Cemetery Road, Houghton Regis

Proposals submitted in 2023 for the re-use of the former retail store at Unit 2, Cemetery Road, Houghton Regis LU5 5BZ as a self-storage facility have now been approved by Central Bedfordshire Council. This website has been updated in February 2024 on behalf of the new owners, Cinch Self Storage, a highly rated specialist operator of self-storage facilities throughout the south east of England. The update aims to help local residents, neighbours and other interest groups find out more about some further new proposals at the site and provide their feedback prior to the finalisation of an additional planning application. We were very grateful for the feedback received last year from local residents and the Houghton Regis Town Council and invite further feedback about the new proposals outlined below.

Existing status

Located at the junction of Cemetery Road and High Street on the western side of Houghton Regis, the site was previously occupied by a Morrisons supermarket which was converted from its previous use as a Netto supermarket.

In planning policy terms, the site is located outside of the designated Houghton Regis town centre within the recently adopted Central Bedfordshire Local Plan. It is directly adjacent to a large area which is protected for employment uses.

The building and site have been vacant and unused since the opening of the new Morrisons in late 2012. In 2014, an application by Morrisons to open a new petrol filling station at the site was refused by Central Bedfordshire Council because of objections lodged by the Environment Agency who expressed concerns about potential impact on sensitive groundwater beneath the site.

The long period without any use of the site has meant that the existing building has deteriorated and the wider site has an “uncared for” appearance. There is overgrown vegetation both on the perimeter of the site and on its surface car park. It has also been subject to fly tipping and unauthorised occupation.

The site is prominent and highly visible at a key gateway into and out of the town. Its current appearance is detrimental to the character of the immediate surrounding area and wider area of Houghton Regis.

Key features of the approved development

In November 2023, Central Bedfordshire Council granted planning permission for the new self-storage facility at the site which involves the refurbishment and re-use of the existing building. Although relatively simple, the proposal will achieve a dramatic visual improvement to this part of Houghton Regis.

The existing building footprint will be unchanged and the existing brickwork will be maintained and restored. The existing degraded upper metal cladding will be replaced with flat insulated panels which will give the new building a sleek and modern look. The existing roof will be replaced or overclad depending on the condition.

The windows on the front elevation of the building facing Cemetery Road will be retained and modern energy efficient glazing introduced. The existing entrance to the building will be converted into an internal loading bay to make deliveries or collections by customers as convenient as and as unobtrusive as possible. Next to the loading bay, there will be the reception/office and ancillary uses.

The remainder of the building will be used for self-storage with self-contained units of various sizes to meet the needs of both commercial and domestic customers. Corridors will be introduced to the rear of the existing windows facing High Street to avoid blank windows and activate High Street.

The surface car park will be repaired and repainted and the planting of the island in the middle of the car park will be replaced with new trees. The existing overgrown landscaping strips along High Street and Cemetery Road will be replenished to maintain and improve the green feel of the key boundaries of the site. There is also the opportunity to introduce new seating.

Unlike its former food retail use which would have attracted a lot of vehicle movements, the proposed self-storage facility will be a low generator of traffic. The existing access off Cemetery Road will be maintained.

Cinch applies a high level of professional management to its sites and staff will be on-site during normal office hours.

Modern self-storage facilities meet the needs of both local residents and small businesses. If you want to get a feel for what happens at a typical Cinch site, you can read more here. Cinch is highly valued by their customers and enjoys a 5 star rating on Trustpilot.

The new 2024 proposals

The very latest proposals seek to add in a new two-storey building which will be very similar in height to the existing building at the site. This provide additional self-storage space (approximately 34,000 sq.ft in total) and will be positioned along the southern edge of the car park. Access will be unchanged from the existing entrance/exit at the top of Cemetery Road.

Even with the additional self-storage space, low levels of customer traffic will be generated. Cinch are confident that the remaining car parking spaces (25 plus 5 for people with disabilities) will be sufficient even at busy times.

The new building will act as a noise and visual barrier for businesses and homes to the south of the site. Its loading bay will face the car park and share the service yard which will also serve the converted and refurbished building at the site.

There will be no windows along the the southern elevation of the building which means there will be no overlooking of neighbours.