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Planning Town and Country

The Planning Service provides information on planning applications, appeals, enforcement, conservation areas, listed buildings, tree preservation orders and policy documents.

To view associated documents, please click here.

 

The Planning Web Pages

The Planning web pages give information and detail on each area of the Planning Service provided by Bedford Borough Council. Broadly, the Planning Service is provided by three teams. To find out more about the teams and the services they provide, please click on the links below:

 

You can contact the teams by email at planning@bedford.gov.uk, by writing to Planning Services, Town Hall, St Paul’s Square, Bedford, MK40 1SJ or by telephoning 01234 267422.

 

Planning Applications

Most new development requires planning permission. The basic rule is that planning permission is needed for what the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 defines as ‘development’. For further information on planning applications, please click here.

We are currently in the process of scanning various historic planning files. For more information, please click here.

 

Latest Planning Headlines

BEDFORD BOROUGH BECOMES A UNITARY COUNCIL

On 1st April 2009, the Borough Council became a unitary authority. With this change of status come a number of new responsibilities.

In the case of regional planning, the Council is now a Section 4 (4) authority in its own right and is tasked with advising the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) about the capacity of the borough to accept additional growth through the review of the East of England Plan process.

In addition, development control functions previously carried out by Bedfordshire County Council e.g. the provision of schools, libraries etc are now carried out by the borough.

The Council is now a minerals and waste planning authority responsible for determining minerals and waste planning applications, plan making, monitoring and enforcement. This is provided on a shared service basis and the minerals and waste team are hosted by Central Bedfordshire Council. For more information on minerals and waste, please click here to visit Central Bedfordshire's website.

Following the move to unitary, the functions of Planning Services have been strengthened to take on the Council’s new role and to incorporate services previously provided by the County Council. These include archaeology, maintaining the heritage environment record, trees, highways development control, highways agreements and highways searches.

 

The Planning and Housing Service Unit have received an application for the construction of a wind farm development comprising 6 wind turbines up to 125m in height to blade tip and ancillary equipment and access tracks in conjunction with planning applications to Milton Keynes Council for three turbines, one anemometry mast (80m) and access tracks and the Borough of Wellingborough for three turbines, substation, compound, access tracks and site access as part of a single wind farm of 12 turbines for an operational period of 25 years at land west of New Road, Nun Wood, Harrold (planning application number 09/00137/MAF). Details of the application including all supporting documents can be found at or viewed by visiting the Town Hall in Bedford. For more information, please go to http://www.npower-renewables.com/nunwood/

 

The Climate Change and Pollution SPD was adopted on 17 December 2008. Click here for further information.

Please note that major changes to permitted development to householder applications took effect on 1 October 2008. For details please contact the Duty Planning Enquiries Officer on mondays-fridays between 8:45 and 12:30 on 01234 221798.

 

The Planning and Housing Service Unit have received an application for the erection and operation of 3 wind turbines, associated infrastructure including access tracks, crane pads, construction compound and control building, underground cabling at Airfield Farm, Podington (planning application number 08/2692/MAF). Details of the application including all supporting documents can be found at http://www.nuonrenewables.com/newsite/projects/SAPD1/default.aspx or viewed by visiting the Town Hall in Bedford.

 

Public Access

To track an application, conduct a History search or find planning application numbers please use our Planning Public Access Portal website where you will be asked to accept the terms and conditions before proceeding.

 

Planning Committee

The Planning Committee convenes every three weeks to discuss relevant issues to do with Planning in the Borough. To view the Planning Committee Agendas, Reports and Minutes for the current financial year, please click here.

To view past Agendas, Report and Minutes, please click here and select the year you wish to view. Alternatively Committee papers can be reviewed at the Planning Reception during office hours.

 

Right to Speak Scheme

You can apply to speak to the Planning Committee if you wish to object to a planning application. For more information on the Right to Speak Scheme, please click here.

 

Planning Service Plans

Click on  the documents below to view the Planning Department’s Service Plans.

 

Planning Service Plan 2004-9 (April 2008) (298 kb)

Half Yearly Planning Service Plan (April to December 2008) (90 kb)

 

Duty Officer

The Duty Officer deals with all general/pre-application enquiries between 8:45 and 12:30 Monday to Friday. The Duty Officer can be contacted on 01234 221798 or emailed at planning@bedford.gov.uk. It is useful to provide the Duty Officer with as many details as possible to speed up our reponse, please espescially provide the duty officer with the property address concerned. Calls in relation to a current/determined application will be transferred to the relevant case officer.

 

Useful Planning Terms

Click here to view useful planning terms

Don't Miss

Here you will find information on environmental and planning issues. This section provides a wealth of information including details on how to make or enquire about a planning application, rubbish, waste and recycling information.