There are acknowledged negative impacts of this site and so it is not the most appropriate site to have selected for such a large development which is disproportionate to the size and housing needs of Baldock. The railway line creates a hard border between site BA1 and the rest of Baldock which would make integration difficult. This is almost a new settlement in its own right although NHDC says it does not intend to create new settlements in this Plan.
The traffic flow and resulting pollution will add to an already difficult situation where both peak and non-peak time congestion is problematic and waiting times at the crossroads are long. It is likely that air quality standards in parts of Baldock will be breached as a result of this development.
The proposed link road for BA1 would involve long round trips to neighbouring towns and experience shows that many drivers will use the shorter more direct route through the town rather than the freer flowing road.
The timing of the new infrastructure is unclear and the town would not cope with such a large development unless most of the infrastructure comes in the earliest phase.