The Bedfordshire Development Forum unites local councils, businesses, investors, housing providers, and developers. Its primary objective is to cultivate relationships, exchange valuable insights, and collaboratively devise practical strategies to navigate upcoming opportunities and challenges.
The inaugural meeting was held at the Harpur Suite on Tuesday 13 October. Key speakers included Mayor of Bedford Borough Tom Wootton, Bedford Borough Council deputy chief executive Craig Austin, and Duncan Flynn from the Cratus Group, who will be responsible for managing the forum.
Mayor Tom Wootton highlighted the critical juncture for Bedford Borough, the wider county, and the region. He emphasised the significant opportunity presented by the arrival of the Universal United Kingdom Resort, noting its potential impact on the council, residents, and businesses within its supply chain.
The Mayor also pointed to Bedfordshire's strategic location within the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, enhanced by transport improvements such as the £1 billion Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet infrastructure project. The development of a new town in Tempsford and ongoing efforts to attract new businesses to the Borough were also mentioned.
Wootton stressed that growth must deliver tangible and enduring benefits, encompassing homes, infrastructure, transport, employment, local businesses, and town centres. He stated that achieving this requires genuine collaboration between local government, businesses, developers, investors, and communities, which the forum aims to facilitate by bringing diverse perspectives together to drive action.
