MEPPERSHALL
Planning
The Council normally meets on the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00pm but please check our published meeting dates.
Planning Application – CB/25/03804/OUT – Land East of Coneygate – Erection of up to 150 dwellings including affordable housing, with public open space, landscaping and sustainable drainage system (SuDS) and vehicular access. All matters reserved except for means of access.
First submitted in January 2026, this planning application faced strong opposition from residents, the Parish Council, CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England), MP Alistair Strathern, and Ward Councillor Blake Stephenson. In October 2026, the developer, Gladmans, submitted amendments aimed at addressing and minimising these objections to make the development more acceptable under planning guidelines. However, significant concerns persist regarding both the original proposal and the new amendments.
Why do you need to act again?
Don’t let silence be mistaken for consent. If you do not submit a fresh objection, the planning officer may assume the developer+’s amendments have resolved your concerns. While the developer has altered the design, layout, and scale, these changes fail to fix the fundamental issues. The amended plans still threaten the character of our village. Your previous objections are still on file, but they carry less weight against these new updates. We must act now to keep the democratic pressure on the planning system.
How to object?
- Remember every member of a household (no minimum age), your friends and visitors can submit an objection.
- We have listed our concerns in a template objection letter that you can add your details to. It can be downloaded here: Template objection letter. If you wish to write your own personalised objection letter please ensure that it clearly states “I object to the development” otherwise it will be treated as a comment. Full planning application details can be found on the CBC Planning Portal here: CB/25/03804/OUT
- To submit your objection letters either:
- post in one of the green post-boxes opposite 101-103 High Street, at the corner of Walnut Tree Way and the High Street, under the vehicle activated sign outside 69 Shefford Road and outside 26 Fildyke Road. We will deliver to CBC.
- Email your submission to andrew.cundy@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
- Enter your comments directly to the CBC planning portal. Link is here: CBC Planning Portal – app: 25/03804 Beware there is a word limit so you may have to do multiple submissions to submit all your comments and objections.
If you need help
If you need help, please contact us at: lovemeppershall@meppershall.org
Or, come along to one of our drop in sessions at the Village Hall on Wednesday 4th November 7 – 9pm (Willow Room) and Saturday 7th November 9:30 – 11:30am (Social Club) where members of the team can help you with you submissions.
Planning Applications
Planning permission is generally required for any new development, and certain extensions to existing dwellings. The local planning authority Central Bedfordshire Council Planning Department is responsible for control of the planning process, and notifies the Parish Council of all planning applications that affect the Parish of Meppershall. The Parish Council will be informed of planning applications such as:
- Advertisement Consent
- Conservation Area Consent
- Full Planning Application
- Listed Building Consent
- Outline Planning Application
- Regulation 3 where Central Bedfordshire Council is the Applicant
- Reserved Matters Planning Application
- S106 –Modification/Discharge
- Works to trees in a conservation area
- Works to trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order
- Variation of Condition
- Public Service Infrastructure Development
Meppershall Parish Council is therefore a statutory consultee on planning applications, and it is important to note that the Parish Council is not responsible for determining whether an application is granted or refused. The Parish Council will consider all planning applications during Parish Council meetings, and subsequent to this will resolve to either support, make comments on, or object.
How do I view planning application documents?
Full details of planning applications appear on Central Bedfordshire Council’s website. http://plantech.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/PLANTECH/DCWebPages/AcolNetCGI.gov
You can search their website using a variety of methods, including Parish Name, Address, etc.
How should I respond to planning applications?
Ideally, all responses to a planning application should be submitted directly to Central Bedfordshire Council. A guide on how to submit responses online can be found here.
When considering and writing a response, the below guides provide advice and information on appropriate material considerations. Alternatively, residents can raise comments at Parish Council meetings, during the public session.