Thank you for your help

The Riseley Eco House would, we believe, be the first house to be built in Bedfordshire to comply with the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 - Zero Carbon.

Bedford Borough Council draft Allocations and Designations plan has been published for consultation up to 13 July 2010.  The council is keen to hear your views on the draft proposals.  Comments should relate only to valid planning matters.  Other matters cannot be taken into account by the council when preparing the plan.  
For more information on what is and what isn't a valid planning matter, please click here.


We own a site in Riseley on which we would like to build the Riseley Eco House, but at the moment it is designated as a Village Open Space and development will not be permitted on land designated as a Village Open Space.

The Short Cut:

Please use the  reply form below to let Paul Rowland, Assistant Director (Planning and Housing) Bedford Borough Council know that Riseley Site G, site no 29 adj 156 High Street does not fulfil the criteria which the council have used to justify its designation 


“E the open space assists the transition between village and countryside providing a soft edge to the village which is pleasing visually”

and therefore should not be designated as a Village Open Space.

The Longer Way:

Please read through the following notes and then use the reply form below to let Paul Rowland, Assistant Director (Planning and Housing) Bedford Borough Council know that Riseley Site G, site no 29 adj 156 High Street does not fulfil the criteria E which the council have used to justify its designation and therefore should not be designated as a Village Open Space.

The Notes:

Bedford Borough Council have identified open spaces as village open spaces/views where they meet one or more of the following five criteria:

Village Open Spaces Criteria A to E page 112

http://www.portal.bedford.gov.uk/internet/environment/planning/website%20documents/allocations%20and%20designations/a&d%20consultation%20draft%20plan%20may%202010/A&D%20May%2010%20CONSULTATION%20DRAFT%20PLAN.pdf

·       
  A  they are publicly accessible and valuable to the local community for sport, recreation or as amenity space

·         B they give identity to settlement or village by helping to retain its form and reflect past history (examples include village greens)

·         C they provide a gap or break in the frontage which contributes to the character of a settlement for example by providing a view into a village which forms part of the village setting or a view into open countryside establishing the relationship between the form of the village and the countryside beyond.

·         D the gap provides visual relief in an otherwise built up area punctuating the street scene

·         E the open space assists the transition between village and countryside providing a soft edge to the village which is pleasing visually

Our site is called “Riseley Site G, Site no 29 Adjacent 156 High St” and is behind the trees on the left in the photo. It is designated as a Village Open Space only on one of the 5 possible criteria namely “E the open space assists the transition between village and countryside providing a soft edge to the village which is pleasing visually”

Village Open Spaces Riseley – site G page 6

http://www.portal.bedford.gov.uk/internet/environment/planning/website%20documents/allocations%20and%20designations/a&d%20consultation%20draft%20plan%20may%202010/a&d%20consultation%20draft%20background%20papers/ch%2015%20-%20village%20open%20spaces%20and%20views/important%20open%20space%20review/Riseley.pdf

We reject the premise that the site assists the transition between village and countryside, providing a soft edge to the village which is pleasing visually

The space in question is not at the end of the village and therefore does not provide a transition – there are 6 house, Margaret Beaufort Middle School and the caretaker’s bungalow before you reach open countryside on the same side of the road.  On the opposite side of the road there is a small estate (Hunter’s Yard), 7 houses and a petrol station.

We would not in any case alter the tree line at the side of the road and would use the existing field gateway to gain access to the site and the proposed Riseley Eco House. The site is 1.6 metres above the High Street and provides very limited views, even in winter when the trees are not in leaf.  There is no public access to the site.  A public footpath runs along one side of the site, but again, has limited views because of hedges on both sides. It should be noted that the council admits that the site for the Riseley Eco House would “be easily incorporated into the existing settlement pattern of the village”.

It will help us if you contact Paul Rowland, Assistant Director (Planning and Housing) using the response form which can be sent “Freepost”. It is essential to address planning issues ie that the site should not be designated as a village open space and not just plead the case for the Riseley Eco House.

Thank you for your support     

This consultation is now closed but if you have any comments we will be pleased to have them

George and Sue Davies                  July  2010

Bedford Borough Council

Allocations and Designations Draft Plan

Allocations and Designations Development Plan Document Draft Plan Consultation

Issues and Options Stage

http://www.bedford.gov.uk/environment_and_planning/planning_town_and_country/planning_policy/allocations_and_designations/ad_draft_plan.aspx

Bedford Borough Council is currently preparing an Allocations and Designations Plan as part of its Local Development Framework. The Plan makes specific site allocations and land designations. It identifies where development should occur and areas where specific policies will apply, including policies to protect land from development.

The Allocations and Designations Plan is being prepared in accordance with the strategy and higher level policies already adopted in the Core Strategy and Rural Issues Plan.

The Issues and Options Stage of the Plan's preparation started at the beginning of 2008. Details of work that has already been carried out, including sites submitted during the 'call for sites' in 2008, can be found on the main Allocations and Designations page.

As part of the Issues and Options Stage of the Plan's preparation, the council is currently consulting on a draft Allocations and Designations Plan.

The current consultation will run from 31 May to 13 July 2010.

Consultation Documents

The draft Plan is made up of a written statement and a series of maps. It is also supported by a number of background documents, including a Sustainability Appraisal.

The council is keen to hear your views on the draft proposals. Comments should relate only to valid planning matters. Other matters cannot be taken into account by the council when preparing the plan. For more information on what is and what isn't a valid planning matter, please click here.

Allocations and Designations Plan consultation draft May 2010

Allocations and Designations Plan draft maps May 2010

Allocations and Designations Plan background documents May 2010

How to Comment

There are several different ways of responding to this consultation.

Online response form - an online response form has been created allowing a quick and easy way of commenting on those areas of the plan most relevant to you. After completing the form, simply click 'submit' at the end and it will be sent automatically to the council.

Letter/email - A letter or email can be sent to the borough council outlining any views or comments on the plan. These will be taken and added to the answers received through the response forms. If it is possible, it would be helpful if any comments submitted by letter or email could reference the policy number or part of the plan they refer to.

Responses submitted by email can be submitted to bdf@bedford.gov.uk.

Written responses can be sent freepost (no stamp required) to:

Paul Rowland

Assistant Director (Planning and Housing)

Bedford Borough Council

FREEPOST

ANG 5840

Bedford

MK40 1ZD

Response Form         All comments will be made public.

Chapter 15: Village Open Spaces and Views
b.             Are there any proposed areas which you think should not be designated as Village Open Space / View?  If yes, please give the location of the site and reasons why it should be not be designated. Site Number 29     Adj 156 High St  Riseley    The Riseley Eco House Project Site “Riseley Site G, Site no 29 Adjacent 156 High St” is designated as a village open space  only on one of the 5 criteria namely “E the open space assists the transition between village and countryside providing a soft edge to the village which is pleasing visually” We reject the premise that the site assists the transition between village and countryside, providing a soft edge to the village which is pleasing visually The space in question is not at the end of the village and therefore does not provide a transition – there are 6 house, Margaret Beaufort Middle School and the caretaker’s bungalow before you reach open countryside on the same side of the road.  On the opposite side of the road there is a small estate (Hunter’s Yard), 7 houses and a petrol station. The site is 1.6 metres above the High Street and provides very limited views, even in winter when the trees are not in leaf.  There is no public access to the site.  A public footpath runs along one side of the site, but again, has limited views because of hedges on both sides.  It should be noted that Bedford Borough Council in its Sustainability assessment of the site admits that the site for the Riseley Eco House would “be easily incorporated into the existing settlement pattern of the village”.
CONTACT DETAILS	Personal details
Title
Name
Job title
Organisation (if applicable)
Address	Postcode
Telephone number
We will keep your details in a database so that we can keep you informed about the progress of the plan. If you don’t want us to retain your details and keep you informed please tick the box opposite.

Responses submitted by email can be submitted to bdf@bedford.gov.uk.

Or by post to:


Paul Rowland

Assistant Director (Planning and Housing)

Bedford Borough Council

FREEPOST

ANG 5840

Bedford

MK40 1ZD

Response Form         All comments will be made public.

Chapter 15: Village Open Spaces and Views
b.             Are there any proposed areas which you think should not be designated as Village Open Space / View?  If yes, please give the location of the site and reasons why it should be not be designated. Site Number 29     Adj 156 High St  Riseley    The Riseley Eco House Project
CONTACT DETAILS	Personal details
Title
Name
Job title
Organisation (if applicable)
Address	Postcode
Telephone number
We will keep your details in a database so that we can keep you informed about the progress of the plan. If you don’t want us to retain your details and keep you informed please tick the box opposite.

Responses submitted by email can be submitted to bdf@bedford.gov.uk.

or please post to


                         Paul Rowland Assistant Director (Planning and Housing)

                         Bedford Borough Council

                         FREEPOST

                         ANG 5840

                         Bedford

                         MK40 1ZD

The Forum is open to all individuals and organisations who are concerned about climate change and have a vision of a sustainable energy future. Please read the BCCF position statement

George and Sue Davies have accepted an invitation to make a presentation on The Riseley Eco House Project at the Bedford Climate Change Forum Meeting at 8 pm on 1 July in the Friends Meeting House, 5 Lansdowne Road, Bedford. We will be supported by Bedford College Students on the Sustainable Construction Foundation Degree Course who are using The Riseley Eco House as a Case Study

Electric Car?

Shift to more sustainable modes of transport

Bedford Borough Council in their Sustainability Appraisal of our proposed site in Riseley are very concerned that we will increase car usage because of the low frequency of public transport in Riseley. We can confirm that we will include electric car charging points in the garage and that we plan to get an electric car as part of this project. Below is a very interesting write up of an electric car and biodiesel car project in Taybont-on Usk
reproduced with permission from "Fresh from the Pan" www.prospectory.blogspot.com


In Talybont-on-Usk, we've just launched a 1 year long community research project to see if "doing something different" in relation to our cars and how we travel around will change our attitudes to owning and using cars, their environmental impact and our ingrained habits in relation to them.

The project involves 11 volunteer households sharing access to two "zero carbon" cars - one 100% electric and one 100% biodiesel. The trial group has the challenge of attempting to replace 10% of their personal car miles by booking and using one or other of the zero carbon cars. It also allows us to experiment with the practical and social challenges of sharing vehicles within a rural comunnity.

The electric car also challenges one's perception of "normal" driving - it's fun and quirky but it will only travel at around 30mph (and even less when it encounters one of our many hills) and it will only go about 30 miles before it needs recharging. If it's cold (as it certainly has been) and you put the heater on to keep warm, then the car will go even less far! It's an interesting experience to drive along with your accelerator pedal flat on the floor but only be doing 30 mph!

It makes you very aware of the energy required to transport ourselves a few miles to the shops - especially in a hilly area.

At the start of the project, we carried out a detailed survey of the 11 households taking part - the current cars they have, how they use them, what aspects of owning a car are most important to them (e.g. identity, independence, storage space) and how they think about the environmental impact of driving them. We are running the same survey with a control group of households and then repeating it with both groups in a year's time to see whether participation in the "Do something different" car trial has had an effect on people's attitudes to owning their own cars,how they use them and the energy they demand.
www.prospectory.blogspot.com/

T

Bedford College Construction & Building Services Newsletter June 2010