Don’t miss the chance to have your say on future development which could result in an additional 25,500 new houses over the next 30 years.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is urging people to respond to the Central Bedfordshire Council consultation on sites put forward for potential development before Monday, August 17.

It says Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) is currently reviewing 452 potential development sites with the consultation leading to a finalised list for the upcoming Local Plan.

The council has allocated an additional 25,500 new homes to be built in the Central Beds area by 2050, in addition to the 44,756 homes already included in the 2015-2035 Local Plan.

CPRE is urging people to have their say on planning proposals which could influence the Local Plan

placeholder image — CPRE is urging people to have their say on planning proposals which could influence the Local Plan

A spokesperson for the CPRE said: “Many people are alarmed by the amount of housebuilding going on in Central Bedfordshire, especially around small villages. Some of this was planned and allocated in the adopted local plan.

"But on top of this we have large projects such as Universal Park, a New Town near Tempsford and East West Rail. People are worried about all our countryside ending up under concrete.”

Central Beds Council is looking for residents to highlight local issues such as the value of green spaces, coalescence with nearby settlements, potential flooding along with increased traffic concerns.

Speaking last month, council leader Adam Zerny explained: “The forthcoming Local Plan needs to be about residents telling the council where future housing should go.

"Of course some of the land put forward by developers might be completely unsuitable, so it's important the public has its say and highlights the potential issues with some of these locations.

“The more people who take part, the better, as this will allow the council to make more informed decisions, taking into account public views alongside technical assessment.”

CPRE Bedfordshire has published a guide explaining how residents can add their comments. A guide has also been produced to help parish councils and groups undertake a review of proposed sites and engage with residents with details about the Local Plan process and timeline.

Bedford Borough and Luton Borough councils are also drafting new Local Plans, with public consultations expected to be introduced in the next 18 months.

More information is available on the CPRE website.