Arlesey Town Council has lodged a formal objection over the proposed design of a planned pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A507.

The Comet: A drawing of how the bridge over the A507 at Arlesey might look, viewed from the west. Picture: ThomasonsA drawing of how the bridge over the A507 at Arlesey might look, viewed from the west. Picture: Thomasons (Image: Archant)

London-based developer Telereal Ventures has applied for consent to build a bridge straddling the A507 just south of Etonbury Academy, between Arlesey and Stotfold.

It would be just south of the junction for the proposed relief road between the A507 and the High Street, which is set to provide access for new homes built as part of the Arlesey Cross Masterplan.

After discussing the matter of the bridge last week, Arlesey Town Council has now lodged an objection with Central Bedfordshire Council in writing.

In a letter to planning officer Michael Huntingdon, Arlesey town clerk Susan Foulkes said the proposed metal and wood bridge design was unsympathetic to the rural location and failed to comply with the emerging Arlesey Neighbourhood Plan.

The plan calls for a new A507 crossing point to provide safe access to Etonbury Wood and the nearby school.

It notes: “The community are very supportive of installing a crossing and the engagement process revealed strong support for it to be designed in a way that is accessible, sustainable and reflective of the rural nature of the parish.

“Examples of such bridges include the wooden bridge over the A507 at Ridgmont and the proposed green bridge as part of the A556 road construction project.

“This latter bridge incorporates a fairly modest strip of grass and wildflowers alongside, in their case, a farm track.”

Arlesey Town Council is also concerned about the additional 2,000 homes it is set to be alloted in Central Bedfordshire Council’s Draft Local Plan.

These would be in addition to the 1,400 new homes put forward for east and west of the town in the Arlesey Cross Masterplan, with the town council concerned about Arlesey’s infrastructure.

The Draft Local Plan indicates that the extra 2,000 homes to the south of the eastern Arlesey Cross development would “appear as an extension to Arlesey while retaining an appropriate separation between Arlesey and Fairfield”.

Central Bedfordshire Council declined to comment on the grounds that the application was still active.

To view the bridge application yourself and have your say, see centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/planning/view-comment/applications.aspx and search for application CB/17/02681/FULL.