Planning Applications
The Parish Council does not determine planning applications but we are a statutory consultee.
We have a policy for viewing planning applications.
You can find a list of planning applications in the Parish here
The Parish Council does receive some Community Infrastructure Levy money to provide infrastructure to support new development. We report how this money is used each year.
Planning Policy is Determined by Bedford Borough Council and they are currently developing a new Local Plan. Information about this can be found on their website: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/planning-and-building/planning-policy-its-purpose/local-plan-review/
Large sites were put forward for development in our parish in the Call for Sites but none of them made it into the final plan submitted to the examiner in January 2023.
| Call for Sites Submissions in Staploe Parish in 2021/22 | |||||||
| Site Name | Ref number | Location | Area (ha) | Approx houses (lower range) |
Approx houses higher range |
Comment | |
| Cottage Farm | 908 | Upper Staploe (red barns) | 0.25 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Manor Farm | 455 | Duloe | 12.1 | 300 | 300 | ||
| Eaton Bank | 8835 | Adjacent to the A1, Duloe | 2500 | 3000 | If selected this would replace Top Homes and Flints Field | ||
| Top Homes | 931 | Beside Bushmead Rd and A1 | 17.1 | 400 | 400 | Included in the Eaton Bank site submitted later | |
| Flints Field | 930 | Beside B645 and A1 ) | 17.6 | 400 | 450 | ||
| Cobholden Farm | 997 | South of Duloe | 120 | 2040 | 3000 | Assuming 17-25 houses / ha + green space, community areas, employment and retail | |
| Duloe | 3420 | South West Duloe | 2.8 | 25 | 84 | Proposing 25 houses on northern section. Total capacity 84. | |
| Denybrook Garden Village (proportion in our parish approx 40%) | 977 | West of Wyboston | 290 | 3000 | 4060 | This is 40% of the whole development – remainder would be in Wyboston parish. | |
| Total | 459.85 | 8669 | 11298 | ||||
| Denybrook Garden Village (whole “village”) | 977 | West of Wyboston | 725 | 7500 | 10150 | This includes homes + green space, community areas, employment and retail. | |
As a result the Parish Council have decided to start a Neighbourhood Plan. Further information about this can be found on the following page: Staploe Parish Neighbourhood Plan
Bedford Borough’s Local Plan 2040 was not approved by the inspector in early December 2023. The key issues were:
- Some of the transport infrastructure projects (eg. A421 widening project) being critical to the proposals and yet they do not have committed funding. Unlike the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet which does have committed funding.
- Not being able to build homes at Little Barford and Kempston Hardwick at the rates assumed (600 dwellings per year on each site for 3 years)
The inspector suggested an element of targeted growth around key service centres and rural service centres. At the moment we are not a rural service centre. Great Barford and Sharnbrook would be examples of rural service centres.
The Borough Council requested that the examination process be paused until January 2025 because of the proposal for Universal Studios to develop a theme park and associated housing in Bedford at Kempston Hardwick.
In October 2025 the Borough Council decided to abandon the plan submitted in January 2023 and begin a new one. In late 2025 Universal Studios was approved which is likely to impact the new Local Plan. A new call for sites is expected in Spring 2026.