I object to the North Hertfordshire District Council Local Plan 2011-2031 with respect to the proposed submission relating to Knebworth. I do not consider the plan to be sound; it is not positively prepared, justified, effective or consistent with national policy.
The proposed local plan shows a distinct lack of strategic planning for Knebworth; pieces of land have been identified for development in isolation and no account has been taken of the cumulative impact on the existing village or its infrastructure. A piecemeal approach has been taken and neither the best interests of the village nor its ability to cope with the large proposed increase in dwellings have been taken into account.
The proposed 31% increase in dwellings is made without any provision to improve the roads, parking, social amenities or public services.
The B197 is already heavily congested every day at peak times and this is exacerbated and extended to other times of day when there are problems on the A1. I drive south from Knebworth every day for work and it regularly takes 30 minutes to drive about 3 miles both out of the village in the morning and back in at night. In addition to this, there is regularly a traffic jam leaving the village at the north end from Deards End lane towards Stevenage which seems to be caused by the traffic lights at the Broadwater Tesco store. It can take 20 minutes to drive from the northern boundary of Knebworth to the Roebuck. With the exception of Sundays, there is congestion on the High Street at all times of day and often in the evening. The current infrastructure is struggling to cope now and will not cope with a 31% increase in dwellings.
Given that there are no plans for additional employment in the immediate vicinity, all new householders will be commuters, putting additional strain on road, rail and parking. There are currently plans to actually reduce train services to Knebworth with the village losing the fast trains to London. There will be more passengers and less trains on an already busy route. Parking near the station is already an issue; causing tensions between residents and commuters.
NHDC is planning to build on greenbelt but their interpretation of "exceptional circumstances" is against Government policies. Development of sites KB1, KB2 and KB4 would result in a loss of productive agricultural land.
Site KB4 has restricted access; neither Swangley's Lane, Old Lane nor Watton Road is suitable for construction traffic. St Martin's Road is a private road and would be in danger of becoming a "rat run" and used for parking. There is an alternative site on land west of the A1(M) which has been under discussion since the 1950s but no progress has been made due to access issues. The access to site KB4 is no better than the access to this site.
The proposed local plan would result in a loss of commerce in the village with the Chas Lowe site being used for housing. This is a prime commercial site in the centre of the village and should not be reallocated to housing.
There are currently proposals for the construction of a new surgery to replace the existing one. This is not additional capacity. A 31% increase in dwellings will require additional capacity however there is no expansion capacity built into the surgery plan whatsoever either in terms of the service it will provide or parking for the facility.
The proposed Local Development Plan will have a detrimental impact on the village of Knebworth and will not enhance the village in any way. Bolting on new developments of hundreds of homes on the edge of Knebworth is not a solution to the need for homes. It will erode its boundaries with neighbouring settlements and the village will lose its separate identity. Knebworth is not the most appropriate location for an additional 663 homes. There is an alternative site which would be better suited to the proposed to the west of Stevenage.
NHDC have not worked with neighbouring local authorities but have developed local plans in isolation rather than working together to provide the best solution to housing needs in the area.
Hertfordshire is a rural county and it is vital that space between towns and villages is protected in line with Government policy to maintain the identity of villages, in this case Knebworth.
I would ask that the proposed local plan is scrapped and a more positive plan developed in co-operation with neighbouring authorities to best meet the housing needs of the area in a way which enhances local communities.