The Greensand Ridge offers sweeping vistas over the Forest of Marston Vale, a community forest in Bedfordshire. Once a brickmaking hub, the area now features lakes formed from old clay pits. The Rookery South Energy Recovery Facility processes waste and generates electricity. In addition Universal Studios is set to open its first European theme park in Bedfordshire, on the site of the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks beside the A421. Scheduled to open in 2031, this major development is expected to create around 28,000 jobs and bring significant economic benefits to the region. This will complement the picturesque views of Marston Vale, enhancing the area's appeal to both locals and visitors. Planning in Bedfordshire is administered by three unitary authorities: Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, after Bedfordshire County Council was abolished in 2009. The current Strategic Planning position in Bedfordshire is as follows: Bedford Borough The Local Plan 2030 was adopted in January 2020 [...]

Planning in Buckinghamshire offers great opportunities due to its location with Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east and Hertfordshire to the east, together with its position in the Oxford  Cambridge (OxCam) Arc. Buckinghamshire is one of the home counties with towns such as High Wycombe, Amersham, Chesham and the Chalfonts in the east and southeast of the county forming some of the most densely populated parts of the county. Development in this region is restricted by the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Chilterns AONB. Other large settlements include the county town of Aylesbury, Marlow in the south near the Thames and Princes Risborough in the west near Oxford. The areas around the old county town of Buckingham and near Olney in the northeast, are much less populous. The largest town is Milton Keynes in [...]

As we pass the third quarter of 2025, the Government’s drive for planning reform shows no signs of slowing—continuing to push for faster housing delivery and critical infrastructure upgrades. In this Q3 update, we take a closer look at how local plans are progressing, highlight major National Infrastructure projects shaping the landscape, and explore recent appeal decisions that could influence what’s ahead. National Planning The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has now reached the Report Stage in the House of Lords, with Royal Assent expected later this year. Since June, some changes have been made: councils will still be able to set their own planning fees, and planning committee members must complete mandatory training. New rules will also support nature and biodiversity through Environmental Delivery Plans and a Nature Restoration Levy. The Bill also strengthens powers for councils to buy land for development and improves management of large-scale planning strategies [...]

The Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 was submitted for Examination, with Hearing Sessions held during 2023. In November 2023, the Planning Inspector raised significant concerns about the soundness of the plan, particularly around the deliverability of key infrastructure. Without sufficient justification and supporting evidence, the Inspector indicated that the plan may need to be withdrawn and a new strategy adopted. Since then, the Council has been working to address the Inspector’s concerns. However, the proposed Universal Studios theme park in Bedford has introduced major new planning considerations that were not accounted for in the submitted plan. As a result, the Inspector advised that the plan was no longer capable of being made sound and recommended its withdrawal. At the full Council meeting on 8th October 2025 Councillors voted to withdraw the Local Plan from examination. The Council’s formal letter to the Inspector confirming this can be viewed in the Examination [...]

In March 2022 Natural England announced emerging evidence which identified significant recreational pressure on Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC), more specifically Ashridge Commons and Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) component. Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) which were identified as partly or wholly with the 12.6km Zone of Influence (ZOI) were contacted and asked to find a strategy to mitigate the impacts of future residiential developments on the Chiltern Beechwoods. The following LPAs worked together to provide a solution: Buckinghamshire Council(Aylesbury Vale and Chilterns Districts); Central Bedfordshire Council; Dacorum Borough Council; St Albans City and District Council; Dacorum Borough Council have produced a mitigation strategy and associated processes to satisfy the requirements of the Habitats Directive. The mitigation strategy includes the following elements: 1. Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) 2. Identification of SANG sites to provide compensation 3. Identification of a Gateway Project Strategic Access Management [...]

Through the first half of 2025, the Government has continued to reaffirm its commitment to planning reform aimed at accelerating housing delivery and infrastructure development. In our Q2 news update, we review the progress of local plans, National Infrastructure projects and recent and forthcoming appeal decisions: National Planning Since April 2025, the UK government has advanced several planning reform initiatives. The Planning Reform Working Paper on Speeding Up Build Out proposes measures like incentivising faster development and introducing penalties for delays, while a related technical consultation—closing on 19 July 2025—seeks views on new transparency requirements for developers and powers for councils to decline applications from those with poor build-out records. A separate working paper on Reforming Site Thresholds published on 28 May 2025, proposes a tiered approach to site sizes—introducing minor, medium, and major thresholds—to better tailor planning obligations and support SME builders. Responses are invited by 9 July [...]