Grange Farm Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ Data via plota.co.uk

Awaiting decision 26/01929/CPNR
AgriculturalChange of useCommercial premises
Council
Bedford 2.4/10
Date received
7 Oct 2026
Date validated
7 Oct 2026
Postcode
MK44 2SJ

Description

Prior notification for change of use from an Agricultural building to a flexible use within Use Classes B8, C1 or E. 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. If Officers confirm that the development can proceed, it must begin within a period of 3 years starting with the prior approval date. Data via plota.co.uk

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Last checked

Decision outlook

Plota predicts a decision between 1 Nov 2026 and 30 Nov 2026, from Bedford's recent agricultural works.

Day 2 of the 56-day target. Bedford usually decides agricultural works by day 28.

Day 254 days to the 56-day target
73%decided within 8 weeks
65%approved
28decided in the last year

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

Site constraints 3

Agricultural land, grade 2
Best and most versatile land (grades 1, 2 and 3a). Source: the Predictive Agricultural Land Classification Map (Defra and Natural England, 2025; the Welsh Government's Predictive ALC Map 2 in Wales), a model rather than a site survey. Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) agrees.
Where development of farmland is needed, policy prefers poorer land over the best and most versatile (grades 1, 2 and 3a). Three sources: Natural England's post-1988 field surveys, which are definitive where they exist; the Defra predictive map for England (2025) and the Welsh Government predictive map, modelled from the soil map with 3a and 3b split; and the 1970s provisional map, which planners and other services still show, coarser and with grade 3 undivided. Where the provisional and predicted grades disagree, treat the predicted grade as the current estimate and expect an application to carry its own survey.
Also on the record
National infrastructure project about 79 m away: East West Rail - Bedford to Cambridge and Western improvements, at pre-application; 1 listed building within 150 m of the postcode pin.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 8 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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Historical activity at this location

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

This property

Previous applications at this address

2022 Refused
Lean-to extension to general purpose building
22/02188/AGR
2021 Approved
Erection of Agricultural Building
21/00085/AGR
Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025
2 Grange Farm Cottages Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
Certificate to confirm the lawful erection of outbuilding as an Annex used in association…
25/00089/LDE
2023 Refused
Lower Grange Farm Cottage Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
Conversion of redundant outbuilding to form a new dwelling
23/02628/PIP
2023 Refused
Land At Lower Grange Farm Cottage Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
Permission in Principle for the erection of one dwelling
23/01730/PIP
2018 Withdrawn
Hill Farm Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
Erection of an agricultural workers dwelling to replace the existing temporary dwelling (…
18/01229/FUL
2018
Hill Farm Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
Reserved matters application for the siting, design, external appearance, access and land…
18/02095/REM
2016 Refused
Hill Farm Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
15/00447/OUT Condition 10 Tree Protection Measures (Outline application with all matters…
16/01281/AOC
2016 Refused
Hill Farm Sunderland Hill Ravensden Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2SJ
15/00447/OUT Condition 9 Tree Survey (Outline application with all matters reserved for t…
16/01277/AOC
Bedford
Planning Authority Score
2.4/10
Poor
#253 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

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