1. The proposed development would be a serious encroachment into the existing Green Belt located on the eastern side of Luton. Such extension in addition to being into the Green Belt is into an area of considerable landscape character and its urbanisation would be detrimental to the attractive area lying between the villages of Great Offley, Kings Walden and Luton.

2. The proposed development is an uncoordinated extension of Luton out into open countryside with a lack of defensible boundaries, such that the Local Authority would be under pressure to allow further expansion into open countryside and the Green Belt at times into the future. Such pressure might lead to additional development to the north and east of Mangrove Green with pressure to expand further into the historic area of Putteridge Bury Park.

3. The existing villages of Mangrove Green and Cockernhoe would be completely dominated and absorbed into the overall development area and would lose their rural character.

4. Access to the site is poor. Whilst there are roadways leading to the west, these are only of sufficient quality to absorb further residential traffic once they cross over the boundary into Luton Borough. Whilst this might adequately serve traffic leading to the centre of Luton or via Crawley Green Road to the M1 motorway, the road layout is poorly served for residential occupants wishing to travel to the north and east.

5. The tendency will be for traffic wishing to travel in the direction of Hitchin on the A505 to either travel through residential streets over a distance of 1¾ miles before joining the A505 at Stopsley, or alternatively to take to the local lanes by means of Chalk Hill, Brick Kiln Lane and Stony Lane to access Lilley Bottom some 11/2 miles to the east. The three aforementioned lanes are essentially single track roadways and are quite incapable of absorbing traffic from a development of some 2,103 dwellings, and on the earlier planning application of Bloor Homes under Planning Reference 13/02000/1 there appears to be little in the way of proposed improvement to those roadways.

6. Each of the three roadways lead down onto the Lilley Bottom Road, which runs from the village of Lilley through to Whitwell. Lilley Bottom is essentially a single track road for much of its length with passing places. It is already a well used rat run and is not capable of absorbing traffic from such a sizeable development.

7. It is almost inevitable that those wishing to travel to Hitchin, Stevenage and Welwyn will use Lilley Bottom in spite of any signage to attempt to direct traffic away to the residential areas of Luton. This is because it is a shorter distance and avoids the congestion within Luton.

8. Much of the traffic will eventually find its way onto the A505 dual carriageway and head in an easterly direction to Hitchin. It is well known that during peak times there are significant delays and queues on the western side of Hitchin due to a lack of any bypass arrangements to the town. A development of this size would therefore only exacerbate the situation and is another reason why development should not be considered at this location.

9. The current planning application in respect of Site EL1 makes provision for a primary school, but there is no provision for secondary education. This will inevitably place a strain upon the resources of North Hertfordshire rather than Luton, to which the development is aligned. Existing transport for school children in the rural areas of North Hertfordshire relies upon mini buses, but with the extent of development proposed and the number of children involved, this would be quite unsuitable for Wandon Park. The direct routes from Wandon Park via Chalk Hill, Brick Kiln Lane and Stony Lane are not capable of accommodating full size buses, which will mean that children face a lengthened journey by having to travel into Luton before returning to North Hertfordshire. This is not the mark of a sustainable development.