A range of jobs that are easy to get to

We want to build on the Council’s Economic Strategy to plan for a range of jobs and help to create an environment where our businesses can prosper.

The Local Plan can provide the space for new and expanding businesses. We could provide space for more jobs than we need to try and boost the local economy and enable more people to work close to where they live. We want to reduce the number of residents who commute out of the area for work.

The Local Plan can influence the types of jobs we have in our area by specifying the types of land uses. We know food production is a key sector in Central Bedfordshire and the retention of high-quality agricultural land requires further consideration.

We could prioritise attracting green businesses. Green businesses are delivering innovation or products that help address climate change. As set out in the Council’s Sustainability Plan, we need to support local businesses, landowners and farmers to transition to the low-carbon economy and support the creation of circular economy (re-use, re-purposing and recycling products) in Central Bedfordshire.

We want our residents to have choices about where they work and how they get there, ideally with the ability to travel to work more sustainably, so location and transport options are key.