Gospel Hall set to relocate from Houghton Regis to Chalton greenbelt

The relocation plan to 16 acres of agricultural land in Chalton was agreed subject to Secretary of State greenbelt approval.

Its previous attempt to move to a greenbelt location at Eaton Bray four years ago failed, after being refused by Central Bedfordshire Council’s development management committee and rejected on appeal by the planning inspectorate.

Applicant Bidwell Gospel Hall Trust submitted full plans to demolish some farm buildings and construct its new premises, with a community orchard, access, parking and landscaping at Chapel Farm in Luton Road.

The community’s current site in Houghton Regis is allocated for housing in the adopted Central Bedfordshire Local Plan, and has an estimated capacity of 25 properties, according to a report to the committee.

“This proposal amounts to inappropriate development that would harm the greenbelt and its openness,” said the report. “It would also result in some impact to the character and appearance of the area through urbanisation of the rural landscape.

“Other matters, such as loss of trees, impact on wildlife, effect on the safety and amenity of rights of way network users, and construction traffic, can be satisfactorily mitigated by planning conditions.

“The benefits include meeting the long-established need for a new place of worship for the community in a suitable location, as well as the creation of enhanced public open space to be made available to local residents in perpetuity.

“These clearly outweigh the harm by reasons of inappropriateness, loss of openness and other harm to the character and appearance of the area.”

Chalton Parish Council considers it “an inappropriate form and scale of development within a small rural parish”.

Its objection stated: “The proposed schedule of early morning and evening services would generate noise, lighting and vehicle movements during unsocial hours.

“The effects of that haven’t been adequately assessed. These impacts would cause demonstrable harm to nearby residents and the rural environment.”

Senior planning officer Fenella Hackney told the committee the application was called in by adjoining ward member and Reform UK Houghton Regis East councillor Pat Hamill.

“The extensive areas of public open space and gifting of land to Chalton Lower School, the Grade II listed Yew Tree Farm and Orchard Cottage result in the special circumstances,” she said. “The Gospel Hall will be in the footprint of a poultry shed.

“Around the premises will be a parking area of 232 spaces, broken up by landscaping. There are no technical objections.”

Councillor Hamill said: “This proposal is fully justified and will deliver significant benefits.

“The scheme represents a clear improvement over the land’s current condition, replacing large redundant agricultural buildings. The underused unattractive barns will be removed with the new development concentrated into a smaller area.”

Parish council vice-chairman Dr John Reynolds “strongly objects” to the development, which he described as “the final nail in the coffin of this old Bedfordshire village”.

Trustee of the applicant Andrew Purdon explained: “Our current Gospel Hall in Houghton Regis has served us well since the early 1980s, but can no longer accommodate our congregation because of increasing numbers and modern access requirements.

“The trustees have made an exhausting site search since 2007, considering more than 50 possible sites, including the unsuccessful Rosebury Farm location.”

Simon Andrews, of agent DLA Town Planning Limited, said: “The special circumstances to develop greenbelt land exist in this case.

“Providing a Gospel Hall meets a well-established need for a local community group. It delivers public open space, as well as land for the lower school and the adjacent listed building.

“This new hall will also allow 25 homes to be built on the current site, off Bedford Road in Houghton Regis, allocated in the CBC Local Plan.”

Councillors approved the plans, subject to amended conditions around a traffic management plan, disabled parking spaces, bee orchids, use of solar panels, and the Secretary of State agreement.