When Bedford Estates took back direct management of Aspley Heath and Woods in December 2025 and announced a full rebuild of Woburn Bike Park led by Matt Jones, the plan was to reopen in June. That date has passed, and the park remains closed with no reopening date while a planning application awaits a decision.

This piece sets out what is holding the reopening up. iBikeRide has followed the rebuild since it was announced and wants to see it open.

Parking is the main sticking point

Alongside the bike park's own planning application, a second, separate one covers a temporary car park of around 50 spaces on the opposite side of the A5130, on the former Steetley Quarry site, for three years.

The difficulty is that the two applications are being considered separately, and both Aspley Heath Parish Council and Central Bedfordshire's own highways team have said they should not be. The parish council asked in June for them to be combined, and for conditions including a cap on visitor numbers tied to available parking, advance booking for all riders including annual pass holders, and a requirement that the car park be operational before the bike park opens. The highways team made the same linkage point in August and objected on the basis that the bike park application has no supporting parking of adequate capacity attached to it.

The crossing is another sticking point

With the car park on the other side of the A5130, the council's highways team says a Toucan crossing near the site access is required before the proposal can be accepted. A Toucan crossing is a signal-controlled crossing at road level, used by pedestrians and cyclists together. This appears to be an ongoing conversation between Bedford Estates' planning agent and the highways team, and its current status is not public.

One more thing to resolve

The council's ecology team objected in August because the biodiversity net gain assessment submitted covers only a small area around the two new buildings rather than the whole application site. It needs a revised assessment covering the whole site.

Where that leaves the reopening

The application was received in April. Its original target date in August passed without a decision, and a revision and fresh round of consultation moved the earliest possible decision to 11 September. That has passed too, with the application still shown as undecided.

The file also shows support for the project. A letter of support organised by Bedford Estates in July collected 279 signatures, including 24 from local businesses, and most responses to the council's public consultation were in favour.

Fresh dirt features need rider traffic to compact and hold their shape, and a potential winter closure is not ideal for a new build. It was built by a professional team, though, and looking after it through the closure is presumably part of the plan.

Bedford Estates has been keeping riders updated directly through its own Woburn Bike Park and Trails page, most recently in September 2026: "Due to ongoing planning considerations, we are unable to reopen Woburn Bike Park at this time. We will confirm a definitive opening date as soon as we are able to. We appreciate this is disappointing news, and we are grateful for your continued patience and support."

Approached for comment, Bedford Estates said it was not able to comment on the proposals themselves while the applications remain live. Woburn Bike Park and Trails Manager Matthew Catling said: "We continue to work closely and positively with the Council and support their efforts to identify a safe and timely way forward. We are committed to playing our part in helping to find a solution that serves the interests of the local community and all stakeholders involved."

He added: "While the Bike Park remains closed, the Bike and Horse Trails remain open and available to users, with the new permit system due to come into effect from 1 October," and said the estate is "working hard with all parties to find a solution that will enable the Bike Park to reopen as soon as possible."

What's still open

The wider Woburn Bike Trails network, the red and blue cross-country loops in Aspley Woods, is unaffected and remains open. The bike and horse trails remain accessible on free temporary permits issued by Bedford Estates.

iBikeRide supports the Woburn Bike Park project and wants to see it reopen. This article is based on documents published on Central Bedfordshire Council's planning register for applications CB/26/01073/FULL and CB/26/01071/FULL, on Bedford Estates' public updates, and on its statement to iBikeRide. Both applications were undecided as at 23 September 2026. The planning documents referred to here can be read in full on the council's register.

As the reopening depends on an active planning application, check Bedford Estates' own Woburn Bike Park and Trails page or social channels before travelling.