Open for submissions
Bedford Borough Council is asking for land that could be developed as part of its Local Plan 2050. The published deadline is midnight on 30 October 2026.[1]
We can look at your land and explain what might be possible. This page covers Bedford Borough, not Central Bedfordshire. We can help check which council covers your land before you put it forward.
Published deadline: midnight on 30 October 2026.
Free advice to help you decide what to do next. No obligation.
This form sends your details to Value My Land. It does not send them to the council.
A guide for landowners
Bedford Borough Council is asking landowners to suggest land that could be developed in the future. This is called a Call for Sites. It helps the council prepare its Local Plan 2050, which sets out where future development should go. We can look at your land and explain whether it may be worth putting forward.
Council: Bedford Borough Council.
Putting your land forward does not give you permission to build. The council must assess it and decide whether to include it in its plans.[1]
Where to start
Think about which part of the land could be made available and when. Some land may be ready sooner, while other land may need a new entrance, better services or agreement with a neighbour. We can help explain these points clearly to the council.
If someone farms the land, runs a business there or rents a building, we would check what needs to happen before development could start. For an open field, we would look at road access, drainage and nearby services. A development next door does not mean your land will also be approved.
Not sure where to start?
Use our free Land Development Assessment Tool or ask us to look at your land. We can explain what might be possible and what needs a closer look. You do not have to use our services afterwards.
A closer look at your land
These are the things we would look at when reviewing your land. They are not a decision on whether you can build. The council also has its own checks and requirements.
We would look at whether your land could be developed on its own or would need to be part of a larger scheme. Even a small plot needs a safe entrance and room for drainage. A bigger site needs a clear explanation of how the different parts could work together.
A planned road or development nearby does not guarantee an entrance or water and electricity connections for your land. We would check what has actually been agreed. The council should be told what is confirmed and what still depends on other people or future decisions.
We would look at any tenants, businesses or farming use and what would need to change before building could start. If you put forward only part of your land, we would also consider how you would reach and continue using the rest.
We would look at access, flooding, drainage, service connections and features that need to stay. This helps us estimate which part might be suitable for buildings. Where something has not been checked, the form should say so rather than suggest a solution has already been agreed.
Putting your land forward
Follow the council’s Local Plan 2050 Call for Sites instructions. Read the current form before sending your details, including its requirements for land size, maps and ownership information.[1]
Use a clear map showing the edges of your land, any buildings and the entrance from the road. Give the total land size. Show any extra land needed for access, drainage or water and electricity connections, and say who owns it. A postcode alone does not show the exact land you are putting forward.
Say what you think the land could be used for, such as homes or business premises. Explain whether you are putting forward all of it or only part. Leave room for roads, drainage, trees and other features when suggesting how much could be built. Do not assume every part can be built on.
Give details of the owner and anyone currently using the land. Explain when it could become available. Mention any tenant, business or agreement that could affect this. If you act for the owner, make that clear. Do not say a neighbour’s land is available unless this has been confirmed.
Find any previous council letters, plans or reports about access, flooding, drainage, wildlife, historic buildings or ground conditions. Say what is known and what still needs checking. You do not need to order every possible report before asking us for help. We can explain which information is most useful.
Follow the council’s instructions and check which plans and documents it asks for. Make sure the form and maps all describe the same land and idea. Leave time to gather anything missing before the deadline. An old form or a saved draft may not be enough.
Save the completed form, maps and other documents, along with the council’s confirmation or reference number. Check that you have actually sent the form rather than just saved it. Keep copies of any later changes. Contacting us is separate from sending your details to the council.
This checklist helps you prepare. You may not need everything at the start. The council’s form explains what you must send.
Help at each stage
We can help you work out what might be possible on your land in Bedford Borough. We can organise the information you already have and explain what else needs checking. You do not need a finished building design or planning application for a first review.
We look at maps and the information available about your land. We consider nearby development, road access, planning rules and issues such as flooding. We then explain whether it is worth looking into further. You do not need planning permission or a finished set of plans to contact us.
We can help you decide what the land might be used for and which part has the best chance of being developed. We explain the options, likely difficulties and next steps. Some land may need to be considered through the council’s longer-term plans.
We can help prepare the council’s form, a map of your land and an explanation of why it should be considered. Before we start, we agree the work, who will do it and the timescale. Sending us an enquiry does not mean we have agreed to submit your land.
Some land needs a closer look at road access, flooding, drainage, wildlife or its effect on the surrounding area. We can arrange the right specialist help where needed. We explain which checks matter most before you commit to a large set of reports.
For suitable land, we may agree to pay for and manage the planning work at our own cost and risk. You keep ownership of the land. We explain our fee, any costs to be repaid and the terms before you decide. This is called a land promotion agreement.
If we agree to continue working together, we can review the council’s comments and help you respond. We can also help update your plans or provide more information. Where the planning outcome makes a sale possible, we can help consider marketing the land to developers.
The first review is free. Further work and any fees or agreement must be discussed separately. We cannot promise that the council will choose your land, grant planning permission or accept a late form. We also cannot guarantee a sale price.
Let us help with the paperwork
Tell us where your land is and roughly how large it is. We can look at the opportunity and explain how we could help you put it forward. Our form contacts Value My Land; it does not send your land details to the council.
Help with planning costs
Putting your land forward can be the first step towards getting planning permission. For suitable land, we can agree to pay for and manage the planning work at our own cost and risk. This can include preparing plans, arranging reports and dealing with the council. You keep ownership of the land.
If the planning work succeeds, the land can be offered for sale to developers. Our agreed fee and the costs set out in the agreement are paid from the sale money. Before work starts, we agree how costs, decisions and any future sale will be handled.
We do not fund every site. We first look at the land and discuss what may be possible. Any funding arrangement must be agreed separately. You should ask your own solicitor to advise you before signing a land promotion agreement.
After you send your details
Save the form, plans and the council’s confirmation. Keep a note of anything else the council asks for and follow updates on Local Plan 2050. The year 2050 is the end year of the plan; it is not a promise of when your land could be built on.
When the council gives its view, read the reasons as well as the result. It may have the wrong boundary or old information, or it may raise a problem that needs more work. We can help you understand its comments and decide how to respond.
The next step might be to provide more information, suggest a smaller building area or consider a different use. It may also be sensible to take a different approach. We can discuss the options and agree any further work with you. We cannot promise that the council will choose your land.
Your questions answered
The deadline is midnight on 30 October 2026. Check the council’s website before sending your details in case the date has changed.[1]
No. This is Bedford Borough Council’s Call for Sites for its Local Plan 2050. Central Bedfordshire is a separate council area. Check which council covers your land before choosing a form.[1]
No. Tell us where the land is, its approximate size and what you would like to do. We can explain the main things to check and the next steps. The council’s form will still need the information set out in its instructions.
No. Our form only sends your details to Value My Land. You still need a separate council submission. We must agree any work before acting for you. Contacting us does not extend the council’s deadline or mean your land has been put forward.
Start with the postcode or location and the approximate size of the land. Tell us whether you own it or are acting for the owner. We will explain what else would help. There is no need to send private legal or financial documents with your first enquiry.
No. We can explain the strengths of your land, any problems and the work that may help. The council makes its own decision. A review does not guarantee that your land will be chosen or that you will get planning permission.
We can discuss helping with the council submission, depending on the land and the time available. We first need to agree the work, responsibilities and terms. Sending an enquiry or using our tool does not mean we have agreed to submit your land.
The first review is free and you do not have to take things further. For suitable land, we may agree to pay for and manage the planning work at our own cost and risk. Our fee and agreed costs are then paid from the land sale money, under the terms of a separate agreement.
Yes. Our Land Development Assessment Tool gives you a first look at what might be possible. You can then contact us to discuss the result. The tool does not give planning permission or send your land details to the council. Further checks may be needed.
Free land review. No obligation.
Tell us where your land is and roughly how large it is. We will look at the details and explain what you could do next. We can discuss whether you need a first review, help with the council’s form or longer-term planning support.
You do not need to pay for reports before contacting us. We can discuss any existing plans or council letters after your first enquiry.
This form contacts Value My Land, not the council. We must agree any further work with you. Sending this form does not extend the council’s deadline or mean we have agreed to put your land forward.
Useful council links
This is a Value My Land guide, not a council website. The advice about your land and our services is our own. Use the council links above for its instructions, and follow those instructions when sending your land details.
The Bedford deadline above comes from the council’s published announcement. We have not confirmed the full form requirements. Read the council’s current instructions for maps, ownership details and other information before sending your land.
