®Planning appeal decision
Land South Of 4 Brook Farm Chase, Colmworth, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK44 2AQ
Planning appeal 6003091 at Land South Of 4 Brook Farm Chase, Colmworth, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK44 2AQ (Bedford Borough Council) was dismissed on 23 March 2026 by Inspector Reid L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal site is suitable in principle for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use, and the amount of development, with respect to the spatial strategy and access to services and facilities.
permission in principle for erection of up to 2 dwellings. Access to be taken from Colmworth Road
- Authority
- Bedford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Reid L
- Postcode
- MK44 2AQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site is suitable in principle for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use, and the amount of development, with respect to the spatial strategy and access to services and facilities
What decided it
The appeal site's location outside the settlement boundary, combined with inadequate access to services and facilities and reliance on private car travel, means the proposal is not suitable in principle for residential development and the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the moderate benefits even in the context of housing land supply shortfall.
The moderate benefits of delivering two new homes and some economic and social benefits were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the significant harm from undermining the spatial strategy for housing and creating over-reliance on private car travel, even applying the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d)(ii) of the Framework due to the housing land supply shortfall.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 3SPolicy 4SPolicy 5SPolicy 7SPolicy 53
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 117Paragraph 232Paragraph 11
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.