Land North-West of Lower Stondon

Rainier Developments is bringing forward an Outline planning application for up to 115 new homes, including up to 34 affordable homes, as well as landscaping and public open space, on land North-West of Lower Stondon.

This website provides you with the details of our proposals.

Site plan

The proposed development would deliver up to 115 new homes, including up to 34 affordable homes, public open spaces including a central village green alongside significant tree planting.

Our proposals

We are consulting on our Outline plans for residential development on this site, North-West of Lower Stondon.  

The illustrative site layout has been sensitively designed to respect the surrounding area. 

Up to 115 new homes are proposed, including up to 34 new affordable homes.

Access to the site is proposed from Hurricane Avenue to the east, which provides an onwards connection to A600 Bedford Road. 

This Outline application is to agree the principle of development and access. Specific details including the site layout and design would be decided through a subsequent Reserved Matters application.

Click below to see our consultation newsletter which provides further detail on our proposals.

Site masterplan

Benefits

The proposals include a number of local benefits for Lower Stondon including:

Delivering a range of house types and affordable homes;

Providing public open spaces for existing and future residents, including new play areas;

Creating a central green for the site, providing a natural open green space benefiting people and nature;

Footpath links running around the periphery of the site, providing natural walking routes;

Extensive landscaping including the incorporation of a sustainable drainage pond and significant planting to enhance the ecological value of the site whilst providing a natural visual buffer;

Financial contributions to improve local infrastructure, services and facilities in the wider community.

Illustrative example of how the future development could look - click to enlarge

Frequently Asked Questions

Proposed Homes

  • A. Housing is considered to be affordable where it is social rented, affordable rented, or intermediate housing, such as shared ownership or rent to buy.

    The proposed development would deliver 30% affordable housing, up to 34 affordable homes in total.

  • A. This application is to agree the principle of development and access only, with all other matters reserved.

  • A. Yes. There is a need for sites such as the proposed to come forward in order to meet the needs of the district's growing population.

    The proposed site provides a logical, sustainable extension to the village, making it ideal for residential development.

  • A. A range of house types, sizes and tenures will be delivered to accommodate a variety of household types and meet local needs in line with policy requirements.

    The final housing mix will be determined at Reserved Matters Stage.

Detail of proposals

  • A. Existing trees and hedgerows would be retained and enhanced with additional planting, including wildflower planting, attenuation basins and green, open spaces.  New play areas will also be integrated to provide outdoor spaces for new and existing residents to socialise and relax.

  • A. The site is in Flood Zone 1, which has the lowest probability of flooding. A sustainable drainage system is also proposed.

Highways

  • A. The site will be served by access via Hurricane Avenue, east of the site.

  • A.  While this would be considered at a subsequent Reserved Matters stage, it is understood that sufficient parking to meet the needs of new residents and visitors will be met on the development. Car parking will be provided in line in line with Central Bedfordshire Council’s Parking Strategy.

  • A. A Transport Assessment will be undertaken to assess the likely impact of the proposed development on the surrounding network and will be submitted as part of the planning application. 

Services and Facilities

  • A. Lower Stondon is a sustainable location, with access local services and employment opportunities in the village itself and surrounding areas.

  • A. The development would raise significant financial contributions towards local public services, which will be agreed in consultation with the local authority and engagement with the Parish Council. These contributions take the form of a Section 106 Agreement, and commonly include contributions towards health services, education and highways.

    The introduction of new modern and affordable homes will provide opportunities for the village to help to sustain and enhance the viability of existing services.

    The provision of open, public green space and play areas will provide amenity space for both new and existing residents to enjoy.

Ecology

  • A. Our proposals have been sensitively designed to complement and enhance the existing ecology and biodiversity of the site.

    Existing trees and hedgerows would be retained and enhanced with additional planting, including wildflower planting, attenuation basins and green, open spaces. 

    This focus on landscape, combined with a comprehensive drainage strategy, will support new habitats and strive to deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain.

  • A. An attenuation basin will provide the required storage and will also create ecological and water quality benefits.

Delivery

  • A. We hope to submit a planning application in early 2025, following consideration of the comments received during the public consultation.

  • A. Subject to outline planning approval being granted, Reserved Matters application(s) would have to be submitted and approved prior to the construction process commencing.

  • A. A Construction Management Plan will be put in place to manage things such as this. This would be secured by condition on the application and will be implemented during the construction phase of development.

Have your say

The deadline to share feedback has now passed. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. 

You can still find out more about the proposals and contact us by:

Viewing the information on this website