- The provision of much needed older persons housing to meet an identified need in the district;
- The site, was in larger, part previously developed (circa 35-40%)
- The provision of wider community benefits including a range of new facilities and job creation; and,
- Contribution to affordable housing for older people.
Millfield Green
Caddington
Client: Inspired Villages, Millfield Green
DLP Planning Ltd successfully secured outline planning permission (all matters reserved except for access) for the construction of an Integrated Retirement Village (Use Class C2) of up to 200 units including affordable housing units, with ancillary community and service space, garden and leisure areas, car parking areas and circulation space, and landscaping.
The site comprises an area of 4.8 hectares and lies some 500 metres west of the village of Caddington. Beyond the site to the west, lies the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the site itself lies within the South Bedfordshire Green Belt.
The site was granted outline planning permission after it was considered by the Council’s Development Management Committee that very special circumstances existed that would justify the site’s development outside of the existing settlement boundary of Caddington and in the South Bedfordshire Green Belt. The very special circumstances identified were:
DLP were subsequently retained and were involved in securing reserved matters consent across the site as well as co-ordinating and discharging relevant conditions and S106 obligations.
The site came to life as Millfield Green, the UK’s first Net Zero Retirement Community, and in recognition of its trailblazing sustainability credentials and significant contribution to the area, the village was officially opened by HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh in April 2024.
