Local planning applications
The Planning Authority for the area is Central Bedfordshire Council, who decide on all applications for planning permission.
Biggleswade Town Council (BTC) is consulted on all planning applications in the Town area and provides comments to the Planning Authority. Members of the public can also comment and should forward their observations to the Planning Department at Central Bedfordshire Council.
The Planning Department can be contacted by e-mail at: planning@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or by post: Planning Department, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ.
All planning applications can be viewed through the Central Bedfordshire Council Planning Portal. Every planning application has a reference number which will need to be quoted on all correspondence.
Current planning applications are considered at Town Council meetings and are listed on the agenda for each meeting. Council agendas can be accessed here.
Neighbourhood Plan
The Biggleswade Neighbourhood Plan passed referendum on 6th October 2022.
To view the Biggleswade Neighbourhood Plan Document, please click here.
To view the press statement from the Town Council, please click here.
The Biggleswade Neighbourhood Plan was formally adopted by Central Bedfordshire Council on the 17th October 2022. Central Bedfordshire Council’s decision statement can be read here.
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
A Neighbourhood Plan allows a community to play a more prominent role in its future, giving it the power to create a shared vision and policies that will shape the development and growth of the area.
The Neighbourhood Plan sits alongside the Local Plan prepared by Central Bedfordshire Council. The policies contained within the Neighbourhood Plan are then used to decide on future planning applications for Biggleswade. A made Neighbourhood Plan carries significant weight in determining future planning applications.
For further information on Neighbourhood Plans, please visit the Government website.
Designation of Neighbourhood Area
The Town Council decided to prepare a Plan in January 2018 and Central Bedfordshire Council formally designated the plan area in July 2018. The Plan area is coterminous with the parish boundary (see map).
Initial Development of the Plan
A steering group was formed to progress the Plan. Regular meetings of the group determined that the Plan would not be all-encompassing but that it should address the following areas: Green Spaces, Design Guides, Leisure and Transport/Town Centre/Parking. An outline document was produced setting the wish for a Neighbourhood Plan in context, showing the areas which the plan would cover and ways in which the wider community would be involved. This was approved by Council in December 2018. (Click here for Council report)
A Vision for Biggleswade
The December 2018 Council meeting also agreed the following vision for the Plan:
Our vision for Biggleswade is that it should be a thriving, large market town with individual shops, services and leisure offer in the town centre, retail and business parks to the south of the town and plenty of green spaces to enjoy the open air.
Various maps have been produced to highlight different aspects of the plan and are available below:
Maps
- Biggleswade Town Centre
- Biggleswade Car Parks
- Biggleswade Commercial Development
- Biggleswade Conservation Area
- Biggleswade Committed Developments (CBC Map)
- Biggleswade Green Spaces 1
- Biggleswade Green Spaces 2
A first public engagement exercise was held in March 2019 and a second Public Engagement exercise was held in March 2021. Please find below the analysis to the questionnaires from both of these engagement events.
- First Neighbourhood Plan Public Engagement Questionnaire Analysis
- Second Neighbourhood Plan Public Engagement Questionnaire Analysis
The pre-submission version of the Plan was taken for a further round of formal consultation in the autumn of 2021.
Regulation 16 Consultation
The Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 15 Submission document and supporting documentation was submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council in February 2022. Central Bedfordshire Council then completed the six-week Regulation 16 Consultation.
The documentation submitted can be viewed below:
Independent Examination
An independent examination was then undertaken. The examiners report was received in June 2022. Following receipt of this report, a final document of the Neighbourhood Plan was agreed that was then taken to referendum.