Bedford Girls School Cardington Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK42 0BX Data via plota.co.uk

26/01062/SPNJ - Solar Prior Notification Part J Approved
Solar & renewables

Proposal

Prior notification for the installation, alteration or replacement on non-domestic properties of (a) micro-generation solar thermal equipment; (b) micro-generation solar PV equipment; or (c) other solar PV equipment on the roof. This is not a planning application because it relates to development that is permitted by Government Regulation. It will not therefore be reported to the Planning Committee but considered by officers under delegated powers. Comments received will be considered but if notification of a decision is not made to the Applicant within 56 days of the date of registration of the proposal, it can proceed. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
4 Jun 2026
✓
Consultation
23 Jun 2026
✓
Approved
28 Jul 2026

Approved on 28 Jul 2026 · Prior Notification · Last checked 28 Jul 2026

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Site constraints 8

Flood zone 2, rivers and sea
Medium chance: between a 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 annual chance from rivers, or 1 in 200 to 1 in 1,000 from the sea. Any development here needs a flood risk assessment. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Homes in zone 3 must also pass the sequential test. Surface water flooding is a separate map.
Flood map ↗
Bedford conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
Heritage at risk: Bedford
On the register of historic places assessed as at risk.
A designated building, monument, park or conservation area assessed as at risk from neglect, decay or development. Proposals that secure its future are looked on favourably.
Historic England ↗
3 listed buildings within 150 m of the postcode pin
Nearest: 50, Cardington Road, Grade II, about 59 m from the postcode pin · 3 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 3 with distances
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Scheduled monument about 221 m away: Bedford Castle motte and bailey; National infrastructure project about 515 m away: East West Rail - Bedford to Cambridge and Western improvements, at pre-application; Inside the Bedford built-up area; Flood defence about 43 m from the postcode pin (wall, designed for a 1 in 100 year flood).
Not affected
Not green belt

Checked on 6 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Bedford
Application type
Solar Prior Notification Part J
Postcode
MK42 0BX
Received
4 Jun 2026
Validated
4 Jun 2026
Ward
Kingsbrook
Parish
Bedford Town
Case officer
Show
Target decision
23 Jul 2026
Decision
Details not required (Prior Approval)
Decision date
28 Jul 2026
Decision level
Prior Notification
Applicant
Show
Agent
EcolightingUK LTD - Mr C Szwed

How this decision compares

Decided in 54 days from validation, 20 days slower than Bedford's median of 34 for prior approvals. Approved, as 70% of prior approvals here are.

98%decided within 8 weeks
70%approved
126decided in the last year

Plota live figures for prior approvals decided by Bedford in the last twelve months, from validation. Bedford decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-14986146
Planning Portal ref
PP-14986146
Comments by
14 Jul 2026
Site or press notice
23 Jun 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

11 previous applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

This property

Previous applications at this address

2020 Approved
Sycamore - Removal as the tree is deemed to be very dangerous due to Sooty Bark Disease.
20/00985/T5DN
2021 Approved
Proposed refurbishments works to the Sixth Form house to include replacement clear glazin…
21/03144/FUL
2021 Approved
Proposed refurbishments works to the Sixth Form house to include replacement clear glazin…
21/03145/LBC
2021 Approved
T1 Gingko, remove to ground level, T2/T3 oaks latterly prune by up to 10% removing, by re…
21/03065/TCA
2020 Approved
Certificate to confirm that the details submitted do not require planning permission (Ins…
20/02840/LDP
2019 Approved
T1 Silver Leaf Maple, to remove to ground level
19/02377/TCA
2018 Approved
T1 Norway maple, remove to ground level T2 White beam, remove to ground level as 5% of cr…
18/03076/TCA
2017 Approved
Single storey external store at rear
17/00309/FUL
2016 Approved
T& T2 Oak - Reduce overhang to Rays Close by 3m, T3, T4, T5 Sycamore - Prune back overhan…
16/02711/TCA
Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2020 Approved
34 Cardington Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK42 0BU
Replacement windows and mounting of satellite dish on boundary wall
20/02952/LBC
2020 Approved
34 Cardington Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK42 0BU
Replacement windows and mounting of satellite dish on boundary wall
20/02951/FUL
Bedford
Planning Authority Score
2.4/10
Poor
#253 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Bedford is slower than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #201 out of 296. 52% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Householder applications are slightly less likely to be approved here (86%) than the national average (90%).

Slower than most councils
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Bedford decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
80%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #259 of 296
86%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #239 of 296
56%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #201 of 296
52%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #233 of 296
52%
Minor dwellings approved
109 decided (1-9 homes)
69%
Major dwellings approved
26 decided (10+ homes)
67%
Change of use approved
57 decided
993
Total decisions
203 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings