Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 12 November 2025 by D Ellis MPlan MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 23 January 2026 Appeal Ref: APP/P0240/W/25/3372569 Verge off Sundon Road, by Chalton Cross Farm, Chalton LU5 5GX Easting: 503310; Northing: 225560 • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Miss Ashleigh Boyce of AMP Clean Energy against the decision of Central Bedfordshire Council. • The application Ref is CB/25/01877/FULL. • The development proposed is construction and operation of a micro energy storage project. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for construction and operation of a micro energy storage project at Verge off Sundon Road, by Chalton Cross Farm, Chalton LU5 5GX in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref CB/25/01877/FULL, subject to the following conditions: 1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than three years from the date of this decision. 2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with drawings Plan 1 Rev A, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5, Plan 6. Preliminary Matters 2.

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — Appeal Decision I have used the site address provided on the planning application form as its postcode relates to the site, whereas the postcode on the Council’s decision notice and appeal form appears to relate to a residential area a short distance from the appeal site. Main Issue 3. The main issue is the effect of the proposal on highway safety, with particular regards to parking for maintenance vehicles and whether the proposal would prevent future highway development on or around the site. Reasons 4. The proposed ‘battery box’ micro energy storage unit would be constructed on a grass verge between Sundon Road and an access road. No parking or turning arrangements for maintenance vehicles are proposed. The appellant asserts that the unit would require minimal maintenance, similar to the nearby electrical substation which also has no parking or turning facilities. 5. However, on-street parking is available nearby and the site can be reached on foot via pavements and the access road. Based on the evidence before, it therefore https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/P0240/W/25/3372569 has not been demonstrated that parking or turning arrangements are required at the appeal site. 6. A future development at the site may require the relocation of the energy storage unit. However, there is no evidence before me that a future development scheme is proposed, including any alternative use of the land to the east of the site or which would require a widening of the footway. Furthermore, I also have no reason to believe that the energy storage unit would be any different to other roadside infrastructure in terms of relocation if alterations or improvements to the highway become necessary. 7. For these reasons, the proposal would not cause harm to highway safety. The proposal would therefore accord with Policy T2 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan 2015-2035, which requires proposals for new development to not have a detrimental effect on highway safety. Other Matters 8. Whether or not the scheme falls under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and related legislation falls outside the scope of this appeal. I also note that this matter has not been referred to in the reason for refusal. 9.

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — Appeal Decision The appeal site is within the Zone of Influence of the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation. However, as the proposal would not include any new dwellings, it is unlikely that there would be a likely significant effect. As such, an Appropriate Assessment is not required. 10. During the original application, Chalton Parish Council sought clarification on several matters. The Council has not objected on the grounds of the effect of the proposal on the data centre development1, in relation to the location of a water main, or with regards to impact protection measures for HGVs. Following the submission of a Fire Safety Explainer, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service had no objection to the scheme and did not require any fire safety conditions to be attached. Based on the evidence before me, I have no reason to disagree with the Council’s and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s conclusions on these matters. Whether a grid connection is feasible is a matter for the appellant. Conditions 11. The Council has suggested a series of conditions, which I have considered against the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance.

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — Appeal Decision The standard time limit condition and a condition specifying the approved plans are necessary to provide certainty. 12. As the approved drawings and the details contained in them would be secured by a condition, it is not necessary to attach a separate condition requiring the materials to match the details on the approved drawings. 13. No parking or turning facilities are proposed, and it has not been demonstrated that such facilities would be required. A condition requiring the submission and approval of parking and turning facilities would therefore be unnecessary. 1 Planning application ref. 24/03164/FULL https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — Appeal Decision The standard time limit condition and a condition specifying the approved plans are necessary to provide certainty. 12. As the approved drawings and the details contained in them would be secured by a condition, it is not necessary to attach a separate condition requiring the materials to match the details on the approved drawings. 13. No parking or turning facilities are proposed, and it has not been demonstrated that such facilities would be required. A condition requiring the submission and approval of parking and turning facilities would therefore be unnecessary. 1 Planning application ref. 24/03164/FULL https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2 Appeal Decision APP/P0240/W/25/3372569 Conclusion 14. For the reasons given above, I conclude that the appeal should be allowed.

Land off Sundon Road, , North of Linmere Community Hall Huckett Street, Houghton Regis, LU4 0TX — Central Bedfordshire — D Ellis INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3