POLICY LL1: Centre of Town Renewal
- The Neighbourhood Plan defines the boundary of the Leighton Linslade Centre of Town, as shown on the Policies Map for the purpose of applying National Decision-Making Policy TC2
- Proposals will be supported where they can demonstrate regard to the design and development principles established in the “Wider Town Centre Spatial Framework” ( Appendix A) for the clusters known as Leighton Buzzard Town Centre, the Waterside Corridor and the Linslade.
These key principles are:
- Development should celebrate and make the most of its special historic character, reusing old buildings and with heritage informing the design of new ones.
- Leighton Buzzard Town Centre will be a community hub for a friendly town, creating spaces for people to come together in and providing vital local services.
- Be known for a rich mix of town centre uses which contribute to local character, support local employment and entrepreneurship, and enhance the vitality and viability of the town centre.
- Actively nurture creativity with affordable spaces for creative expression.
- Be a greener, more biodiverse town centre than now, linking to the canal, river, parks, and countryside.
- Be easy and pleasant to move around on foot, by bicycle or wheeling, encouraging non-car modes of transport for short trips to reduce congestion and cut pollution, including pedestrianisation measures where these are locally supported.
- Strengthen the Linslade cluster to support this local centre with an identity of its own with places to meet and socialise.
- Support measures which promote a vibrant and lively evening economy.
This policy provides a high-level spatial approach to ensuring that these three distinct areas function well both individually and together. It responds to renewal and future development of these areas, determining the sense of identity in each. It considers the consequences of future development on this jigsaw puzzle of spaces and locations and how they fit together.
The wider Town Centre Spatial Framework extends across the central part of Leighton-Linslade. This includes Leighton Buzzard town centre and the centre of neighbouring Linslade. The two are separated by the Grand Union Canal, River Ouzel and the area between these water bodies. Linslade lies west of the Canal, Leighton Buzzard east of the river. The policy provides a higher-level spatial approach to the wider town centre which is then considered in more detail in policies LL2, LL3, LL4 and LL5. The Neighbourhood Plan takes a brownfield first approach to development and within these areas identifies locations where new homes may form part of the land use mix, including at Land South of the High Street and a mixture of residential opportunities, including a care home, at Bridge Meadow. These spaces are also key to providing key local services.
The town centre is well connected with good vehicular and public transport links. Leighton Buzzard railway station is within Linslade and a 15-minute walk away from Leighton Buzzard High Street. The train line has direct connections to London (27 minutes to Euston.)
The A4146 and A505 wrap around the west and south of the Neighbourhood Area and provide connections north to Milton Keynes and east to Luton, and the major road A5. The main vehicular route through the town centre east-west is formed by the A4012, Leston Road, West Street, Leighton Road, Old Road and Soulbury Road. This road also connects Leighton Buzzard and Linslade over the Grand Union Canal and the River Ouzel. Both the Canal and the River Ouzel pass north-south through the town centre, running parallel to each other.
Leighton Buzzard Town Centre serves as the main retail area with retail and other mixed uses concentrated along its High Street. Linslade serves as a secondary centre with some retail offerings, though significantly smaller than Leighton Buzzard town centre and with more of a residential focus.
To see the full Leighton-Linslade Neighbourhood Plan Policy Map, or to find instructions about how to use our interactive maps, please visit our Policy Map page.