An application to enclose land at Linmere Walk, Houghton Regis, has been submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council.
In the application, a statement for the applicant's states, “The side elevation of current fence is bordered by a grass bank adjoining Linmere Walk. This grass bank is the property of the applicants shown by the title plan. ”
The statement continues, “This is maintained by the applicant, and is currently being used a toilet by irresponsible dog owners. The situation becomes worse during the summer, as more dog walkers enjoy the good weather. Cleaning the dog's faecal matter is not pleasant, disposal is also not easy as the specialist bins are not provided in the area. Moving the fence to the boundary would reduce the problem, at the same time as to allow the family to enjoy the summer without the unpleasant smells.”
The application is supported by a Land Registry copy of the title plan which shows the grass area to belong to the property adjacent.
The other side of the pathway is left to bushes and trees abutting the future Houstone School now in construction.
26 September 2022 Update
The application was refused by the Council. In their statement, the Central Bedfordshire Council state "1. The proposed change of use from public amenity land to garden residential land and the erection of a closed boarded fence would, by reason of its siting, scale, design and resultant enclosure of amenity land, result in harm to the visual amenities of the area by enclosing an open parcel of land which provides a valuable contribution the street scene adjacent to a well-used footway. It would appear out of character with adjacent boundary treatments which abut the footway and would have a detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the surrounding area. As such, the proposal is in conflict with policy HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021), and section 12 of the NPPF.
"2. The proposed development, if permitted, would create a tunnel-like effect along the adjacent public footpath and create an environment for pedestrians where the public’s perception of the route would result in the use of the footpath being discouraged and lead to issues of perceived lack of safety, with a related detriment to the promotion of sustainable transport. The proposal is therefore in conflict with policy T2 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021)."
To view the application go to the CBC Planning portal, search for the application number, CB/22/01234/FULL.
* Image above: Content credentials Generated with AI ∙ 21 October 2023 at 4:01 pm
