Plans approved for 119 new homes on Houghton Regis green belt land

But the plans for 119 homes on green belt land at Bidwell were approved by Central Bedfordshire councillors last week.

Applicant Jarvis Homes Limited also proposes to demolish a building and provide parking and an access at The Gates, according to a report to the council’s development management committee.

The ten-acre site is on Bedford Road, to the south of Dunstablians Rugby Football Club, and is close to the Houghton Regis North (HRN1) and (HRN2) developments.

These projects are due to deliver 8,000 homes to the area, as well as schools, employment land, leisure and community facilities, a Lidl warehouse and offices.

UKIP Tithe Farm councillor Pat Hamill said: “We’ve had enough of new houses going in. It’s a government project and they’re using Houghton Regis for that.

“These potential developments ruin communities and you should take that on board.”

Houghton Regis town and Liberal Democrat Houghton Hall councillor Yvonne Farrell said: “My main concern is the impact on Bedford Road. Highways has said it’s safe to go ahead.

“Unless you live in the area, you wouldn’t know how the traffic is mounting up every day.

“It’s one of the main roads into Houghton Regis. It just hasn’t got the capacity.”

Liberal Democrat Houghton Hall councillor Susan Goodchild called for a decent footpath to enable people to reach the town centre.

CBC highways engineer Dave Ager admitted there is a lot of development in the area, but said the extra traffic “can be catered for”.

The committee was told contributions worth £2m have been agreed with the developer, including almost £93,000 for NHS healthcare.

CBC planning officer Stuart Kemp said the applicant explains the site is surrounded by development, adding that he doesn’t consider it would be “sprawling into the countryside”.

But Independent Toddington councillor Mary Welsh described the site as “a green corridor” and “three fields in agricultural use, as well as a house and paddock”, on the edge of the Chiltern Hills.

“There is a lack of identified need in this area for the housing,” she said. “This land should remain within the Green Belt.”

Mr Ager replied that enough had been done to make it sustainable and promote safe routes to school.

Conservative Cranfield and Marston Moretaine councillor Sue Clark said: “This isn’t some beautiful lovely piece of open countryside which is adding to the purposes of the Green Belt.

“This is a little bit of land which has been left out. It makes great sense that it is included in the overall development.

“The arguments in favour of maintaining it in the Green Belt don’t hold up, given all the development going on around it.

“I am assuming this piece of land wasn’t included in HRN1 originally because it wasn’t in the ownership of the applicant.”

The development, which has to be referred to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was approved by eight votes to five.

CBC chief executive Richard Carr was due to make a ruling on the plans by adopting special emergency powers in April.

After concerns raised by residents and protests from independent councillors, he opted against deciding a major application.