®Planning appeal decision
59 Kempston Nurseries, Green End Road, Bedford, Kempston, MK43 8RL
demolition of garden centre buildings and associated hardstandings and erection of nine dwellings with associated access, parking and landscaping
- Authority
- Bedford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Postcode
- MK43 8RL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for housing having regard to the spatial strategy and access to services and facilities
What decided it
The proposal's location outside the settlement hierarchy with poor accessibility to services and facilities and heavy car reliance directly contradicts the Framework's objective of achieving sustainable development, and this harm significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits of housing delivery despite the Council's housing land supply shortfall.
The modest benefits of housing delivery (nine dwellings), redevelopment of previously developed land, and economic benefits were outweighed by significant harm to the spatial strategy and sustainability objectives; the tilted balance under Framework footnote 8 did not apply because the adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against Framework policies for sustainable locations.
Framework references: 125, 73, 15, 8
Plan policies cited: Policy 3S, Policy 4S, Policy 7S, Policy 2S part iii, Policy 29 part v, Policy 31 parts ii and iii, Policy 53 part i, Policy 87, Policy 88, Policy 28S, Policy 30
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.