Of-fence taken at developer’s pub site changes

The News/Gazette understands that a developer has bought the site with a view to turning the pub and the former florist’s shop next door into houses, and building four homes in the large garden at the rear of the pub.

No planning application has yet been lodged with Central Bedfordshire Council but a wooden fence has been erected at the front of the property.

Toddington parish councillor Richard Hagen, responsible for planning matters, said the fence was “an abomination”.

“What they’ve done is very unproductive. They say that they are doing it for security because the building will be uninhabited for a while.

“If they’d left the wire fence apart from the whole place looking better people would have been able to report any vandalism.

“But having built an eight foot fence, once people get over it they could run around for days in there if they wanted to and no-one would know.”

Mr Hagan said he was concerned that another retail facility and piece of green space in the village had been lost.

“The developer has only had it for a week and has already got up everbody’s noses and alienated the neighbours,” he said.

“If they had come around to the parish council for a chat we could put people’s minds at rest. But they haven’t spoken to anybody.”