| Conditions or Reasons: | | 1)
The site is located adjacent to but beyond defined settlement envelopes, within the open countryside for development plan purposes and within the important countryside gap reference CG8 which separates Maulden main village and Maulden Green End. The proposed development, by virtue of encroaching residential form into an open countryside setting would result in a significant and permanent, harmful impact on the landscape, as well as and the character, appearance, pattern and identity of settlement 'ends' through the Coalescence of the settlement 'ends' and would introduce a swell of development to an area characterised by more linear form, which would not be sufficiently mitigated by a landscaping belt to the site frontage. Accordingly, the proposal would fail to comply with Policies SP5, SP7, EE4, EE5, EE8 and HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (adopted July 2021), the Central Bedfordshire Landscape Character Assessment, the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), and the Draft Maulden Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 16 Consultation - February 2023) Policies M1 and M3. |
| 2)
The submitted Preliminary Ecological Appraisal and Surveys are out of date and no biodiversity metric / Ecological Enhancement Scheme has been provided. In the absence of further update surveys or a biodiversity metric / Ecological Enhancement Scheme, the application contains insufficient information to demonstrate that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact on protected species, habitats or ecosystems, or that the development would be able to provide a net gain in biodiversity. As such the proposal is contrary to Policies EE2, EE3 and EE8 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and Section 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021) and Policy M5 of the Draft Maulden Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 16 Consultation - February 2023). |
| 3)
No Foul Drainage Strategy has been submitted. As such the applicant has not demonstrated that the development would benefit from a suitably designed foul drainage strategy within the scope of the layout and the development would not increase on or off-site flood risk, or cause unacceptable impacts on human health or the environment. The proposed development therefore conflicts with Policies CC3, CC6 and CC8 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021), Policy M5 of the Draft Maulden Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 16 Consultation - February 2023) and the National Planning Policy Framework (2021). |
| 4)
In the absence of a completed legal agreement securing financial contributions to offset infrastructure impact, including education, early years, healthcare, community halls, outdoor sport, bus stop improvements and waste, the development would have an unmitigated and unacceptable impact on existing local infrastructure. In addition, the development would also fail to provide affordable housing and appropriate arrangements for children's play and open space provision as well as management and maintenance. The development would therefore not amount to sustainable development and would be contrary to Policies T4, HQ2, HQ3, HQ4, H4, and EE13 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021) and the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021). |
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