A planning application to install a cement silo and two containers off a busy Arlesey road has raised concerns for residents.

The consultation by Central Bedfordshire Council is currently ongoing, with 22 out of the 28 neighbours consulted raising opposition to plans for the land west of Hitchin Road.

The land was previously earmarked for the construction of a mixed use facility, comprising of a health centre and shop. Developers, GPS Estates Ltd, gained planning permission in August 2019, a move welcomed by residents.

The new application by B I Fortwork Ltd and DBM Haulage Ltd seeks permission to use the site for two containers and a cement silo.

The scheme would also see the installation of a 5m fence, the formation of an access road and would create 10 full time jobs.

One resident, Val Mogridge, has said the development would bring more HGVs to the town, and it would be unsafe for pedestrians.

She said: "It's for a cement silo, eight HGVs and trailers and a lot of people might think we're going to have this shop and health centre. If we don't do something about it, we're going to get this cement silo.

"The other side of it is that they try in Arlesey to get the lorries in through Hitchin Road. We could tell you some horrific stories.

"We all want employment in the town, but it's got to be safe. We are just getting a lot of industrial things, and we want some benefits."

The Comet has previously reported on parents' calls for road safety, after buses and lorries were seen to be continuously mounting the curb in the High Street.

A Central Bedfordshire Council spokeswoman clarified that it should both applications be approved, the landowner would decide which to implement.

She also said: “A planning application for a number of installations, including a cement silo on land off Hitchin Road, has recently been submitted to us. This planning application is still within the consultation period, so has not yet been reviewed by our planning team. If residents wish to make a comment on the planning application they can do so through our website.

“The previous planning application, which was granted on August 9, 2019, required a reserved matters application within three years from the date it was granted. To date, no subsequent reserved matters application has been submitted."

A spokeswoman for the developer said: "The amount of traffic arising from the proposal is forecast to be less than that generated by the current planning permission.

"The traffic report was prepared for the applicant by RKS Associates and forms part of the current planning application.

"Hitchin Road is a bus route and will serve this part of Arlesey until the large residential development for up to 2,000 homes east of the Hitchin Road, known as SA3, takes place. The road is lit and has a footway for pedestrians.

"On balance, the traffic impact of the proposal, both in terms of vehicle movements and highway safety, is less than that with planning permission."

The consultation for this latest application ends on February 23. To view the plans, go to centralbedfordshire.gov.uk and search CB/21/00227/FULL under the planning tab.