's recycling targets and help boost the overall amount of waste that’s reused, recycled and composted. All items for sale have been collected either directly from Angels site at Thorn, or from one of the council’s other waste recycling centre sites in Ampthill, Biggleswade and Leighton Buzzard. The range of reusable materials being sold include bicycles, bags, luggage, clothing, shoes, soft furnishings and furniture (with valid fire safety labels), children’s games and toys, along with sports equipment including golf clubs and bags, CDs, DVDs, books, clocks, pictures, mirrors, jewellery, garden furniture and tool

Houghton Hall Park are running a monthly photographic competition. This month they would like to see your entries on the theme of wildflowers in Houghton Hall Park. Photographers of all abilities from the age of 16 are asked to get creative and use their imagination. Entries should be sent to hhp@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk . The images must be taken between 1st and 31st July 2018 and each person can submit up to 5 entries. Overly altered images that do not represent the reality of the subject in the photo will not be accepted. Copyright in all images submitted for this month’s theme remains with the respective entrants. Some images will be featured on the park's website, social media platforms, notice boards around the visitor centre and in their monthly newsletter. Please see the park website for the full terms and conditions before submitting your work: www.houghtonhallpark.org Cafe Opening times April to October Monday to Friday 10:00am - 17:30pm Saturday an

Houghton Regis Crime May 2018 A rise in crime shows up for Houghton Regis in the latest figures for May, released for the town. Between June 2017 and may 2018 Anti-social behaviour continues to top the categories of crime, followed by Criminal damage and arson. Anti-social behaviour 966 38.00% Bicycle theft 22 0.87% Burglary 189 7.44% Criminal damage and arson 259 10.19% Drugs 30 1.18% Other crime 30 1.18% Other theft 142 5.59% Possession of weapons 12 0.47% Public order 91 3.58% Robbery 21 0.83% Shoplifting 103 4.05% Theft from the person 5 0.20% Vehicle crime 218 8.58% Violence and sexual offences 454 17.86% 79% of the time, the statistics show that police take no action, and just 46 cases went to court, while 10% remained under investigation. The statistics can be found in more detail in the links below. ◘ Houghton Regis Overall: https://www.police.uk/bedfordshire/65/crime/+EfJRJi/ ◘ Tithe Farm: https://www.pol