The overall Plan will have a detrimental effect on the Village and the village community. Whilst it is true that the individual development sites are less 500 houses, this is a technicality as the developments together total 663 dwellings. To meet the objectives, the proposals regarding Knebworth should have been subject to a Strategic Planning review which would show that it is neither practical, nor does it meet community needs for sustainable growth.
Specifically, my objections to the Plan are as follows: -
1. The residents have chosen Knebworth for its rural village setting. The additional housing and location of the developments will effectively make the village part of Stevenage.
2. There is no suggestion that the new homes will are needed to support new or existing commercial enterprises. Indeed with regard to KB3, housing will replace an existing business. Therefore the village is being asked to support businesses elsewhere.
3. The majority of the new developments will be on land currently designated as Green Belt. This is against Government Policy and such space between towns should be retained to protect the integrity of the Village.
4. Currently the road system in Knebworth is congested with improvements to some of the arterial roads impossible due to narrow railway bridges supporting the main lines from Kings Cross/St Pancras. The main road through Knebworth is the B197 where there is continual congestion through the working day. On occasions, when there is an incident between Junctions 6 and 7 of the adjacent A1M, this problem creates gridlock in the High Street where not even the emergency vehicles are able to operate. The proposed increase of 31% of houses will create at least that proportion of extra traffic which will be unsustainable.
5. In addition to the situation in 4. above, there will be considerable disruption and inconvenience to the residents caused by heavy lorries transporting equipment, raw materials etc., to the respective sites. As the proposal is for the period to 2031, this represents a further 15 years of misery.
6. It has been proposed that the railway service to Kings Cross will be effectively reduced by the removal of the fast services at rush hour. Railway travellers to London will know well enough that the trains are already crowded when arriving at Knebworth in the morning. As the vast majority of new residents will be working outside Knebworth, the reduction in train services and the increase in usage of at least 31% will cause even more overcrowded trains.
7. There is only one medical practice Knebworth. As people in the village will be aware, the practice is already under pressure in terms of facilities /appointments etc. and the additional influx of people will swamp the practice.
8. Much of the proposed area for houses are vulnerable to surface water flooding and the construction of additional roads, houses and the infrastructure will increase that risk, not only for the proposed houses, but also for current residents. It is also understood that there are capacity issues at the Rye Meads Sewage Treatment Works which serve the area
9. The building of 663 new homes will have a dramatic impact on the need for education - particularly pupils at Primary and Secondary School. Based upon figures from the ONS adjusted for the likely demographic profile for the occupants of the new houses, there will be just over 1000 additional children aged 5-18 requiring school places. Only a Primary school with 200 pupils is currently available in Knebworth, with the Secondary school pupils travelling to Stevenage. Whilst an additional Primary school is proposed, this will be insufficient and it should be noted that a previous promise following a Development Plan to open another school has never been implemented.