Homes approved despite more than 5,000 objections

Plans for 170 properties on agricultural land have been approved despite nearly 5,500 objections.

Permission for the homes to the south of Steppingley Road, in Flitwick, Bedfordshire, had been refused by Central Bedfordshire Council's development management committee.

But Persimmon Homes Limited successfully appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, which issued its decision last week.

A spokesperson for the Save Steppingley Road Field group said that it was "a sad day" adding that they "put up a good fight".

The project includes open space, access roads, landscaping and other works on 22 acres of arable farmland, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The site had been allocated for housing in the council's local plan, which is a blueprint dictating where development should be situated across the district.

Planning inspector Glen Rollings said the impact on the character of the area, its ancient woodland, local nature reserve and on highway safety had been a bone of contention.

But he said the "urbanising effect of the development wouldn't be out of character" and any visual harm in the long-term would be negligible.

Vegetation would screen the housing from view, he pointed out.

"The delivery of housing is essential, given the absence of an appropriate short-term land supply locally," added Rollings.

"This would meet an identified need in the area, with affordable homes an extra benefit."

An application for costs was made by Persimmon against the council.

Conservative Flitwick councillor Ian Adams, who attended the three-day inquiry in January, said on social media: "I feel particularly sad for the members of Flitwick local action group, who pushed so hard on this and couldn't have done anything more for the cause."

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.