Newly submitted planning applications for housing developments in Bromham & Biddenham should not be approved while an ongoing review takes place to allocate land for development in Bedford Borough to 2032, according to Ward Cllr Jon Gambold. 

The Bedfordshire on Sunday reported last week that Bedford Borough Council has received applications for a 93-home development in Bromham and an estate with 88 homes in Biddenham.

Cllr Gambold has branded the applications as ‘unfair on residents’ given that the Council is assessing the availability of land for new homes across the whole of the Borough as part of its Local Plan 2021 - 2032.

Cllr Gambold told the newspaper:

‘If the sites are considered as part of the 2032 consultation they will be compared to the other developments that have been put forward and what is a fair distribution of housing across the Borough.

‘But going for planning permission independently means it will likely not be considered in light of the future plan.

‘Biddenham is already being subjected to an enormous housing development 50 per cent of the size of the village. The proposed Bromham Road site equates to 10 per cent of Biddenham.

‘Demand for housing may increase but the infrastructure has not changed.’