| 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 (2023), and the Maulden Neighbourhood Plan Policies M1 and M3. |
| 2)
The proposed development layout fails to conform to Central Bedfordshire Council's Highway Construction Standards & Specifications Guidance in terms of access levels from the existing public highway (Clophill Road) and number of dwellings served from a private drive which would give rise to a form of development which is contrary to Policy T2 Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (2023). |
| 3)
The applicant has not included adequate visitor parking provision within the site for the parking of vehicles clear of the highway in accordance with Central Bedfordshire Council's Parking Standards for New Developments SPD. The development if permitted would be likely to lead to additional demand for on-street parking which is contrary to highway safety and the free flow of traffic along the highway and contrary to Policies T3 Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (2023). |
| 4)
The applicant has not demonstrated adequate provision for a satisfactory turning space within the site for service vehicles for the proposed pumping station. The resultant reversing of vehicles onto or off the highway would lead to danger and inconvenience to users of the highway contrary to Policy T2 Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (2023). |
| 5)
In the absence of a completed legal agreement securing financial contributions to offset infrastructure impact, including education, early years, healthcare, community halls, 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 for both the open space and foul drainage infrastructure. The development would therefore not amount to sustainable development and would be contrary to Policies T4, HQ2, HQ3, HQ4, H4, CC6, CC8 and EE13 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021) and the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework (2023). |
|
|---|