Codicote

I would like to object in the strongest possible terms to proposed development in Codicote, which is substantial enough to radically alter the character of this ancient village founded in the 13th century.

The grounds are as follows:

1. Transport infrastructure

(a) This is already inadequate for the village, causing regular tail backs between Hitchin and Welwyn on the single B road which connects to the A1 and carries traffic to Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield.

(b) As a result of parking on the narrow High Street, necessary for current residents who live there, traffic is already slowed and precarious through the village.

(c) The High road is heavily polluted, and so is the road as it enters and leaves the village since it is enclosed by buildings or high hedges/trees.

(d) There are no other roads in and out of Codicote apart from sub-B farmers' roads which can only take one car at a time (indents have been cut into the verges to allow them to pass).

(e) There is nowhere to accommodate extra cars or any extra traffic support systems for shops and the sort of increased delivery and maintenance traffic customarily generated by new houses.

(f) Exacerbated by the fact that the river Mimram runs nearby, and given the extent that the village and its environs are already built up to capacity, there is actually no room for further major infrastructure in terms of tunnels, bridges and widening.

2. Air Quality

I have mentioned this is in 1(c) above and this must be stressed as a health hazard which already exists, let alone the fact that with major proposed developments it can only get worse, damaging the health of those of who live here.

3. Upsetting the Ecology

By ecology I mean the nature of Codicote as a compact village which simply cannot be hammered into some kind of new shape on any grounds whatsoever.

Given the extent of proposed developments, I recommend the building of a New Town along the lines of Letchworth, Hitchin, Baldock and Welwyn Garden City in fields which are far enough away from current settlements to enable new infrastructure plans to be devised which do not impact on what is here already. This is the only way of preserving what is left of the green belt in this area - a precious lung and a vital living space - if not abused.

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