Houghton Regis News Desk

Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) Highways received a valid petition in June 2022, signed by 20 signatories, all members of the  Leighton Linslade Town Council. This was presented to the Council today. Extraordinary Traffic Management Meeting - Wednesday, 29th June 2022 at 1:00pm - Central Bedfordshire Council Webcasting The road is dualled in part, and single length in other parts. The petition arises from a number of accidents on the road in recent times, one of which resulted in a fatality. A505 Safety Petition to Central Bedfordshire Council June 2022: ‘We, the undersigned, in our capacity as elected member of Leighton Linslade Town Council, and on behalf of both our own electorate and those of the surrounding rural parishes, ask Central Bedfordshire Council, through the Traffic Management Committee, to conduct a full and in-depth review of the Leighton Buzzard Bypass over the entirety of it non-dualled length, particularly in light of the number of recent traffic accide

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL PROPOSES TO INTRODUCE A 20MPH SPEED ZONE ON PARKSIDE DRIVE, HOUGHTON REGIS   Reason for proposal:  The waiting restrictions are intended to address indiscriminate parking in the vicinity of Kingsland Secondary School and to create a safer environment for those travelling to and from school.   Effect of the Order: To introduce a 20mph Speed Zone on the following lengths of road in Houghton Regis:- 1. Parkside Drive, from a point approximately 15 metres north-east of the centre of the junction with the northern spur of Parkside Drive and extending in a north-easterly direction and then following the curvature of the road south-east for a distance of approximately 195 metres, ending at a point approximately 15 metres north-west of the centre of the junction with Trident Drive. In layman's terms this means it will apply to the big corner on Parkside Drive near the entrance to the Sports Centre.   Details may also be viewed online at www.centralb

An open-air concert will be performed by around 500 students from schools across Central Bedfordshire this summer.  The event will celebrate the hard work of all the students who have been learning with Inspiring Music within schools this past year.  Having had to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the performance will now also provide an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all those who have supported the music service throughout the pandemic and beyond. The event will take place at Houghton Hall Park, Park Road North, Houghton Regis,  (with a stage and arena for the audience).

A recorded vote was taken at the Houghton Regis Town Council (HRTC) meeting on Monday this week. Members of the Council were deciding whether or not to support a campaign group who are opposed to any suggestion from Central Bedfordshire Council  (CBC) that they might build homes on an Open Space beside Windsor Drive. For many years HRTC has cut the grass at the large open space on Windsor Drive, that it might be used for sports and recreation, even though the ownership of the land falls to CBC who regard it as an asset to be redeveloped.  In their address to the Town Council, members of the campaign group,  Friends of Windsor Drive Community Open Space, sought the support of the Town Council to be unified in their approach to CBC when it came to any planning application for homes to be built on this Open Space. FoWDCOS recorded their comments (above). In the video the argument is put that Houghton Regis is providing more than its fair share of new housing for Central Bedfordshire

Houghton Regis Town Council has responded via social media to comments that their Queens Jubilee Tree plaque was rusty. A spokesperson for the Town Council said, “Our plaque was purchased from RBLI, Every plaque is unique. All plaques bought from RBLI are made by Armed Forces veterans.  “In buying the recyclable plaques from Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), we are helping to create jobs for veterans, ensuring that our involvement positively impacts two worthy causes. “Their sustainable Corten steel plaques are designed to naturally form a layer of surface rust over time, creating a unique patina that looks beautiful and forms an organic protective barrier. This ensures that the plaques last for years to come. We have however on this occasion cleaned the plaque, but please bear in mind that it will start to rust again over time.” The RBLI supplies plaques on behalf of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) – a unique tree-planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee

Planning Application Application Type: Full Application Date Received: 11 / 05 / 2022 Registration (Validation) Date:30 / 05 / 2022 Consultation Start Date: 30 / 05 / 2022 Earliest Decision Date (Consultation Period Expires):11 / 07 / 2022 Target Date for Decision: 25 / 07 / 2022 Location: Decked Car Park to the North of Porz Avenue Houghton Hall Park Houghton Regis Dunstable LU5 5FT Parish Name: Houghton Regis Description: The creation of a vehicular access ramp to the top deck of the existing multi-storey car park (north eastern elevation) and the Change of use of the top deck from Use Class E to B8 (storage and distribution). Plans:  CB/22/01953/FULL  or search for plans 22/01953 here .  The red dot marks the site of the private tiered car park screened from Houghton Hall Park A multi-tiered private car park on the edge of Houghton Hall Park has become underused due to changes at Whitbread (sale of Costa to Coca-Cola) and Whitbread's decision to continue to allow staff to work f

Central Bedfordshire Council is finalising plans for the new M1-A6 Link Road project. They hope this will benefit existing communities, support growth, support jobs and serve homes. In a notice sent today, the Council warns that, “Negotiations are complex given the numerous landowners involved but these are reaching an advanced stage, which will enable scheme details to be finalised and the tender process to identify a contractor to start works. “To provide certainty that the Link Road can be delivered in its entirety, we may need to use Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers to acquire land, if an agreement by negotiation cannot be reached. This approach was approved by Executive on Tuesday 7 June 2022.”

A man who caused a serious road traffic collision which killed his brother and a friend has been jailed for six years. At around 3.20pm on 18 January, Jordon White, 20, was driving a black Vauxhall Corsa along Toddington Road in Tebworth , with four other people inside. Witnesses described seeing the Corsa dangerously overtake another car at speed, narrowly avoiding an oncoming vehicle, before losing control and hitting a tree. White and two of the passengers were able to exit the car and made off across nearby fields. One was found a short distance away, whilst White and the other person were found, with the assistance of a police dog, hiding in a garden shed. Sadly, the two remaining passengers, Ellie Ogden-Hooper, 19, and Reece White, 23, had died at the scene. White was found to be in possession of a provisional driving licence, had no MOT or insurance for the vehicle, and was driving on false ‘cloned’ plates. Subsequent testing also showed that he was driving whilst over the presc

All Saints View Phase 2 involves the knocking down of Red House Court in Clarke's Way. Phase 1, facing the High Street, was completed earlier this year.  These photographs were taken on Saturday 11 June 2022 and show the demolition that has taken place of the older buildings of Red House Court on Clarke's Way.  Except for certain materials, rubble will all be recycled into the new foundations.   And before?  And in the future? When completed with a new Clarke's Way facing section, the whole All Saints View development will include 168 one and two-bedroomed apartments, as well as community space, a restaurant, retail opportunities and care and reablement facilities.  This is the second independent living development project by Central Bedfordshire Council, the first being the  award-winning Priory View  in Church Street, Dunstable, completed in April 2016, which the Queen and Prince Philip  visited in April 2017 . Earlier article about All Saints View

• Central Bedfordshire Council(CBC) wants to hear from those who access home care services. Here's the survey link . CBC's Home Care Provider contract is shortly coming to an end, and they will now review, and renew, the service to run from April 2023.  Before commiting to a new contractual framework, they want to hear from those who receive home care services , their family carer or representative, about what works well and to discover any suggestions on improving home care services. NHS Digital Satisfaction Surveys carried out a recent annual review of their adult social care services. Following on from that, they are now running a care receiver/family member survey to help shape future service delivery. The aim is to ensure everyone has an opportunity to have their say.  Cllr Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Adult Social Care at Central Bedfordshire Council, said, “Our range of home care services are person-centred and are designed help people to remain indepe

• A positive spin is being put on yesterday's news that the new Houstone School in Houghton Regis won't be ready in September as originally hoped. • Read the briefing below from Central Bedfordshire Council. Houstone School in Construction Completion of the new state-of-the-art Houstone School in Houghton Regis will be delayed after the archaeological discovery of Roman, Neolithic and early Bronze Age remains dating back 4,500 years , Central Bedfordshire Council has revealed. Advantage Schools multi-academy trust will run the new school which is the first new secondary school to built in the town by Central Bedfordshire Council. Houstone is  a fitting name for the school as it is the historical name for the area, as recorded in the Domesday Book. The school was hoping to have its doors open to over 200 pupils from the start of the 2022/23 academic year in September.  Children and young people will now be temporarily educated in the former University Technical Colle

Houghton Regis Memorial Hall celebrated its 65th anniversary at a special function on Saturday.  Guests at the sell-out event included people from the usual groups who use the venue regularly. The Memorial Hall was 65 years old on June 1st. The afternoon began with an opening speech and a short history lesson from the Chairman, Ken Wattingham. This was followed by a presentation of through the year’s of the hall from David Hill, and a history lesson of the women’s Institute by the Chairlady Beverley Lennox.  Prize Bingo followed that, plus some entertainment by Kate Atkins singing songs from through the year’s.  Everyone enjoyed the afternoon and commented on how well the Trustee’s have done to make this a successful event. In the evening a second event took place with people bringing in their own drink and nibbles.  (Photo shared on social media by Cllr Pat Hamill )L to R: Cllr Sue Thorne (deputy mayor), Cllr Elaine Cooper, Cllr Yvonne Farrell (mayor), Cllr Pat Hamill, Cllr Sue Goodch

By Cllr Toni Ryan, CBC ward councillor for Parkside, Houghton Regis HOUSTONE SCHOOL DELAYS TO OPENING  Unfortunately, I was told today that Houstone School, the new secondary school being built on the Kingsland Campus in Houghton Regis, scheduled to open in September will see delays on completion. Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) has confirmed the children will be asked to continue to use the UTC until September 2023. I raised a few months ago whether CBC was on track and was promised there were no delays and that the build will be serving our community by this coming September.   I can imagine this is very upsetting for a lot of parents and children. I will continue to keep my dialogue with parents and CBC. If you have any concerns please let me know.  Contact Cllr Toni Ryan Statement from CBC "Regrettably, this completion date is now not possible, for reasons I will outline, but I am pleased to inform you that we have been able to secure from the Department for Edu