New Villages in Marston Vale

Development Brief

Whilst the pressure for new development is not always welcome the Trust does support O&H Land who are promoting five new villages in Marston Vale focused around the Waterway Park. If granted planning consent the scheme will create the all-important central section of the Waterway Park between Brogborough and Stewartby lakes. In particular we strongly support

• The way in which the Waterway Park is integrated into development
• Delivery of the water infrastructure early in development phasing. This will be hugely beneficial in demonstrating the value the waterway can bring as an integral element of new communities.
• The use of the waterway to deliver sustainable drainage and water resilience
• Using the Waterway Park as a walking and cycling spine through the development connecting to both Bedford and Milton Keynes and to other local communities.

The Waterway Park will help create a sense of place for much of the new development so that communities have a sense of living somewhere exciting and different. The development is community focused and seeks to create a low carbon society. Many of the elements which help create the new villages are consistent with those promoted by the Trust  as an advocate for the waterway park – distinctive, ambitious, promoting healthy living, increasing biodiversity and building climate resilience. Above all this scheme may well create the first significant section of the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway.

The Trust strongly supports the Development Brief for the new villages in Marston Vale

Please support the Waterway Park by adding your own comments to the consultation which ends on 16^th March 2021.