Highways And Access. Vehicular access is proposed via priority T-junction from Stanford Road at the northern site boundary, with the existing 30-40 mph speed limit change relocated accordingly to the east of the access junction.

A 3m wide shared footway/cycleway will be provided on the western side of the access road and along Stanford Road to link with existing provision further west.

A Transport Scoping Note has been prepared for submission to the Local Highway Authority to agree the scope of a Transport Assessment (TA) to support a planning application. 

Parking will be designed to meet local standards and to ensure it does not dominate the street scenes, whilst also being convenient for residents and visitors.

Air Quality. A robust air quality assessment will be prepared in consultation with the environmental protection team at Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC).

The site is not located within or near an Air Quality Management Area and the impact of additional traffic from the development on air quality will be negligible.

Mitigation measures will be implemented during the construction phase to minimise any temporary impacts on local air quality which may potentially arise due to the generation of dust and particulate matter.

Local air quality monitoring and estimated background concentrations available from the Defra LAQM Tools website suggest that existing ‘baseline’ air quality is likely to be good.

Ecology.   The southern part of the site is located within the Biodiversity Network and the River Ivel is identified as a Priority Habitat Chalk River and forms part of the River Flit County Wildlife Site (CWS).

The River Ivel will be suitably buffered and protected from potential impacts caused by the development. The opportunity exists to enhance the river and improve its value for biodiversity through riparian buffer planting and removal of invasive species.

A habitat survey has been carried out which confirms the majority of the site comprises grassland bound by hedgerows, trees and scrub, with areas of ruderal / ephemeral habitat. The hedgerows, which qualify as Priority Habitat and will be retained as far as possible under the proposals.

The site provides potential to support a range of wildlife, including bats, badgers, reptiles and breeding birds. Suitable habitat for these species will be retained or created as part of the proposals and appropriate mitigation implemented to ensure relevant species are safeguarded. 

Opportunities for enhancement of habitats within the site are presented through the creation of new areas of wildflower grassland and native landscaping, which will also contribute to delivering a 10% net gain in biodiversity.

Flooding And Drainage. All of the sites developable area falls within Flood Zone 1 (low risk).

The planning application will be accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and Sustainable Drainage Statement (SDS) which will assess the site with respect to all types of flood risk and will propose solutions for managing surface runoff and foul water.

New Homes.  Up to 100 homes in a range of house sizes and types, ranging from 1 to 4 bed houses to meet local policy requirements and identified need.

Affordable Housing.  30% affordable housing (i.e., up to 30 affordable homes).

Affordable housing is a combination of discounted rent, discounted sale (for first time buyers) and shared ownership housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.

This will assist those looking for their first home, and lower income individuals and families get on the housing ladder in Shefford.

How people access affordable housing depends on its tenure.  Generally, Local Authorities are responsible for allocating affordable housing for rent. In many instances, they will require that a local connection is demonstrated for someone to be eligible for a home. In some cases, applicants must have lived in the local area for a minimum of two years and these homes may be offered to applicants who can demonstrate family ties to the local area, or to people who previously lived in the area.

Walking and Cycling.  The proposals include new footpaths and cycle routes, creating wider connections to Shefford to promote walking and cycling.

Landscape Impact & Design.  New high quality homes in a variety of sizes and tenures are proposed to the north of the site, positioned in a way that respects the settlement edge and creates a soft transition between this and the wider countryside.

This site is approximately 4.19 hectares with part of the site previously occupied by two warehouses in the west which have now been demolished. This part of the site is classed as brownfield (previously developed land) with the remainder classed as greenfield (land that has not been previously built on).

The proposals respect and enhance the existing green and blue landscape, providing ample green space to the south along the River Ivel Navigation.

Acknowledging the important views to Shefford Windmill and its relationship to the town, establishing its setting and protecting views from the south will ensure it continues to act as a landmark in views from the local and wider landscape. 

Areas for play and recreation are incorporated within the landscape, as well as an attenuation basin, with a variety of leisure routes connecting homes to the landscaped spaces.

As part of the application preparation, a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) will be undertaken to determine the impact of the development on its surroundings.

Archaeology And Heritage. The site has previously been subject to both heritage assessment and archaeological investigation.

Fieldwork identified a small number of locally significant sub-surface archaeological deposits which can be dealt with through further investigation ahead of development.

The presence of the windmill tower on site will be considered and a suitable approach to this structure will be agreed with the council.

Noise.  A noise impact assessment will be undertaken to assess the suitability of the site for residential use.

The development adopts the principles of good acoustic design, incorporating the required noise specifications to the building envelope, and following those internal and external design considerations regarding the positioning of buildings to maximise the distance attenuation and screening effects to those most exposed buildings and bedrooms.

Mitigation measures will be utilised to control noise impacts on the new homes including double glazing (with suitable trickle ventilation), appropriate facade construction, stand-off distances and boundary mitigation.