A Planning Inspector has allowed an appeal by Gladman Developments for the construction of up to 170 new homes on land east of Langford Road, Langford. The decision, issued on 11th November 2024, overturned Central Bedfordshire Council’s refusal from February 2024.
Gladman identified the site as a logical and natural extension to the existing sustainable settlement of Langford. The outline planning application, submitted in November 2023, included affordable housing, public open space, landscaping, a sustainable drainage system, and vehicular access from Langford Road.
The council had cited seven reasons for refusal, including concerns about countryside encroachment, highway impacts, archaeology, and ecology. However, Gladman’s team was confident that these issues could be addressed and that the proposal represented a sustainable extension to the village.
In allowing the appeal, the Inspector concluded that the benefits of the proposal — combined with the lack of a demonstrable five-year housing land supply — outweighed the identified harms. The scheme was deemed a sustainable residential development capable of delivery in the short term.
