Dear Central Bedfordshire Council,

I have reviewed your draft Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that is currently out for consultation.

I have made a number of specific comments through the online tool, however, whilst the document has a great deal of good work in it, I have two important and general points that I believe apply to all or most of the document:

(1) The whole document seems to have a very urban and suburban focus to it. There are very few specific provisions suitable for rural areas and small villages, and quite a few of the provisions, if they were applied in rural areas and small villages, would have the effect of urbanising these areas. As a couple of examples: (i) the document proposes 'mandatory' provision of lighting for cycleways and bridleways (this is likely to be inappropriate in rural areas and small villages, especially those areas with Dark Night Skies); (ii) boundary treatments seem to focus on walls, railings and fences (though it does include hedges, but does not point out that walls, railings and fences may be inappropriate in rural areas and small villages).

(2) The document does not give enough weight and support to existing (and current) town/parish/neighbourhood design codes, design guides, etc. such as the Sutton Design Code and/or those included in Neighbourhood Plans.

As you would expect, I have provided feedback through the consultation, both in general terms and also to some of the specific points I have identified, but my feeling is that the document doesn't just need a few tweaks, but that it needs a thorough review (or even a separate, similar document) with the focus upon provision in rural areas and small villages, otherwise, as it stands, I believe this Design Guide is likely to lead to the urbanisation of our rural areas and small villages.