How to respond to the consultation for sites in Stondon
Don’t miss the deadline to respond 📅 Consultation closes: Monday 17 August 2026
Please make sure you allow enough time to register, read the information and submit your comments.
Step 1 – Go to the CBC consultation website
Visit: Central Bedfordshire Council – Submitted Sites Consultation for Stondon
Step 2 – Click on ‘Comment’ button under site 136281
Step 3 – Create an account (or sign in)
Click on ‘Create an Account’ and follow the on screen instructions. It is essential to create an account as CBC are only accepting online responses. Once your account is created.
Step 4 – Click ‘Support’ or ‘Object’ to development of site 136281
Step 5 – Write your comments
You can write your own comments about the site based on your knowledge of Stondon and the particular site, or you are welcome to copy and paste the Council’s publicised response as shown below into your response.
Step 6 – Submit your response
Once you are happy with your comments, click Submit.
Please make sure that your response has actually been submitted before leaving the consultation website.
Step 7 – Comment on other Stondon sites
Click on ‘Comment’ button under site 136349 (next site in list) and repeat steps 4 to 6 above.
Step 8 – Comment on other Stondon sites
Repeat for all Stondon sites and those in adjacent villages (you can comment on as many or as few sites as you wish).
Map showing sites proposed in Stondon?
Stondon Parish Council responses and what to consider for your own comments.
Please remember that your response is your own individual response. You do not have to agree with or use the Parish Council’s response. Please note comments are limited to 100 words.
Our Parish Council responses for each site in Stondon are here: Stondon – Local Plan Call for Sites Response
Our Parish Council responses for sites adjacent to Stondon that will affect us are here: Local Plan Call for Sites – Adjacent villages
If creating your own responses you may find it helpful to consider the following questions:
- What are the specific problems or opportunities associated with this site?
- What would the impact be on roads, traffic and highway safety?
- What would the impact be on schools, healthcare and other community facilities?
- How would people access the site without a car?
- Would the development affect the countryside, landscape, trees, hedgerows or character of Stondon?
- Are there flooding, drainage or other environmental concerns?
- What would be the cumulative impact when this site is considered alongside other development in and around Stondon?
- If development has to take place, is this site an appropriate location compared with other sites?
Try to be specific wherever possible. For example, rather than simply saying “there are traffic problems”, explain what you know about the particular road, junction, school traffic, pedestrian movements or existing congestion.
What has Stondon Parish Council done?
Stondon Parish Council’s Local Plan Working Group has/is reviewing the sites identified within the Stondon parish boundary and those adjacent to it.
We will / have published our responses to help residents understand the proposals and make their own informed responses to Central Bedfordshire Council.
Stondon Parish Council and Save Our Village will be hosting a drop-in session on Monday 10th August 2026 for residents who are not sure about how to respond, would like assistance with filling in their response, or if they simply need more information.
Central Bedfordshire Local Plan – Background
Central Bedfordshire Council is preparing a new Local Plan 2050, which will help shape how Central Bedfordshire develops up to 2050. As part of preparing the new Local Plan, landowners, developers and others have put forward sites which they believe could potentially be used for development or other purposes. Central Bedfordshire Council is now asking residents, businesses and organisations to comment on these submitted sites.
What is a “Call for Sites”?
A Call for Sites is an early part of the Local Plan process. Landowners, developers and other organisations have been invited to identify land they believe could potentially be used for things such as:
- new homes
- employment and business development
- green infrastructure and open space
- green energy
- education, leisure and other community uses
Importantly, putting a site forward does not mean that it will be developed. It does not mean that planning permission has been granted, nor does it mean that Central Bedfordshire Council has decided that the site is suitable.
Each site will go through a detailed assessment process. This will consider matters including highways and transport, flooding, landscape, ecology, heritage, access to services and whether the location can be reached by walking, cycling and public transport. Residents’ views will form part of the information considered alongside technical evidence and national planning policy.
Why is it important for Stondon residents to respond?
The sites being considered now have a direct influence on where development of new housing takes place in and around Stondon in the future.
Central Bedfordshire Council is specifically asking residents to use their local knowledge when commenting on sites in their own area and want to understand which sites residents would prefer to see developed – if development has to be accommodated.
Your response could help highlight issues that may not be apparent from maps and technical assessments alone.
For example, you may wish to consider:
🚗 Roads and traffic
- Would development increase traffic on Station Road, Bedford Road, Hillside Road or other local roads?
- Are there existing congestion or highway safety problems?
- Are there particular concerns around school drop-off and collection times?
- Could additional traffic affect pedestrians, cyclists or children travelling to school and nursery?
- Is the existing road network capable of safely accommodating additional traffic?
🏫 Schools and community facilities
- Is there sufficient capacity at local schools?
- Would additional development place pressure on existing community facilities?
- Are there sufficient health, leisure and recreational facilities for additional residents?
🚶 Walking, cycling and public transport
- Can residents realistically reach schools, shops, community facilities and public transport without relying on a car?
- Are there safe and suitable footways and cycle routes?
- Would the site require improvements to existing walking and cycling infrastructure?
🌳 Countryside, landscape and village character
- Would development change the character or appearance of Stondon?
- Would it result in the loss of valued countryside, open land, trees or hedgerows?
- Would development cause the village to spread further into the surrounding countryside?
- Could development contribute to the coalescence of neighbouring settlements?
💧 Flooding, drainage and water
- Is the site affected by existing flooding or drainage problems?
- Could development increase surface water run-off?
- Is existing drainage infrastructure sufficient to accommodate additional development?
🏘️ Cumulative impact
It is also important to consider the combined impact of development.
A site might appear manageable when considered on its own, but the impact could be considerably greater when considered alongside other existing, approved or proposed developments in and around Stondon.
You can raise concerns about the cumulative effect on roads, schools, healthcare, drainage, open space, community facilities and the character of the village.
A note about planning applications
The Call for Sites consultation is not the same as a planning application consultation.
Some of the sites may already have planning applications associated with them. If you want to comment on a particular planning application, you must submit your comments through the separate planning application process.
Comments submitted through the Call for Sites consultation will be considered as part of the preparation of the new Local Plan.