Brampton have submitted another planning application for Odell Road.

BBC Planning Services concluded the proposed development was likely to be considered an incursion into the open countryside with a detrimental impact on the rural character — and would not be supported by officers if submitted.

Application to replace a barn on the High Street in Little Odell, equidistant from amenities. Refused, and dismissed at Appeal. BBC stated the development was in an unsustainable location, contrary to BBLP policies 51S and 53(i).

Replacement dwelling on Odell Road, very close to the current site. Refused for failing to enhance the character, quality and identity of the locality — contrary to Policies 66, 28S, 29 and 30 of the Local Plan and OD4 of the Odell Neighbourhood Plan.

Unsuitable location

The site is in open countryside outside the Harrold SPA and would be out of character with the linear form of development along Odell Road, harming the rural character of the area, contrary to the BBC Development Plan.

Access remains a major concern

BBC Highways have accepted visibility splays under the less stringent Design Manual for Streets 2, not Roads and Bridges. The applicant's survey was taken at the Folly, where traffic is already slowing, not at the site entrance, and the raw survey data has not been made public. Harrold Parish Council is so concerned it is prepared to fund its own compliant traffic survey.

Overdevelopment

The previous 17-house proposal was deemed uncharacteristically cramped by the Inspector. With 16 houses the situation is no better: at least 25% have gardens under 13m, with hardly any space between dwellings and a layout dominated by the access road and parking for 42 vehicles.

Flood risk

All run-off would discharge into Harrold Lake, then Grebe Lake, then via ditches into the Great Ouse. Properties and bridges along the river already flood several times a year. BBC Policy NE16 prohibits development that would intensify flood risk — this proposal will inevitably contribute to it.

Affordable housing not integrated

The five affordable ("social") houses are squashed into one corner. Four of the five are two-bed, while the eleven market houses are three or four-bed — contrary to Policy 58S of the Bedford Borough Local Plan 2030, which requires the size and type of affordable homes to reflect the market housing.

Harm to wildlife and habitat

The Ecological appraisal admits a bat roost and active birds' nests may be lost, pollutants may enter priority hedgerows, and habitat for Great Crested Newts and reptiles will be destroyed. Mature hedgerows would be removed for visibility splays — at the first appeal the Inspector called this further harm to the area's rural character.

Poor quality open space

The 330 sqm of communal open space appears to satisfy BBC policy but is a strip sandwiched between the road and the car park — of no value to the community. Inspectors describe this approach as doing "just enough" to tick the boxes.

Loss of outlook for neighbours

At the last appeal the Inspector ruled the previous proposal caused unacceptable harm to the living conditions and outlook of No 91 Odell Road, conflicting with Policy 32. This application refers only to an unspecified "eco buffer" with no supporting evidence, and Plots 15 and 16 again have gardens under 13m.

Loss of agricultural land

The proposal would result in the significant loss of best and most versatile agricultural land, contrary to national policy and the BBC Development Plan, alongside policies protecting the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside.

Unsustainable development

BBC has previously ruled the adverse impacts of development here significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. The site is just as far from amenities as the rejected Odell High Street proposal, and includes parking for 44 cars — encouraging car use contrary to BBLP policies 51S and 53(i).

Backdoor to 90 houses

The application retains an access into the rest of the field, despite residents and HPC repeatedly asking for it to be removed. This adds nothing to the design and is clearly being retained as the access for a future phase — perhaps the remainder of the 90 houses previously proposed. The rest of the field already has other points of access in use.