Agenda and minutes

Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors A Gray and R Yates.

(i)    Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer of it.

(ii) Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council (see Dispensation Procedure).

Members were asked to declare any interests, including the nature of those interests, which they had in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. No declarations were made.

To receive questions and statements from members of the public in respect of any item of business included in the agenda, as provided for in Standing Order Nos 3(e)(f)(g) and 3(h).

A member of the public and representative of the Leighton Buzzard Society as well as the PAIN (People Against Intrusive Noise) group spoke in respect of the current consultation taking place about the proposed expansion of London Luton Airport. The proposals would be considered directly by the Planning Inspectorate and not the local planning authority. A response had been prepared which could be shared with the town council for information.

(a)  To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning and Transport Committee meeting held on 16 February 2022 (attached) in accordance with Standing Order 12.

(b)  To receive information updates on matters arising from the previous meeting (if appropriate).

The Committee received the minutes of the Planning and Transport Committee meeting held on 16 February 2022.

Minute reference 270/P: a number of verbal updates were given and would later be circulated by email in respect of actions taken since the previous meeting regarding the resolutions made by committee regarding place shaping in the town, traffic orders in the town centre and the location, quantity and engine idling of taxis. It was also noted that a response from Central Bedfordshire Council on a number of highways related issues raised at previous meetings had been circulated by email since the previous meeting.

The Committee reiterated its wish to start a dialogue as soon as possible with the local authority about the longer term status of the town centre.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning and Transport Committee meeting held 16 February 2022 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

To receive and formally note the decisions taken since the previous discussion meeting by delegation to the Town Clerk with email approval from a majority of Council members in accordance with Standing Order 15 (c) (vii) (attached).

The Committee received a record of the decisions taken since the previous discussion meeting  in accordance with the scheme of delegation agreed by Council, with email approval by a majority of committee members.

RESOLVED to note the decisions.

To consider Planning Applications received (attached). An updated list will be issued on Friday 4 March 2022 (if applicable).

The Committee reviewed applications received up until Friday 4 March 2022.

RESOLVED to recommend to Central Bedfordshire Council that no objection be made to the following applications, subject to Highways being satisfied that the proposals would have no adverse impact on car parking in the local area:

(i)             CB/22/00441  4 Parkview Court, New Road, Linslade

(ii)           CB/21/05379  5 Badgers Brook

(iii)         CB/22/00656  2 Dove Tree Road

RESOLVED to recommend to Central Bedfordshire Council that objection be made to application reference CB/22/00248 (15 Wing Road) on the grounds that the proposed development would not meet car parking standards and would result in increased traffic movements in an already congested area and in close proximity to a pedestrian crossing.

RESOLVED to strongly object to and to recommend that Central Bedfordshire Council object to planning application reference CB/22/00219 (land north of Vandyke Road) on the following grounds:

-       That the Town Council had previously resolved that a green corridor should be maintained along the length of the Narrow Gauge Railway to protect the town’s main tourist attraction and also to protect residents from the impact of the line (loss of privacy, noise, soot and smoke).

-       That the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the existing amenity of the Narrow Gauge Railway line and potentially threaten its existence.

-       That the proposed development would be on land between the 100 – 105 metre contour lines and would therefore be visible, intrusive and would extend the settlement edge beyond the line originally intended.

-       That the proposal was contrary to the previously agreed requirement for a landscaped gateway into the Chamberlains Barn development from Vandyke Road.

-       That the proposal would extend the built development closer to Vandyke Road than on neighbouring parcels of land and would set an adverse precedent.

-       That the proposal was in addition to the 2011 consented application for the Chamberlains Barn site and was not included in the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan housing allocation.

-       That parking proposals for the development did not meet recommended Central Bedfordshire parking standards.

It was further noted that the incorrect naming of the plan as “Chamerlins Barn” indicated a lack of knowledge or care about the site as a whole.

The Committee reviewed application reference CB/21/05691/RM for phase 2, 195 dwellings on Chamberlains Barn Quarry. The Committee noted again that considering applications in isolation without the context of the wider development site plan was difficult.

RESOLVED to recommend to Central Bedfordshire Council that objection be made to planning application reference CB/21/05691/RM (Chamberlains Barn Quarry) on the following grounds: 

(i)             The plans indicated a high level of housing density without visible provision for amenity or informal space, despite the reference to “pocket parks” which were in any case not ideal due to possible noise/disturbance

(ii)           The plans lacked clarity on whether proposed tree planting would be on Highways maintained land or within the curtilage of privately owned properties (in which case, maintenance of those trees would be at the discretion of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 277/P

(a)  To receive updates on any matters raised at previous meetings including matters relating to traffic orders in the town centre (if appropriate)

(b)  To consider any other matters relating to highways/transport (if appropriate).

The Committee discussed the Central Bedfordshire Rural Match Fund and potential scheme ideas previously raised at an informal meeting in January 2022. It was agreed that priority projects would be:

(i)            Widening and improving of the diagonal footpath and cycleway across Parson’s Close Recreation Ground, to benefit all users and improve accessibility

(ii)          Improvements to the pedestrian path between Bunkers Lane and the railway bridge on Wing Road

(iii)         Speed indicator device in the vicinity of Greenleas Lower School, Derwent Road

(iv)         Improved safety measures at the barrier between the towpath and the canal bridge crossing on the canal bridge, Leighton Road (Tesco side of road)

It was noted that approaches had been made previously to the Canal and River Trust regarding the canal bridge barrier and agreed to follow this up prior to submitting a formal application to the Rural Match Fund.

It was noted that two schemes were invited for Rural Match Fund applications but that the council could also opt to pay in full for a Speed Indicator Device if it wished. Funds were available in the Highways Schemes earmarked reserve for match funding.

RESOLVED to finalise schemes for a Rural Match Fund application from the four shortlisted above at the next meeting of the Committee.

The Committee noted that the Speed Indicator Device at the entrance to the parish on Hockliffe Road was not operating and requested that this be reported to Highways.

(a)      To note the current statutory consultation on proposals for London Luton Airport (information at: www.lutonrising.org.uk , closing date 4 April 2022)

(b)      To receive and consider any items of information received (if applicable).

The Committee received correspondence dated 21 February 2022 from Central Bedfordshire Council in respect of a planning appeal at 18 Condor Drive.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Ouzel Valley Park Steering Group meeting held 2 March 2022 and noted that approval of the Buzzcycles Cycling Strategy for Leighton-Linslade had been recommended to Council for endorsement. The OVPSG had also made a recommendation to the Planning and Transport Committee to support Central Bedfordshire’s planning application for works to the former public conveniences under the canal bridge on Leighton Road to facilitate access to the towpath, when it came forward.

RESOLVED to note the information.

Further to the resolution made by Council on 29 November 2021, to receive a report and discussion document regarding current Five-Year Plan objectives and to consider the recommendations contained therein. 

Further to the resolution made by Council on 29 November 2021, the Committee received a copy of the current Five Year Plan and Objectives (as last updated July 2021) and the proposed revisions contained in a discussion document submitted by the Liberal Democrat group. Following discussion, a number of proposed amendments were recommended to be put forward to the Policy and Finance Committee for consideration.

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Finance Committee to consider proposed amendments to objectives 11-16 of the Five Year Plan and Objectives as set out in the attached document.