Nothing for Sandy in CBC housing strategy

Sandy Lib Dems are publishing in full, a letter sent to the Biggleswade Chronicle by local councillor, Nigel Aldis. He comments that Central Bedfordshire Council's housing strategy lacks a commitment to extend the town beyond its existing boundaries for the next twenty years.

The Editor,
Biggleswade Chronicle

The Housing Strategy for Central Bedfordshire for the next twenty years has no plans to extend Sandy outside of its current boundary. There may be some small scale infilling or back garden developments but that is all. When the current locations at the former Mellor Beauty site and next to Tesco are completed there are no more. A Garden City is way off the radar. Someone has been badly advised as to what is possible.

Natural and man-made infrastructure severely restricts the potential for further housing in the Sandy area. The mainline railway to the East, flood plains to the south and the A1 to the west impede further growth. Extending the town north is a distinct possibility but it would almost certainly have little relationship to Sandy in the same way as the Fallowfield estate is not fully integrated into the Town.

The Town could expand east beyond the railway but perhaps as many as 1,400 houses would be needed to pay for crossing points over or under the railway. So that leaves the west of the Town which is bordered by the A1. This principal road is not the only source of congestion in the town centre but it is a major factor. No further development should be considered until there is a new route for this road which is fit for purpose.

Cllr Nigel Aldis
Member for Sandy Ward
Central Bedfordshire Council

More Help Needed For NEETs In Our Part of Central Bedfordshire

The Government is to give Central Bedfordshire £46.8 million to boost four schemes in the west of the district. Most of the funding goes to two road schemes, the Woodside Link Road in Dunstable which joins the industrial estate to the M1 and the dualling of the A421 between Milton Keynes and M1 Junction 13. This road scheme will reduce congestion, support the creation of more jobs and accommodate housing growth. Other beneficiaries are a new Engineering and Construction Skills Centre and improvements to the guided busway.

£2.5 million is being provided to build a new Engineering and Construction Skills Centre for Central Bedfordshire College in Leighton Buzzard which will serve the whole of Central Bedfordshire. As well as training and educating young people and adults to work as technicians in those industries which need more skilled workers locally, the Centre will be a stepping stone for university or higher education courses. The Centre is scheduled to open within the next two years. This is good news for Central Bedfordshire as a whole but how is it going to help those unemployed youngsters in Chronicle Country to acquire the skills they need to get into work? Leighton Buzzard is a three bus trip via Luton and takes over three hours.

If Central Bedfordshire Council is serious about getting NEETs into work perhaps they could spend some of the grant on addressing this problem for our local youngsters.

Cllr Nigel Aldis

Member for Sandy

Central Bedfordshire Council