Funding For Your Voluntary or Community Organisation

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Is your group of volunteers or community organisation looking for additional funding? Central Bedfordshire Council has allocated £182,000 for distribution to worthy causes. Bidding has now opened and the first bidding round will close on 28 February 2020.

Individual organisations can apply for up to £25,000. The Community Assets Grant Scheme aims to help local voluntary and community organisations make projects a reality by offering matched-funding grants to enable them to invest in their community facilities.

There are guidelines to follow, for example, the grants must be used for capital funding projects, for such as a new roof for a community hall or to improve access for people with disabilities, or upgrades to other community assets.

The grant scheme is open to a range of Central Bedfordshire organisations, including voluntary and community groups, not-for-profit organisations and parish or town councils.

To find out more about the scheme visit the CBC website and download your guidance booklet.



Source: CBC

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Barratt Homes to Build 300 units at Linmere Houghton Regis

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Barratt Homes is set to build 300 properties at Linmere, featuring a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bed homes and work is due to start this year.
Situated north of Houghton Regis, Linmere’s collection of leafy and walkable neighbourhoods is set to be a new centre for South Bedfordshire. On behalf of its consortium partners, Lands Improvement is leading on the development of Linmere, which will ultimately deliver up to 5,150 homes, 1.25 million sq. ft of distribution and up to 1 million sq. ft of retail, office and leisure development, together with associated open space, schools and community facilities.

Barratt Homes’ development sits within the largest plot at Linmere, and will include a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes, with a number available on Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership schemes. Sizes will vary from c.450 sq ft to c.1500 sq ft, catering to first home buyers and families.

Work will begin on this site this year.  Once complete, residents will benefit from over 190 acres of green sp…
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Give blood during the Easter holidays

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Houghton Regis Chalk Pit Youth Afternoon With Controlled Bonfire and A Chance to Learn New Environmental Skills 17 Feb

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YOUTH WILDLIFE RANGER AFTERNOON OF FUN !

Exclusively for people aged 13-19

Meet one afternoon every school holiday.

Next session at Houghton Regis Chalk Pit. Monday 17th February 2014

We will be scrub clearing using conservation tools and having a controlled bonfire.

1pm - 3pm. Meeting place on Lake View.

Meet new people

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Riders on Bikes Could Help with House Robbery in Houghton Regis

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At around 9.15am, a house on Leaf Road was broken into via a rear ground floor window, rooms were ransacked, and cash and jewellery were stolen. Police are now seeking the public’s help, as they investigate this burglary in Houghton Regis on Monday 19 October.
Around the time of the incident, a white 125cc motorcycle with a red top box and “L” plate was seen in Leaf Road, and officers would like to identify the rider and passenger.
PC Tom Williams, investigating, said, “This incident has left the householders in shock, and I am appealing to anyone with information to come forward. We would particularly like to speak with the people on the motorcycle who may have vital information.”
If you were in the area at the time and have any information or dashcam footage of the motorcycle, please contact police on 101 or report online or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please quote reference 40/56927/20.

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Suspension of Council Garden Waste Collections

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A break for all garden waste collections for the winter in Central Bedfordshire Once again there will be a winter break for all kerbside collections of household garden waste across Central Bedfordshire.
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Bedfordshire Police Force has dismantled a large scale cannabis factory – the 100th  discovered by Bedfordshire police since the start of the coronavirus lockdown. The factory was discovered in a commercial building located in an industrial estate near Shefford. The number of cannabis factories discovered by the force this year is up by more than 50 per cent compared to the same period last year.

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Houghton Regis Chalk Pit Maintenance Money Now Available

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Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) has received a total of £327,424.36 from the developer of Bidwell West/HRN2 for 'Quarry Maintenance'.  
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Lidl Plans For 1.2million sq ft Regional Distribution Centre

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by Alan D Winter, Houghton Regis News Desk
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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

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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.
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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.


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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. 
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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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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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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.
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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.
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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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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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