Central Bedfordshire resolves to grant permission for 1,850 green belt homes

The committee was satisfied that very special circumstances existed, outweighing harm to the green belt and other harm that would be caused by allowing the development to go ahead.

The proposed scheme includes the redevelopment of 166 hectares of land, including farmland and a former chalk quarry, to provide an urban extension to the north west of the town of Houghton Regis. In addition to residential development, the plans include a local centre with shops, restaurants and community and leisure facilities; office development; a new primary school; and public open spaces including sports facilities and a natural wildlife area.

The development site forms part of the North Houghton Regis Strategic Allocation (NHRSA), which is proposed to be excluded from the green belt in the CBC's emerging Development Strategy for Central Bedfordshire.

An officer's report to CBC's development management committee said the scheme would "be harmful to the green belt due to its inappropriateness and its impact on openness", would lead to the loss of agricultural land and would be harmful to the setting of a scheduled monument. However the officer said "a multitude of factors weigh substantially in favour of the proposal", which, taken together "represent very special circumstances sufficient to outweigh the green belt harm and other harm identified".

Among the identified benefits of the proposal were the "significant contribution which the development would make towards the urgent housing and employment need in the area"; the provision of 30% affordable housing; strong policy support for the site's development; and "the strong likelihood of a strategic allocation north of Houghton Regis being formalised in the future."

Neighbouring Luton Borough Council made a legal challenge last year to CBC's decision to grant outline permission for up to 5,150 homes and 202,500 square metres of employment land on another part of the proposed NHRSA. However, the challenge was unsuccessful in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Planning expert Sophie Walter of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com said: "A positive decision based on urgent housing need and delivery of significant employment beyond the construction phase will be viewed with interest by those promoting urban extensions in the green belt elsewhere.  However, the relatively high percentage of affordable housing will not go un-noticed."