Upper Thorn Green Development

A Reserved Matters application will be discussed at Houghton Regis Town Council Planning Committee on 21 October 2019.

Following Outline CB/15/00297/OUT (1850 dwellings and mixed class use) this new application looks at matters for access, landscaping, layout and scale for 160 dwellings on phase CA2 at Upper Thorn Green. The plots being considered are outlined in yellow below.

The Design and Access submission for this application states that the application site consists of four irregular shaped land parcels, approximately 7.4 hectares (18.3 acres) in size, which are located approximately 1½ kilometres north of Houghton Regis town centre.

View from Upper Thorn Green towards Houghton Regis Chalk Pit

The site is predominantly arable land and is generally flat with a gentle south-east facing slope. Access is currently taken from Thorn Road which leads into the site from Bedford Road. The new A5-M1 Link Road runs to the north of the Bidwell West development and is linked to the site via Bedford Road & Thorn Road.

Thorn Road, where the development will take place

Recent land preparation

The existing Thorn Road will be integrated into the highway layout and access to the individual parcels will be formed. Homes should be in the range of 30-35 dwellings per hectare.

The red boundary of this development with the indicative streets to be laid out on current agricultural land

Existing nearby cottages - Berry Corner Farm - just outside this reserved matters application area

A new pedestrian crossing is proposed for Thorn Road, along with some new trees, pedestrian and cycle routes.

While Bidwell Spinney is included in the application zone, no new building is proposed for the site where trees were cut down.

A range of 2 bedroom flats, 2 bedroom, houses, 3 bedroom houses, and 4 bedroom houses are proposed.

More Information

The Design and Access Statement contains most of what people will want to know about this proposed development. Design and Access Part 2.

To see all relevant documents go to Central Bedfordshire Council Planning site and search for CB/19/02870/RM. Then click the "view documents" link.

Any comments can be sent by Email to planning@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk quoting CB/19/02870/RM.

Houghton Regis Planning Applications is a Facebook Group by Houghton Regis News Desk where local developments are discussed.

UPDATE - The Housing Development officer objected to this application saying, “In the current format, Strategic Housing are unable to offer support to the application and object on the non-compliance of the affordable mix in relation to the affordable rented units against the s106 requirements. The application provides for compliance in terms of quantum of affordable housing provision with the application providing for 30% affordable equating to 48 affordable dwellings. The application also proposes for compliance with tenure requirements with the provision of 63% affordable rent (30 affordable rented units) and 37% shared ownership(18 shared ownership units).” - see memo.

The Landscape officer made a number of comments. see memo.

The Ecologist commented, "The buffer between the CWS Thorn Spring and the development is 15m which is not felt to be sufficient. " and more besides. see memo

Principal Highways Officer had concerns with turning circles, shared drives, visitor bays, problematic bends, footways needed extending, driveways that were too narrow, read memo in full.

This application was subsequently withdrawn and a fresh application was made in 2020. see CB/20/00348/RM