'Painfully drawn out' Land South plans for Leighton Buzzard to be considered in April

Concreting over 100 parking spaces in the centre of Leighton Buzzard would be “ridiculous”, according to a local councillor.

Residential development could be allowed by Central Bedfordshire Council on part of land south of the High Street, with 70 per cent of Duncombe Drive car park potentially at risk.

It seems unlikely BLMK integrated care board (ICB) intends to provide health facilities in this location, according to Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion.

“The thing to acknowledge is how painfully drawn out this has been before Covid and since,” he told the local democracy reporting service.

“It’s welcome the progress being made, as long as it’s a commitment to the right solution,” he explained. “CBC has suggested some land will be reserved for a cultural community space, without it being involved.

“It could be an entirely private bid. At least it’s proposing something people can respond to, so that’s good. Some of it’s confidential.

“This is due to go to scrutiny on March 7 and be considered by the executive on April 2. Some clarity will be achieved around whether a health facility is possible, which is down to BLMK ICB.

“It was quite unfair during the local elections some of the blame being laid at the council’s door for not having a health hub or a fourth practice for GPs, when the people not enabling it to happen were the local NHS, the ICB.

“That’s being openly acknowledged in council meetings now. It’s not the council delaying this. It’s the NHS, which doesn’t think it can provide something out of that location.”

He described losing 70 per cent of the parking spaces or 100 of them as “ridiculous”, warning: “The town is increasing by 2,500 homes and the car park is often full.

“Add another five to ten years of housing growth, the least you should do is not be removing parking spaces and arguably you could be increasing the number.

“The studies authorised by the council don’t support the need for extra parking, although scrapping 100 spaces doesn’t make sense. I don’t think it would be responsible to remove that many spaces from Duncombe Drive.

“It would require some council investment in a cultural community building to make it viable, without necessarily running it. Historically, CBC has never had a formal link to the profits being invested.

“There are examples of cases in other towns, from Biggleswade to Leighton Buzzard, where people rightfully and understandably expect most or part of the proceeds to be reinvested.

“I wouldn’t like to guess how much that building would cost, as you raise or lower expectations. I’ve no idea,” he added. “The one united unanimous piece of feedback, if the council wants to listen to it, is the car park.

“Overwhelmingly the public were against that, around 80-plus per cent. CBC has commissioned these studies saying there are surplus spaces elsewhere in the town.

“But the lived experience of local people is there aren’t at the peak hours, such as market days. Duncombe Drive is often full.”