We would like to strongly object to the proposed number of houses that the North Hertfordshire Local Plan has allocated to Baldock, there are just too many.

Baldock is the oldest and smallest market town in Hertfordshire and has a large number of listed buildings and conservation areas. We acknowledge that new houses are needed in North Hertfordshire but the amount of over 3,400 which is proposed for Baldock would double the size of the town and totally change the towns ambience. Our roads are already very busy and the centre of Baldock still has jams despite the bypass. The southbound A1 traffic is always at a standstill in the morning rush hours and very often at other times, due in part to the two lane only stretch which passes Stevenage. It has now been disclosed that our train service is to be cut to one train an hour at all but peak times starting in 2017. New houses mean people who will need to travel to work and it is impossible that they will all find work locally they will therefore add to the already overloaded road and rail networks. Much of this proposed housing is to be built on Green Belt land which we all have a duty to protect and nurture. Green Belt land was designed for a very good reason and should be respected. Future generations will loose our countryside if Green Belt land is allowed to be built on.

We hope that you will take into account the wishes of the local community and revise the proposed number of new houses to a much smaller number.