Bedford Tigers (Rugby League) will be playing Bedford Queens (Rugby Union) in a charity match on Saturday, 20 April 2019, kick off at 2.00 pm, at the Kings Field Sports and Community Centre, Biddenham.
One half of the match will be played with League code rules and the other with Union code rules.
Photo courtesy of Gary Ingerson, Rocket Brand Communications
Five bedroom contemporary house proposed for site of former Biddenham sewage pumping station:
Surprised that Biddenham has a defunct sewage pumping station? Although in a popular spot, few will have noticed it as nature has virtually reclaimed the territory.
First question – where is it? Just off Bromham Road, by the bridge, close to the kissing gate entrance to the river valley park, and behind the heritage trail notice board and the small ‘fishermen’s car park’. Despite being within the flood plain, many would see this as a highly desirable spot for a house, but to approve the application would indeed be a travesty.
There are no existing properties on the south side of this lengthy section of Bromham Road. and once off the road the walker is surrounded on all sides by delightful open countryside and the panorama of the river valley. The area is of significant heritage and archaeological interest, as emphasised by its inclusion on the Biddenham Heritage Trail which passes along the western boundary of the site, and the proximity of the historic Bromham Bridge. A new property in such an outstanding area of amenity would be a visual aberration, and anathema to the rural setting. Access from the site is extremely dangerous, producing a major blind spot for all traffic travelling east from the bridge. The society is therefore recommending rejection.
To view plans: go to www.bedford.gov.uk/searchplans and click the link ‘To view and comment on planning applications’. Enter the planning application number 18/03253/FUL and click Search – Documents – View associated documents.
To submit comments: register on the above site and submit on the internet, or send by e-mail as a pdf attachment to planning@bedford.gov.uk quoting the reference and your full name and address.
Closing date for responses: 11 February 2019.
Tony Wood
Chairman
The Biddenham Society (founded 1965)
Biddenham Society opposes plans for Baulk House
Application 18/01831/FUL to construct a property on a narrow plot between Baulk House and 64 Bromham Road has been opposed by the society. Baulk House is grade 2 listed and in opposing the application the society has drawn the attention of the planning authority to a recent publication by Historic England
https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/gpa3-setting-of-heritage-assets/
which sets out the factors to be taken into account when a new build property is to be sited close to a listed building.
The society lists several reasons why the setting of the listed Baulk House would be compromised by the proposal, as well as criticising some poorly presented aspects of the application which fail to illustrate the effects of the new build on various views of, and across, the property.
Tony Wood
Chairman
The 2018 Biddenham Show will be held on Sunday, September 9th at:
St James’ Primary School & Village Hall, Main Road, Biddenham – 12 noon – 4pm
The replacement would have three floors against the two at present, with a prominent double depth crown roof and a footprint three and a half times the existing.
The architectural style and mass are not replicated in other properties on Main Road, which is more typified by single houses of varying character which do not detract from their surroundings.
The roadside boundary of the site fronts the Biddenham Conservation area, and any development will therefore have a significant impact on the special character of this pretty part of Biddenham, and on the setting of the grade 2 listed building opposite.
The society believes the proposed replacement building is not contextually appropriate in respect of size, scale, massing, architectural character, relationship with nearby buildings, and alignment and treatment of the setting, and has recommended that planning permission is refused.
The Biddenham Society
(founded 1965)
In 2016 the Biddenham Society successfully had ‘White Cottage’, 34 Day’s Lane, listed to avoid any possible demolition of this historic property, one of the few Arts and Craft houses in the village. An application has now been submitted for a variety of repairs, alterations and extensions to the main house, and for the construction of a substantial annexe in the garden.
Whilst the society is prepared to support many of the repairs and alterations, we have serious concerns on a number of matters including the choice and use of the materials proposed which we believe will compromise the design and setting of the building. We have made our reservations known to the planning authority and suggested ways forward for consideration.
We are however completely opposed to the construction of the annexe which, in our view, is quite inappropriate. The structure would not only compromise the house itself, but also the important relationship between the house and the garden design for which the architect achieved renown, and which was lauded by the famous Gertrude Jekyll and continues to influence garden design to the present day.
Full details of the application can be found on the borough’s website by quoting 18/00877/FUL or 18/00878/LBC.
Tony Wood
Chairman
see also details associated with the closure of Ford End Road Bridge – work here will be completed here before any work can start on the Bromham Road bridge
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The game is Rugby but more specifically Rugby League – if you haven’t seen it live come down and have a look. Game starts at 2:30pm.
The teams involved are Bedford Tigers and Luton Vipers (Two adult teams that play in the East of England league).The Bedford Cup is an annual season opener and the new feature is that the cup has been donated in memory of Lesley Ashton who sadly passed last year and was a popular teacher over many years in the Bedford area.
Following the cup game there will be a set of fixtures starting on 5th May and we will publish the fixture list separately.
This will include games against teams from Milton Keynes, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, St Ives, Southend, Brentwood, Hitchin/North Herts and Luton. There will also Under 14 and Under 16 activities and games each week.If you love Rugby please come down. Watch the game, have a sit and a cup of tea or a beer and enjoy the fresh air. There is no entry fee.
[The ground is located at the Biddenham end of the bypass]
click photo below
Photos, courtesy Gary Ingerson [Rocket Brand Communication]
the Biddenham blog 
