Land east of Warren Farm, Woburn Road, Millbrook, Bedford, MK45 2HY

Without planning permission, the material change of use of for the use as a construction plant hire yard including the storage, servicing and repair of associated plant and equipment, the storage of HGVs and other lorries and siting of portable buildings including a mobile home and the siting of metal shipping containers and the erection of a 3m high palisade fence on the western boundary of the Land and construction of concrete hardstanding on areas of the Land and associated surface drainage installations on the Land

Authority: Central Bedfordshire
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector: Hitchcock R

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the development is appropriately sited having regard to the Council's spatial strategy for the distribution of new development
the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the locality
the effect on nearby land uses, including the living conditions of nearby residents
the effect on highway safety
whether or not the site poses a pollution risk as a result of ground contamination

What decided it

The development's location in countryside without demonstrated rural need, combined with significant harm to landscape character and the conservation area, outweighed any benefits and conflicted with the development plan.

Framework references: 208

Plan policies cited: SP7, EMP4, HQ1, EE5, CC8, T2

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

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