Demand for Council to Come Clean over Mowsbury Golf Course Development Plans

The council's plans to turn Mowsbury Golf Course into a 270-home housing estate are surrounded by a fog of confusion as conflicting messages emerge from the Town Hall. Liberal Democrat opposition to the plans was met with a response by the Council in the pages of the Bedfordshire on Sunday which stated that the Golf Course site was included in error amongst 21 sites proposed by the council for development. However, Putnoe Ward Councillors have received a letter from the Council which contradicts this message directly, and Liberal Democrats are demanding that the Council comes clean over its intentions for the site.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Putnoe Ward Cllr Michael Headley said: "Local residents faced with the prospect of further erosion of valuable green space need to know for certain that Mowsbury Golf Course will not become a large housing development. A letter dated 27th August to Putnoe Councillors states clearly that the Council has plans to develop the golf course site for housing as an extension to the urban area. There was no hint that the plans had been submitted by mistake.'

"Local ward councillors have had no further contact from the Council on the matter, and so we were surprised to read a claim in the newspaper that the Council submitted the Mowsbury Golf Course proposal in error. We would of course welcome any confirmation that the proposal has been withdrawn. However, I am surprised that the Council seems to have decided that the best way to communicate with local Councillors is via the Beds on Sunday newspaper!'

"Even if the plans to build housing over Mowsbury Golf Course are shelved, the council's intention to build homes on the Bedford Athletic site to the north of Wentworth Drive remains. The battle to prevent urban sprawl and damage to the local environment in this part of Bedford therefore continues. Meanwhile, a large number of further sites are also proposed for residential or commercial development by the council, including land currently used for a variety of public amenity and leisure uses including the Aspects Leisure Park, Mile Road allotments and public parkland."