Traffic nightmare

Cranfield Parish Council recently gave a strong “No” to plans to put 135 houses behind Flitt Leys Close on a site that will also have a school with a future health centre nearby. 

 It has stated that it is not opposed to housing (at Central Motors) per se, but to the inadequate access from the High Street and it believes the proposal is storing up problems by using an existing road, which is already under pressure.

Parish Council chair Mrs Delise Ball said: 

“The housing development itself is on a site agreed by the Parish Council. But we have never had a proper explanation how a school site was added.

“Flitt Leys already struggles to cope with traffic. If you add in a twice-daily school run, school buses and health centre use it promises to be a nightmare.

‘No real effective solution has been found for our present problems and the additional pressures on an already overstretched access are short-sighted and frankly ridiculous.”

The council is also objecting because of “adverse impact” on Flitt Leys Close residents and a lack of progress on a Central Beds Council pledge to tackle existing traffic congestion in the cul de sac.

It says the proposal inaccurately refers to Flitt Leys Close providing  "adequate access" and it believes a Central Beds Council aspiration to encourage future residents to walk, cycle and car share is "highly unlikely".

Other objections include poor information - The planning documents refer to the health centre being both lapsed and going ahead - added pressure on parking from the health centre and inadequate parking per house because of the optimistic assumption that garages will be used for parking. 

The council says there is no evidence how a school bus will access the school or alternatively drop children off safely without entering Flitt Leys. And there are concerns about access for fire service vehicles.

Designated play areas have not been concentrated as requested and the proposed 'swale' or balancing lake provides no information for its maintenance or safety.

Planning and highways officials have repeatedly told Central Beds councillors that the access is adequate, even if a school and health centre are built.

The Parish Council made a determined attempt to have the design brief, which gave a school site the green light overturned earlier this year.

The local development framework (LDF) allocated housing in Central Bedfordshire long-term. The school site was added in at the very end of the LDF process after the parish council had supported 135 houses.

Parish Council reps will be meeting senior Central Beds councillors and planning  officials next week to seek an explanation how the school was allocated to the site without local discussion.