Developing in the Forest of Marston Vale: Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
What is the Forest of Marston Vale?
The Forest of Marston Vale is one of 12 nationally designated Community Forests, created in the 1990s as part of a program to regenerate degraded landscapes near large urban populations. The Forest of Marston Vale spans an area of 61 square miles between Milton Keynes and Bedford.
The vision for the Forest of Marston Vale is to deliver environmental regeneration by increasing tree cover from 3% to 30%, and in turn, providing major landscape, recreation, biodiversity, and quality of life benefits. By 2015, the Forest of Marston Vale Trust, working with local communities, landowners, businesses, and partners, had already increased tree cover to over 15%.
Why is the Forest of Marston Vale Supplementary Planning Document required?
Policy EE9 of the adopted Local Plan sets the requirement for all new development within the Forest of Marston Vale area to deliver 30% tree canopy cover. Bedford Borough Council also has an equivalent policy in their Local Plan.
Our adopted Local Plan identifies the need for a supplementary planning document (SPD) to provide guidance on how to deliver the Forest of Marston Vale. The Forest of Marston Vale SPD will sit alongside our existing design guide to provide locally specific guidance for the Forest area.
Developing in the Forest of Marston Vale: Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
We have created the Forest of Marston Vale: Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (PDF) in collaboration with Bedford Borough Council and the Forest of Marston Vale Trust. This SPD sets out how the 30% tree cover requirement should be achieved in the Forest area. It provides specific guidance on the amount of trees required for different types and scales of development, the tree planting options available and design guidance to ensure the character of the Forest area is protected.
We adopted the SPD on 6 December 2022 and it is a material consideration in determining planning applications. All development proposals will be required to demonstrate that they have taken it into consideration.
View Consultation Statement (PDF, December 2022)