London Brick have withdrawn their appeal against Mid-Bedfordshire council’s failure to determine their planning application for the 321-acre expansion of the village of Marston Moretaine.
“We now believe that the way forward for our proposals is through the consultation which we are now undertaking,” said London Brick’s project manager, Tom Denniford. “We will be studying the public response to our scheme very carefully and, wherever possible, incorporating local ideas into our plans as we refine them further.”
Once London Brick have completed this consultation exercise, they will be going back to the local authority to negotiate planning permission.
The scheme — which is to be known as Marston Park — will be constructed in four phases over an 18-year period.
About 800 new homes will be built in the first three phases up to 2001.
Light industrial space will be built on as much as 11 acres of the project, while another 5 acres will be devoted to a business park.
There will also be a new village centre, a variety of small shops, a hotel and community hall with branch library.
The now-withdrawn appeal would have been heard in the autumn — but London Brick are making it clear that they do not rule out the possibility of bringing in the Department of the Environment.
“We shall have a further opportunity to make an appeal in July if we really have not been able to make progress with the council by that time,” said Mr Denniford.
Agents advising London Brick on the development are Chester-Ford.
