®Planning appeal decision
59 Kempston Nurseries, Green End Road, Bedford, Kempston, MK43 8RL
Planning appeal 6006437 at 59 Kempston Nurseries, Green End Road, Bedford, Kempston, MK43 8RL (Bedford Borough Council) was dismissed on 23 June 2026 by Inspector L Reid, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for housing having regard to the spatial strategy and access to services and facilities.
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
- Inspector
- L Reid
- 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.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 3SPolicy 4SPolicy 7SPolicy 2S part iiiPolicy 29 part vPolicy 31 parts ii and iiiPolicy 53 part iPolicy 87Policy 88Policy 28SPolicy 30
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 125Paragraph 73Paragraph 15Paragraph 8
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.