Political lines have been drawn following the prime minister’s announcement that Bedford Borough is one of 38 councils to be identified as a potential Investment Zone.
As part of the recently published Growth Plan, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) said Investment Zones will be sites which have “potential to accelerate growth and deliver housing” and will “benefit from a liberalised planning process”.
It is expected that an Investment Zone will be a specific location selected by local partners, but local and neighbourhood plans will still apply to development outside of the zone.
Local Conservative groups have come out in favour of the relaxing of planning rules and removal of what they describe as “unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles”, while Bedford’s Labour and Green councillors – alongside national environmental charities – are urging caution.
Conservative MP for North East Bedfordshire, Richard Fuller, said he was encouraged that Bedford’s mayor was expressing an interest, however, Mayor Dave Hodgson, said while he is “looking forward” to identifying potential benefits from the government’s new Investment Zones, more detail is needed.
“Unprecedented attack on nature”
The most vocal opposition to the proposals has come from environmental charities, including the RSPB and the National Trust.
The RSPB has described the new PM’s Growth Plan as, “an unprecedented attack on nature and the laws that protect it by the UK Government.”
It says the proposals could “trash planning rules – meaning housing and commercial developments could be incentivised to damage nature with little or no restriction.”
Now the RSPB is appealing to people across Bedfordshire, including its membership of more than one million people, to urgently contact their MPs to tell them how they feel.
Jeff Knott, the RSPB’s director of policy and advocacy, said: “The shocking proposal to liberalise planning rules and “release land” in the newly announced investment zones are also of huge concern to us. It would appear that these zones would allow developers to build carte blanche on some of our last remaining wildlife sites.
“To us they look less like investment zones and more likes destruction zones.”
“More detail needed”
The mayor told the Council’s Executive Meeting (23 September) that the idea of Investment Zones appears to have developed very quickly under the new chancellor’s reign.
“Details are sketchy,” he said. “But I understand that the proposal may include lower tax rates at certain sites, streamlining planning arrangements to accelerate growth, greater local control over funding, and possibly greater certainty over affordable housing numbers.
“The proposals are still, in my view, unclear in many areas, and we need more detail in many areas, including infrastructure scales and timescale.
“So I look forward to early discussion to clarify these proposals so we can identify the potential benefits for the borough and its residents,” he said.
“Burdensome” planning requirements
The Investment Zones Factsheet said many of the “burdensome” requirements, which have made the planning of large sites slower and more complex, will be reduced.
This, it added will enable developers to bring forward “good quality” development which responds to the market.
However, key planning policies, such as the national policy on the Green Belt, protecting heritage, and addressing public safety matters will continue to apply.
A DLUHC spokesperson said: “Investment zones will help unlock growth where local communities want it.
“They will incentivise investment and liberalise planning rules in specific areas to deliver homes and development.
“We are in discussions with Bedford Council about the Borough becoming an investment zone.”
Planning expert, Andrew Burgess, told the Bedford Independent that the plans had been greeted with dismay by many in the planning profession.
“The Government’s announcement is poorly thought out and lacks detail. Indeed in respect of Planning, there is no detail at all and it states, “we will set out further detail on the liberalised planning offer for Investment Zones in due course”,” he said.
“No wonder there is dismay from the RSPB, the National Trust and the Planning profession.
“What we really need are more Development Corporations such as were set up in London Docklands and Liverpool under the stewardship of Lord Heseltine.
“Most people want a Planning system that guides development to appropriate places in a responsible manner. Whatever your views on Margaret Thatcher she would not have done this with no safeguards.”
“Half-baked plans”
Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, Mohammad Yasin, described the plan as “half-baked”, a “planning free-for-all” and lacking in any detail.
“Carefully considered investment that genuinely stimulates growth in our area is something I would support,” he told the Bedford Independent.
“I share the deep concerns of wildlife organisations that view this as an unprecedented threat to nature across the UK.”
Green councillors Lucy Bywater and Ben Foley (Castle ward) shared Mr Yasin’s concerns.
“This seems to be a desperate ‘dash for growth’ which risks serious further environmental harm to the Borough, in order to enrich a few wealthy individuals who don’t want to pay taxes rather than to benefit local people,” said Cllr Bywater.
“I’m horrified that the already limited powers of Bedford Borough Council would be further curtailed under these investment zone plans. This is an attempt by central government to bypass local democracy and impose ultra-Conservative extremist policies on part of the Borough”.
“Big opportunity”
By contrast, Bedford’s Conservative councillors welcomed the plans with open arms.
Cllr Graeme Coombes said, “This is potentially a really big opportunity for Bedford and the Mayor needs to examine the opportunity carefully and if it looks good, grab it with both hands.
“Investment Zones have the potential to accelerate the infrastructure that Bedford needs to drive economic growth – infrastructure that has been woefully lacking under the current Mayor.
“The Government is proposing to cut unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and red tape that slow down infrastructure development, cut taxes to back business, and as a result, attract new investment and jobs to Bedford.”
Cllr Tim Wooton, Conservative mayoral candidate was the most emphatic in his support of the scheme.
“This new announcement from our Conservative government is great news for Bedford and boy do we need it.
“After years of blaming everybody else for the deterioration of Bedford – with everything from almost 14 years of managed decline to pathetically, and often seemingly doing nothing as businesses move away. This new scheme should make a big difference to us locally.
“I’ll do what the current Mayor won’t and I’ll thank the Tory Government for their help in the full expectation that Dave will blame everybody else if it goes wrong and take the credit if it goes right.”
with additional reporting by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
