Housing plans for Leighton Buzzard's Bridge Meadows slashed by more than half

Applicant JJ Acquisitions Limited has submitted outline plans to Central Bedfordshire Council for up to 66 homes, instead of the 150 properties initially proposed for the area.

The four-and-a-half acre plot south of Leighton Road and to the west of the town centre is currently used as a travelling showperson’s site, according to a planning and housing statement by Optimis Consulting Limited for the applicant.

There are residential caravans, and vehicles associated with the storage and repair of some fairground equipment, said the statement.

“This project involves removing all on-site structures to provide the housing, a small café and shop, an access from Leighton Road, parking, open space and other works.

“It features up to 66 homes in the form of mews housing and apartments, the retail and cafe unit consistent with the town centre location, extra footway and cycle links through the development, and extensive areas of on-site public open space.

“The application includes 21 houses and 24 apartments as market housing, with ten homes and 11 flats as social affordable rent properties.”

A draft scheme to provide 150 apartments was presented to Leighton-Linslade Town Council’s planning and transport committee by Optimis Consulting in January.

“A decision was made by the applicant to provide a smaller scale housing project, after that meeting and further talks around development design,” explained the statement.

“While the site has planning consent for up to ten travelling showperson’s families, there are currently three living on the site. These are extended families covering multiple generations, and each occupies two caravans.

“On the approval of this application, the families in residence have alternative accommodation available to them. The fairground machinery and plant will be moved to their yard at Chertsey. The store travelled caravans associated with the site use can be collected by their respective owners.

“The southern part of the site, covering just over an acre, is within the greenbelt and has naturalised to a degree. Much of the land is compacted soil and gravel or hardcore.

“These caravans are scattered across the site, and there’s a variety of commercial vehicles as well as stored materials and mobile homes associated with fairground equipment repairs.

“Part of the land borders the River Ouzel to the east. An important and integral aspect of the project is its flood resilience. The development is raised on a podium level to protect residents from potential flooding issues, while ensuring it doesn’t result in increased flood risk off the site.”

Affordable housing is proposed at 30 per cent or 21 homes, added the statement. “From an environmental perspective, it would occupy land which is currently under-used.

“A high quality residential development with a strong sense of identity would be delivered and integrated sensitively into its surroundings. It would improve the built form as a gateway into the town centre and leading into the conservation area.”

CBC’s development management committee is expected to consider the scheme in due course.