Flitwick Town Council Land at Steppingley Road
Flitwick Town Council (FTC) is moving forward with plans to secure planning consent for a new residential development on a parcel of land it owns at the bottom of Steppingley Road allotments.
A suitable build partner has now been identified, ensuring that this important project will progress towards delivering much-needed homes to local people and families, prioritising affordable housing.
The process of securing planning for house building on the land first started in 2015. The land was put forward to Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) under their call for sites in 2016 and it was identified as viable. It was then examined and subsequently included in the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan to 2035 for residential development for up to 35 homes which was adopted in June 2021.
Apart from some minor adjustments to the site of entry to the allotments on Steppingley Road, the development will not impact the current allotment site or reduce the number of allotments available to residents.
A pre-application planning report was submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council’s planning team, and the feedback received was very supportive of a scheme that prioritises approximately 25 predominantly affordable homes.
To ensure that the best value for the land can be secured the final development may allow for a limited number of open market properties. However, the project will be built and managed by a housing association, ensuring that the maximum number of homes will be accessible to those who need them most.
Proceeds from the land sale will be used to fund capital projects within the town.
FTC will continue to keep residents updated on the progress of the proposed development and intend to hold a public consultation in the spring. In the meantime, detailed questions and answers can be found at www.flitwick.gov.uk or a hard copy is available from the Town Council offices. Two ‘Chat to a Councillor’ sessions will take place on 17th and 24th January at Flitwick Village Hall. Further dates will be added at different locations.
