Update: We’ve had an amazing response to our petition, thank you so much to everyone who has signed, but we still need your help in getting even more signatures to stop Central Bedfordshire Council’s (CBC’s) proposals to build up to 100 new houses on our green open space at Windsor Drive, Houghton Regis.
Our campaign has helped towards CBC announcing a “postponement” of their proposals to build, however we know they will be back, therefore we will continue to fight until the land is returned to the people of Houghton Regis to use as green open space for all time.
What’s the problem: The Councils proposal is to put up to 100 new houses on our open green space, a field which has been used most recently by local residents for dog walking, leisure and recreation but before that as farm pastureland for at least 200 years. It’s used by local footballers, rounders teams and for fitness sessions during the summer, it really is a vital part of our community.
This space is a valuable soak away for excess rainfall, we cannot predict the impact of climate change, increased rain, rising rivers and the new developments in the area. There is a very real flood risk living so close to the river off Windsor Drive, which could cause damage to our homes, increase our house insurance, and drop their market value.
There are a variety of birds, foxes, bats, squirrels, hedgehogs and badgers who use the area, they may be lost forever if development goes ahead. Also, the trees, hedgerow, plants, and grass which would be destroyed.
A bit of History: Houghton Regis is an ancient, historic town, it was once a small quiet village but due to CBS’s drive to build huge new housing developments, the majority of which are not affordable to local residents, we have seen our village turned into a large Town with a population heading towards 30,000. As a consequence, we have lost so much of our rural land, that’s why it’s so important Windsor Drive, as one of our last green open spaces, is saved from development. It must be kept as an open space for local residents, particularly given the additional burden and subsequent mental health issues people experienced during and are continuing to experience after, the pandemic.
Other issues: Although the Town has doubled in size, there’s been very little investment in terms of infrastructure, its almost impossible to get in to see a doctor or dentist and policing is inadequate to say the least.
Traffic is a nightmare, for years we campaigned to move traffic away from Windsor Drive for the safety of local residents as the volume of traffic and pollution were both high.
With the opening of the Woodside link, traffic flow through the area has been improved, so to add another 100 houses in such a small area would be taking us backwards rather than improving the situation. Residents living in surrounding roads such as Tennyson Avenue, Halleys Way and Longbrooke and also roads off Sandringham Drive, Tudor Drive and Lowry Drive in particular, will see a difference.
How you can help: We need as many residents, their families and friends as possible to sign the petition and help to put a full stop to these proposals.
You can join our Facebook group at The Friends of Windsor Drive
Thank you.
The Friends of Windsor Drive