The proposed site can be seen outlined in red, shown in the context of the surrounding and wider area, below. The land outlined in blue indicates other land within the same ownership.

Richborough was founded in 2003 and is one of the UK’s most successful specialist land promotion businesses with projects across the country. Richborough work in partnership with landowners, councils, local stakeholders and the community to bring forward development schemes that deliver new homes and facilities that meet the needs of a local area.

At the forefront of their ethos, Richborough strive to create sustainable developments that are of high quality and integrate sympathetically with their surroundings.

Bedford Borough Council are currently unable to demonstrate an adequate supply of new housing land to meet their Local Housing Need, calculated in line with the Standard Method set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The council are currently understood to only be able to demonstrate a 3.43 year supply of new housing land, against the required 5 year supply.

Furthermore, the Inspector’s examining the Council’s emerging Bedford Local Plan 2040 have advised the council to withdraw their proposed Local Plan from examination. This is due to a significant shortfall of housing delivery and to allow proper consideration of the new Universal Studios proposal which will have a significant impact on demand for housing in the area. Given a replacement Plan remains some years away, and that construction is due to commence in the coming years at Universal, there is a vital need for increased local housing in the coming years.

It is considered this site can therefore be brought forward in the shorter term, providing much needed housing for the area and assisting Bedford in meeting its housing needs.

The area proposed to accommodate the new homes is located to the immediate east of Newton Lane and approximately 150m south of High Street, Turvey. The northern part of the overall site is proposed to accommodate open space and sustainable drainage features. Beyond the site to the north is an existing area of scrub land and horse paddocks, with an existing watercourse running between these and the site. The south of the site is defined by an existing maturing tree belt. To the east of the site is another, albeit much larger and mature tree belt.

The site is within Flood Zone 1 and there is no risk from surface water flooding within the proposed developable area.

The site does not contain any listed buildings or other protected environmental assets. The nearest historic assets are Turvey Conservation Area to the north of the site and the Lodge to Turvey Hall (Grade II Listed) approximately 140m to the south of the site. The existing open space to the north will retain the distinctive, linear form of the Conservation Area along the key east-west route of the High Street. There will also be a clear distinction between the Conservation Area (and the listed buildings within it), whilst the proposed development will be shielded by the existing rectilinear planting buffer to the south of the site.

Of the approximately 95 new homes proposed, a mix of housing is to be provided, informed by local evidence of need, community consultation and ongoing dialogue with the council.

As part of the proposal, areas of public open space and green infrastructure corridors are located to the north and south of the site, connected by new footways spread throughout the development, encouraging sustainable means of travelling to the surrounding areas and enhancing amenity to public open spaces.

The development parcels have been located to protect the character and context of Turvey’s Conservation Area. The northern Local Green Space and the public right of way to the north that runs through this space, the latter being relevant in respect of Neighbourhood Plan Policy T4 (Local Green Space Designations).

Within the northern area of open space will be a SuDS feature, potentially in the form of an attenuation pond, which will ensure that the surface water is managed on-site, with additional benefits to residential amenity, improving water quality and biodiversity net gain.

The northern area of open space will also likely contain an area for children’s outdoor play equipment, which will also provide benefits for existing residents.

A concept plan has been produced (please see below), indicating how the site has been designed to provide an attractive and functional development which addresses matters from the last proposal in 2017.

The proposal presented as part of this consultation exercise has been moved south by approximately 50-60m when compared to the historic proposals on the site. This improves the site’s relationship with the Turvey Conservation Area. Further conservation mitigation could be provided by forming a ‘character frontage’ along the northern and southern edge of the scheme, taking into consideration design influences that will ensure local character is respected and in-keeping.

Vehicular access into the site is proposed from Newton Lane and this proposed new access, is considered able to appropriately serve a development of the proposed scale. An internal spine road will then allow access throughout the site, with narrower more informal roads creating attractive streets along which the proposed housing will be accessed.

• A logical high-quality and sustainable extension of Turvey including comprehensive landscape planting and open space to ensure the development appropriately blends with the edge of settlement location;
• A variety of house types and sizes, with a large portion being affordable, to meet the varied needs of the residents of Turvey;
• A development well located on a main highway link, with good links to the strategic highway network;
• New pedestrian linkages from Newton Lane and to the Public Right of Way network to the north, west and east;
• An area of children’s outdoor play equipment;
• A net gain in the biodiversity of the site as a direct result of the development;
• Drainage/wetland area to provide functional drainage and surface water management for the site, but also amenity and ecological benefits; and
• Enhanced landscaping proposed around the site’s boundaries and at strategic locations throughout the proposed development.

Richborough are keen to hear your views about the proposed development south of the village Turvey, Bedfordshire, prior to the planning application being submitted to Bedford Borough Council.

There will be further opportunity to provide comments on the planning application when it is formally submitted to the council and these comments will be considered by the council when they determine the planning application.

This website has been produced to inform residents about the future development. It also gives residents the opportunity to make comments on the proposals, to be considered by the project team and to inform the design submitted to the Council.

We are particularly interested in your answers to the following questions:

1. What types of housing do you think would be most suitable for the site?
2. Do you have any comments, ideas or suggestions on the Concept Plan?
3. How important are the following elements of the scheme to you?
   Funding for community and social infrastructure.
   Retention of existing hedgerows and trees.
   Protection of amenity for existing residents.
   Provision of new public open space.
   Provision of a range of house types.
4. Do you have any further comments or questions about the proposed development?

If you want to share your thoughts about the project, you can email the consultation team quoting ‘Turvey, Bedfordshire’ to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Alternatively, please post your views to:

Strategic Planning
The Estates Office
Norman Court
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
LE65 2UZ

All comments should be received by 01/09/2025