Object

Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Representation ID: 2650

Received: 26/11/2016

Respondent: Ms C Johnson

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? Not specified

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

Object on the following grounds:
loss of green belt;
coalescence of Knebworth and Stevenage;
local lanes cannot manage any increase in traffic;
school is oversubscribed; and
visual impact on the skyline.

Full text:

I am writing with regards to the planning proposals for Knebworth, in particular KB3 and KB4.

I have a strong objection to building going ahead on both of these sites for many reasons. Firstly with regards to KB3, turning this area into residential properties is not in-keeping with the immediate environment. The village could really benefit from more shops/ boutiques/ restaurants on this site. Keeping this as a commercial site of some description will benefit the other traders in the village, attract people from surrounding villages and keep a more vibrant buzz about the village. A licenced restaurant would be the preferred option for many!!

In relation to KB4, I feel it is outrageous for any sort of building work to go ahead. Firstly, it is green belt area and building on this would dilute any distinction between Stevenage/ Knebworth. The village high street cannot cope with any increase in traffic, similarly the speed at which cars descend upon the village from Stevenage Road is already hazardous. The lanes into Knebworth, from Watton Road are not wide enough to manage any increase in volume of traffic. The impact on the doctors , school, library and local conveniences will be significantly negative. The local school is already over subscribed and it would be outrageous to think that many children would not be able to attend their nearest/ local school! Finally, due to the rising land, the visual impact of the domineering skyline will be awful and the feeling of space would be lost because of loss of valuable surrounding countryside.

In summary, I am in strong opposition to the NHDC proposals on KB3 and KB4.