Codicote

I am objecting to the local plan proposed for Codicote.
My main concern is the level in traffic currently in Codicote and the proposed increases in housing will make the traffic levels horrendous. The volume of traffic at peak times already blocks the High Street. The number of parked cars along the southern end of Codicote High Street makes the road a single lane for much of the day. Residents all now park on the pavement on both sides of the road, making the pavement impassable for wheelchairs and buggies. I don't feel that the traffic difficulties already imposed by existing use of cars, the number of heavy lorries from the quarries in both Codicote and Hitchin, the number of cars parked along the southern end of Codicote, access by emergency vehicles, the volume of traffic when there are problems on the A1(M) and the use of Codicote by cars travelling through the village to Hitchin and North Hertfordshire have been properly taken into account by the Local Plan. In particular the size and number of the lorries from the quarries are already causing considerable concerns in the village. There is little employment in Codicote, no secondary school provision and infrequent bus services, all promoting the use of commuting via car.
In addition the B656 road cannot be widened, and there are no opportunities for parking off the main high street.
Therefore I strongly believe the local plan with consideration to traffic and the proposed increase in the number of houses in Codicote is unsound.

13.72 No doctors - nearest Welwyn oversubscribed, have to drive as bus service poor plus poor parking

13.76 Negative Impact of additional traffic, pollution on historic buildings.

13.77 All four sites on greenbelt land. what are the "exceptional circumstances" as required by the National Planning Policy Framework which allow this land to be favoured for development?

13.80 Primary Facilities would have to expand but no mention of secondary. Schools in Hitchin and Welwyn oversubscribed. My own children who go to Welwyn to Monks Walk school cant normally get on the first bus its full and the traffic is now so bad the second bus makes them late most mornings.

13.81 Surprised that "no mitigation" measures required in Codicote. Even with current levels of traffic cars park both sides of high street blocking pavement, limiting the space for local businesses. Due to the increase in the amount of quarry traffic the high street is already very congested and you frequently cant pass a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. Even in normal traffic with no accidents there are frequently queues to get to the A1 roundabout. As there is no proposal for extra village employment in this plan most of the new homeowners will commute to work by car adding to this pressure. Walking and cycling are not an option as they are too dangerous or centres too far.

13.83 Evidence of inadequacy od drainage already seen frequently in St Albans Rd.

I would like to add my name to the list of people objecting to the current plan for extra housing in Codicote.

My main objection is the unsuitability for further traffic in our village. It is already overburdened with queues at many times of the day and little room to manoeuvre.

It is already dangerous. There is nowhere to walk or cycle or push prams due to parking on the pavements to allow room for traffic and the roads are dangerous to cross for the elderly and children due to heavy lorries and general traffic trying to pass each other on a narrow road with cars parked either sides.

Many houses were built years ago and have no garages so have to park on the high street. I live off the High St and am fortunate to have my own parking area. However to enter the High St from this is extremely dangerous with the amount of traffic and the limited viewing. It's an accident waiting to happen. More traffic would increase this hazard.

I wish to object in the strongest possible terms to the proposed expansion plans for Codicote & the surrounding area for the following reasons:
1 EROSION OF GREEN BELT.
The green belt land bordered by Hitchin to the North, Welwyn/Hatfield to the South, Luton to the West & Stevenage to the South represents the last remaining "green lung" in the area. Constant expansion of all the villages within it, not to mention the aforementioned towns will eventually result in one massive conurbation and the rural facility will be lost forever to the detriment of the environment and everyone who lives there.

2 TRAFFIC
The B656 Welwyn-Hitchin road - a "B" road - is very busy at the best of times, but a nightmare at peak times with long queues in both directions. Consequently all the narrow side lanes such as Bury Lane, Drivers End Lane, Hitchin Lane, Old Knebworth Lane etc. are becoming "rat runs". This is already dangerous as there are numerous places where it is impossible for two cars to pass & there are increasing numbers of heavy commercial vehicles using these lanes to avoid the congestion on the main roads.
There is also heavy congestion where this road leads to the A1M to the South & going into Hitchin to the North

3 SCHOOLS
The existing schools cannot cope at present & with no adjacent land to facilitate expansion, new ones would have to be built to accommodate the ever increasing population.

4 HOPITALS & SURGERIES
Since the cancellation of a new hospital to serve Hatfield & the closure of the QE2 in Welwyn, despite recent expansion the Lister Hospital in Stevenage is already struggling to cope with the increased demand. Even the new maternity wing is under severe pressure with women already in labour being sent away until the last possible moment. As for getting a doctor's appointment on demand, forget it!

SOLUTION?
In my opinion, the only viable solution to all these problems would be the creation of a new Garden City custom built to accommodate the demands of an ever-increasing population. Expensive of course, but better than trying to make a silk purse out of the proverbial pig's ear. This could possibly be sited to the North of Baldock where there is more open land.

I am writing to object to the NHDC's Local Plan for Codicote, on the grounds that it has not been positively prepared and is not justified, effective or consistent with the National Policy Planning Framework.

The plan will increase the total area of the village by one third, and not 25 percent as stated, as this would be added to the village of Codicote only and not the Parish of Codicote as a whole, which includes Pottersheath, Danesbury and Nup End . Adding an additional 364 homes (including those with previously granted planning permission) to the current total of around 1500 existing homes, will add between 500 and 1000 extra people to the existing village population of 3500. This will hugely increase traffic into and out of Codicote, which is already congested at peak times, contributing more noise and exhaust pollution to a relatively quiet rural village.

It is also my understanding that Ashill developers intend to submit a planning application for 200 homes on the Heath Lane site and not the 140 homes originally proposed. This does not accord with any sustainability proposals for development in this area.
Demand on local schools, GP services and Hospitals is already very high. Waiting times are up and parents already have difficulty in getting their children into the local JMI school.

Demand for water and drainage facilities are already causing concern as stated by Thames Water. Precious Green Belt land, designed in part to create separation between rural villages, will be lost. Specifically, the development South of Cowards Lane will link the village with the farm next door creating a conurbation between Codicote and Welwyn.

If 14,500 new homes are needed, and that is highly questionable, it would be much better to develop a new Garden City. This has already been proposed and would address the housing and infrastructure requirements for the size of development envisaged by NHDC.

The current plan, if implemented will adversely affect the character of the village of Codicote, taking away the very reasons why people choose to live here. The attractive layout and design, village community, ease of transport, natural environment and good facilities will all suffer under the pressure of the proposed new development.

We are writing to express our deep concern at the extent of the proposed development identified in the Local Plan for the Parish of Codicote.

We have lived within the parish since 1994 and over the last 20 years have not only enjoyed the benefits of living in a rural environment but have also experienced the impact of development in the area.

Living on the Codicote Road (B656) between Codicote and Welwyn, we find ourselves affected by planning decisions in both Parishes. The B656 has always been an alternative to an overutilised A1(M) for those living north of Hitchin and, more recently the increase in development north of Stevenage (e.g. Biggleswade) has compounded the situation. The marked increase in traffic using the B656 over the last 5 years has not only caused long delays through the village of Codicote but also regular traffic queues stretching from junction 6 of the A1(M) on the south side of the village. In addition to the sheer volume of traffic, the type of vehicle using the road (especially the Codicote quarry lorries) has meant that walking, bicycling and horse riding along this stretch of road is now extremely hazardous and it will only be a matter of time before there is a serious incident. There are already issues with the poor quality of the road surfaces and inaccessibility of the pavements (overgrown and in places impassible due to parked cars) as well as poor maintenance of storm drains leading to recent incidents of flooding along the length of the Codicote Road. The impact of a further 315 houses in Codicote and a similar number proposed in Welwyn would bring the local network to a standstill and impact further on the environment and infrastructure.

However, it is not only the traffic, road safety, maintenance and drainage that is of concern but also the access to local healthcare. Within the last two years we have seen the Bridge Cottage surgery, which serves both Welwyn and Codicote, move from offering a successful daily drop-in surgery to an appointment only service which is over-subscribed and frequently inaccessible. The knock-on effect on the minor injuries unit at the New QEII Hospital and A&E at the Lister Hospital will be exacerbated by these proposed developments unless additional provision of a medical practice is included in any development plan.

Acknowledging the need for additional housing, we strongly believe that the current infrastructure would not support the proposed development for the Parish of Codicote. For the above reasons, we believe that the proposal for Codicote within the North Herts Local Plan is unsound and totally unacceptable. We would therefore like our representation to be considered by any inspector reviewing the proposed plan on behalf of the Government.

See attachment

This is to confirm that i totally endorse and agree with all of our MP Stephen McPartland's letter dated 19 November re the above. This is my submission.
In addition more houses of this volume will only bring more cars/ traffic to an already gridlocked rush hour through Codicote and considerably hinders productive economic growth.
This is an ill thought out plan and should be adhereing to government green belt policy and the needs of existing residents and their rural way of life. Upgrading all existing utilities and infrastructure first before any development. To include planning for a car park for both residents and visitors by purchasing land and/or buildings.
The proposed developments are not sustainable for Codicote. The current plan should not be approved.

I wish to object to the outrageous expansion plans you have for Codicote for the following reasons:-

INFRASTRUCTURE
There is no way the infrastructure will cope with your plans to create 315 new homes, an increase of 25%, and probably over a thousand more people. These plans combined with your plans for Knebworth will swamp the area and seriously overstretch all the existing facilities.

TRAFFIC and ROAD SAFETY
The B656, on which Codicote is located, is already known as the 4th Lane of the A1M. I understand there are no plans to upgrade this road, which is very busy during normal hours and, at peak times, there is a queue from Codicote to Hitchin. This is resulting is small lanes, such as Drivers End Lane, Hitchin Lane, Old Knebworth Lane and Bury lane becoming rat runs. In addition to this there is no way the road surfaces will survive, especially with the increase in heavy traffic.

PARKING
Driving through Codicote with parking on both sides of the High Street is already a nightmare. Another 600 cars will create "Carmaggedon".

HEALTHCARE
Following the cancellation of the plans for the new hospital in Hertford and the closure of the QE2 in Welwyn the Lister Hospital is already pushed to its limits.The addition of about 2000 extra residents in Codicote and Knebworth will be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. In addition to this the local surgeries in Whitwell, Welwyn and Knebworth are already at breaking point.

POWER, WATER & DRAINAGE
Has the NHDC taken into account the extra supply of electricity, water and drainage facilities that will need to be provided for such a large number of new houses.

SCHOOLING
The existing school will not be able to cope with the 300+ children that the new houses could produce. Has the NHDC plans to build additional buildings to accommodate them and the land to build them on?

ENVIRONMENT
These proposals will be a further erosion of irreplaceable Green Belt and , if the NHDC carries on with its development plans for the area, the area between Welwyn, Hatfield, Hitchin and Stevenage will end up being one massive ugly conurbation.

REMEDY
Could the NHDC consider building a new Garden City like Welwyn or Letchworth which would be the answer and accommodate the demands of an ever-increasing population?

I and my wife live in Codicote and are both surprised at the plans you seem to be supporting for more than 310 new dwellings attached to the village, an increase of over 30%.

Can we ask you to seriously reconsider this plan for many reasons but for us they must include:-

1. The traffic flow is seriously disrupted, particularly at rush hour periods, with all the cars parked in either side of the road especially at the narrower places in the High Street. This is exacerbated by the large numbers of quarry lorries using the High Street, by the already large numbers of dwelling already added recently (the Willow Close - ex-Royton, the Node dwellings, the Clock dwellings, etc.), by delivery lorries/van delivering to High Street shops etc.. If your plan goes ahead it needs to be sorted for the current traffic load and with enough capacity for the planned further expansion.
2. Car parking is getting more than silly and needs sorting to ease the problems of traffic, and to get spaces for the High Street residents ...... and in a way that does not prevent passing customers to use the local shops.
3. The local school cannot cope with the young children already living in the village so the new additions (Royton and Node etc.) children will have a problem in getting places there and with a further 310 plus dwellings the problem can only get worse.
4. The utilities may not cope with these additions:-
The electricity supply has been and still is erratic with frequent power outage/total electrical failures
The sewage system, we are advised, cannot cope and gets overwhelmed at times without any additional burden
We cannot speak for the gas and water supplies but we are not aware of any current problems
5. The local GP surgeries plainly are not coping so additional health provision arrangements have to be considered to cope with the current folk and with capacity to cope with the additional burden from the new dwellings.
6. The disruption and damage to roads, traffic flow, parking, and general mud etc. while the buildings are built and the infrastructure improved seem to be not considered.

We could go on but I think that if the above cannot be dealt with effectively, and before these dwellings get sanctioned, it would be a poorly considered plan.

With reference to your decision on the Proposed Local Plan, I would ask you to consider the disproportionate impact that building 349 new homes will have on Codicote village, a scale of development that is completely inappropriate and totally excessive. I believe it would cause significant harm to Codicote, its rural setting and the Green Belt.
Codicote village would be overwhelmed and its inadequate facilities/ infrastructure unable to cope with such a huge concentration of new housing representing a 36% enlargement to the settlement area of the village (as shown on NHDC's map).
Traffic congestion is already as major problem for Codicote and a daily nightmare for its residents. Codicote's roads are mainly narrow country lanes which cannot cope with existing traffic volumes. Increasing traffic volumes on these unsuitable roads will have serious implications for road safety.
As concluded by the SRC commissioned Traffic Report, Codicote, as a location for new development, does not minimize the need to travel, or maximize the use of sustainable transport modes and the proposed development at Codicote is not, therefore, compliant with paragraph 34 of the NPPF.
With regard to Green Belt, the Planning Minister is very clear that Green Belt boundaries should only be adjusted in exceptional circumstances and with the support of local people. Furthermore, he states that the Government has been repeatedly clear that the demand for housing alone will not change Green Belt boundaries.
There is no evidence that NHDC has the support of local people in adjusting the Green Belt boundaries (quite the opposite in fact). Additionally there are no exceptional circumstances beyond the demand for housing.
NHDC's Local Plan therefore does not comply with the Government's National Planning policy and it fails the test of 'soundness' in two significant respects;
1. Codicote does not represent a sustainable location for new development, and;
2. Misappropriation of Green Belt land for housing when there are still brown field sites available.
I don't believe that adding hundreds of additional homes in our villages is at all justified when there is a far preferable option to destroying our historic villages. Creation of a new settlement, a Garden Village or Town, fully functioning with all modern amenities, should be given more serious consideration by NHDC.
In conclusion, I do not believe that NHDC's Local Plan has been positively prepared, is justified, effective or consistent with national policy. Surely 36%+ growth of a historic village cannot be the most justified/appropriate course of action.
I firmly believe that NHDC's Local Plan would do significant harm to Codicote and the Green Belt, so I would urge you, to use your powers, to reject it.

I would like to register my concerns about plans that have been made for new housing in Codicote.
My feeling is that the village road system, drainage system, and school system, would not be able to cope.
When the population increased when I first moved here 50yrs ago the drainage system could not cope with the extra housing, and the sewage system was prone to overflow in stormy weather.
The road through the village is, at the moment very difficult to use, especially during early morning and late evening due to cars parked at the roadside. With all the extra traffic from the new housing you are suggesting, the present infrastructure wouldn't manage. The car park was sold to build new houses.
The village school, would not cope with any more children, some children are unable to get a place here, even now, because of the extra houses already here. We are already having an extra classroom added to try to remedy this problem. From the plans I have seen of your proposed plan for us, I can see nothing in them to deal with this pressing problem.

Worried residents of Codicote.

See attached

See attached

See attached

We are writing in regards to the housing proposals and why we categorically object to them being built in Codicote. I fully object to the housing development as outlined below:
School places statistics 2016 taken from hertsdirect.org.uk

Codicote and nearby Schools are fully subscribed, where would students go to school? Are there any more plans for additional secondary or primary schools?
School Applications Allocated places
Monkswalk school 701 226
Codicote school 91 48
Oaklands primary school 87 29
Hitchin Boys 579 165
Hitchin Girls 640 145
The Priory 641 189
Sir Fredric Osborn 267 144

Internet
The Internet speed in Codicote is continuingly quite insufficient with more homes the speed would be extremely low and unbearable.
Have any plans for fibre optic broadband to be installed been considered within the village? or will we suffer low speed at a higher price to areas with fibre optic broadband?
Power
Have any plans for sufficient power stations to be installed been considered so we do not have to suffer power cuts? Power cuts increasing would be extremely detrimental to any equipment people own and more so those with medical equipment.
Health care
Knebworth and Welwyn Surgery are well over subscribed. Are there any plans for a Dr's Surgery in Codicote?
The Lister hospital is in chaos, long waiting terms and parking is impossible. More houses would make it virtually impossible to access the Lister. The Lister is already oversubscribed more houses would have a huge detrimental impact on the already strained NHS.
Codicote has no direct bus links or health shuttle linking the Lister meaning high priced taxi fares.
Are there any plans for the health shuttle to link Codicote to the Lister Hospital?

Transport
Codicote has insufficient transport links and no railway station this means everyone who does live here and commutes will have to have a car leading to more traffic. Have any plans been made for a better and more practical bus service, or bus links to hospitals?
Traffic
The High street is constantly gridlocked in the morning and afternoon, more traffic would make it impossible leaving the house. More traffic would have an impact on Commuters and children getting to school.
Road safety
The traffic as mentioned above is already an issue along with the quarry lorries. The village does not have a crossing patrol. More traffic would be a risk to the students of Codicote School and parents crossing each day.
Sewage, waste, water and drainage
What are the plans for additional sewage facilities? Has this been considered for any vast new developments?
Have plans for additional water supplies been considered along with drainage and sewage?
The village and community
Codicote village is a lovely place to live in. Any developments in vast numbers will spoil the community atmosphere.
Wild life
Have the habitats of wildlife within the green fields and around the village been considered and the impact these houses would have on them?.
Roads
The lanes are extremely narrow and hardly practical for the amount of cars now, let alone a large increase. The Highstreet and B656 are grid locked during rush hour.
What are the plans for improved roads or wider lanes to Stevenage to accommodate the increase in the traffic.
Environment
Codicote would be subject to more air pollution if the houses planned are built, it is bad enough with the quarry Lorries but more cars would increase the problem.
Facilities
Codicote does not have a wide range of facilities meaning for most sports and activities people commute to near by towns.
Have any additional plans for facilities been considered inline with development here?
Parking
Will any plans for compulsory driveways be implemented into the development or will have grid locked neighbours and nowhere to park?
Parking is already detrimental in St Albans road, Heathlane and Meadow way during the school day. What impact will this have on the residents, who will suffer if the school is expanded and more houses are built here?
As it is categorically summed up any housing development will be detrimental to the area and surrounding area and I STRONGLY OPPOSE any developments because of the impact it will have and problems it will cause.
Unless sufficient plans are in place with infrastructure added as appropriate more problems, more traffic and chaos will be the outcome as categorically displayed throughout this letter.

I am writing this email to object to the planned development of the greenbelt surrounding Codicote village. For anybody living locally, or if you were to visit, it is clear that the proposed development would have a significant negative impact on the local environment and infrastructure.

The local road network, particularly running through the centre of the village, is already a difficult area to navigate safely, especially with the high volume of quarry trucks. The vehicles from an additional 300 houses will inevitably result in not only congestion but also most likely a fatality in the near future. The local drainage systems will be pushed beyond their capacity leading to environmental discharges to the local waterways which contain protected species.

The rural nature of Codicote is uniquely special for an area so close to London and the expansion of the village will ultimately result in the loss of community spirit and all the benefits that this brings to the population in and around the local area. A far better approach would be to develop a new village/town as has already been previously proposed to the North West of Stevenage.

Whilst I appreciate there is a need for additional housing, there are far better solutions to this than continual expansion of our rural villages. This sort of development will create housing that developers will primarily benefit from rather than creation of affordable housing that constitutes the clear majority of the demand.

This is to confirm my continuing opposition to the proposed housing development in Codicote.

With the addition of the Heath Lane site, the points in my previous email concerning healthcare, environment, education and traffic are even more relevant and concerning.

I fail to understand how a proposal to build 315 new houses can be taken seriously without even any contingency for a doctor's surgery in Codicote? Bridge Cottage Surgery in Welwyn is already operating at full capacity. Where are the hundreds of potential new patients going to go?

With regard to traffic - Codicote High Street is already rammed. Parked cars line both sides, the side streets are full, and many in a state of disrepair. At peak time, it grinds to a halt every day. Another 500 odd cars on top of this? Again, I fail to see how the village will cope.

I'm not opposed to building new houses, but the sheer size of this proposal, along with a severe lack of contingency for developing the infrastructure of our village means that in its current form it should not be approved.

I would like to register my objection to the North Herts District Council's Local Plan which proposes to build over 300 new houses on Green Belt land on the outskirts of Codicote.

In the first place, traffic through Codicote is already unacceptably high, with daily traffic jams at morning and evening peak hours in the High Street. There is a very poor public transport system and the addition of the proposed house would only exacerbate the current situation by adding around 600 cars travelling through the village, without there being much scope for a developer to sufficiently mitigate the adverse effect of the developments on traffic in and around the area, a required by the Local Plan. This means that in relation to traffic the Local Plan is unsound because of failing one of the four key criteria - that it must be "Justified - the plan should be the most appropriate strategy, when considered against the reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidence".

In the second place, paragraph 14 of the NPPF states that "At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking." Already, Codicote has the lowest level of sustainable travel of all the preferred housing development areas in the district. The heavy traffic on the roads discourages many people from considering cycling to work already. I commute to work in Hatfield by cycling along St Albans Road out of the village. In the last ten years I have seen the volume of traffic on this narrow country lane increase enormously, making cycling more and more dangerous (as evidenced by some narrow escapes from being involved in accidents that I have had). The increase in traffic that the proposed housing would bring about would cause more people to start driving along St Albans Road making this road even more dangerous for cyclists. I therefore posit that the Local Plan fails the test of soundness on the basis of another of the four key criteria - "Consistent with national policy - the plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework."

In the third place, the land on which the houses are to be built is Green Belt land, which according to the NHDC's Local Plan of 1996 should be "permanently open". We moved to Codicote sixteen years ago because of the countryside which we love and in the belief that given that because it is Green Belt land it would be protected from development. In June 2016 the Planning Minister made it very clear that Green Belt boundaries should only be adjusted in exceptional circumstances, definitely not because of the demand for housing alone, and with the support of local people. As a local, I do not support Green Belt boundaries around Codicote being adjusted, nor does anyone I know in the village. I believe the NHDC's Local Plan fails the test for "soundness" because it does not comply with the Government's National Planning policy.

I also object to the fact that NHDC is willing to use Green Belt land rather than stipulating that Brownfield land should be developed first. There is no justification for using Green Belt land, which is supposed to be protected, given that Brownfield land is available (as shown in a recent report by the Campaign to Protect Rural England). NHDC could also seriously consider the alternative proposal of a new Garden City (as advocated by the University of Hertfordshire), rather than choosing the 'easy' option of building on Green Belt land. The addition of over 300 houses to Codicote will change the character of our village, and it will impact on the quality of life of its inhabitants in terms of the surrounding environment, stress caused by additional traffic noise and traffic jams, as well as air pollution. Surely this cannot be the most justified/appropriate course of action to address the need for more housing.

I understand you are putting together plans to build 200+ houses on our green belt within our village.

I strongly disagree with this proposal. My reasons are

I was brought up in this village 43 years ago and then moved away and it took me 32 years to return, I got married here and have now brought 2 children into this village so I feel very strongly about adding more homes. If you were to build 200+ houses this would potentially be an increase of 400 cars going through the village, we have enough trouble passing through the high street now where there are cars either side of the street adding to this will cause more accidents. We are also a rat run when the A1M has an accident and in the mornings this is causing havoc to get to and from school. The school two years ago rejected 6 local children as the school lacked space after much upset and appeal these children were accepted now you have accepted 60 children into the reception class and the children's classes have been shuffled, to add 200+ homes that is an extra potentially of 200 children where will they go, the school does not have the capacity for the children they have now. We are a village community and our children are safe and happy but we are already seeing when disaster strikes. We all raised money to have new playground equipment and last week this was torched with extra children what more is going to happen??

Another problem is the healthcare, my son waited 4 days to see a doctor due to the increased capacity of the local doctors surgery. It can't cope with the increase and putting more people through would be disastrous and potentially life threatening. We need plans in place to have our own doctors surgery if you are to put extra housing.

I ask you to reconsider and not build homes on our Greenbelt and keep our village a village.

I am writing this email to object to the planned development of the greenbelt surrounding Codicote village. For anybody living locally, or if you were to visit, it is clear that the proposed development would have a significant negative impact on the local environment and infrastructure.

The local road network, particularly running through the centre of the village, is already a difficult area to navigate safely, especially with the high volume of quarry trucks. The vehicles from an additional 300 houses will inevitably result in not only congestion but also most likely a fatality in the near future. The local drainage systems will be pushed beyond their capacity leading to environmental discharges to the local waterways which contain protected species.

The rural nature of Codicote is uniquely special for an area so close to London and the expansion of the village will ultimately result in the loss of community spirit and all the benefits that this brings to the population in and around the local area. A far better approach would be to develop a new village/town as has already been previously proposed to the North West of Stevenage.

Whilst I appreciate there is a need for additional housing, there are far better solutions to this than continual expansion of our rural villages. This sort of development will create housing that developers will primarily benefit from rather than creation of affordable housing that constitutes the clear majority of the demand.

In response to the proposed Local Plan we believe it to be unsound.

The hundreds of new houses cannot be justified in our already stretched village. There is evidence of increased strain on the school (increased pupil applications), even with expansion, the school remains landlocked and would demand the need for a service road for the school and surrounding area of Heath Lane & St Albans Road; Quality of living must surely be questioned:traffic/noise/polution, to name a few. The area of Heath Lane and adjoining school roads in particular would become saturated and create even further congestion at peak times. What of protecting the footpaths and boundaries? We can only see that expanding in this way will encroach on our natural green areas & heritage that, as a village, we locally appreciate.

We believe there has been no positive investment to the infrastructure from the already small pockets of new homes built in Codicote. With increasing population and fluctuation in the proposed housing numbers, NHDC plans cannot be viewed effective or indeed consistent.

It would be a sensible and openeyed view to commit to creating a new Garden City, surely the ever increasing demand in housing warrants this along with supporting services.

Ultimately, expanding in our already stretched village will serve only to change the dynamic of the area & lose its identity as a village.

I would like to strongly object to the 315 houses that NHDC wants to build on Green Belt land in Codicote.

This plan is unsound for our rural village, for the following reasons:

*Correct infrastructure not in place
*No doctors surgery
*School already full to capacity
*Detrimental effect on local wildlife/environment
*Change character of rural village - detrimental effect on close net community
*Lack of employment in local area
*Building on previously protected green belt land
*Huge impact on traffic into/out of village at rush hour
*Road safety implications in village high street/no loppipop person now on patrol at school times
*More parking required, not enough through High Street already - causing increased safety concerns
*Increased demand for power/water/drainage

I am writing to object to the local plan which intends to increase the number of houses in Codicote by at the very least an extra 320. I object to this plan because

a. it includes building homes on green belt land which has been labelled as such specifically to stop developers from building on our few remaining local areas of natural beauty and wildlife. Also if all 'empty fields' continue to be built upon Codicote will cease to be a village in its own right and will end up becoming part of welwyn or some other wider conglomeration, thus losing the character of this lovely rural location.

b. the local primary school and surrounding secondary schools are already more or less full to capacity. In particular the secondary schools are of concern as the wider plan includes increases in housing in other local villages that feed into these schools. While I appreciate that some consideration has been made to expand the capacity of the primary school, I don't feel that the secondary school issue has been addressed at all.

c. the local GPs in both Welwyn and Knebworth are also full to capacity and are struggling to cope with the number of new patients arriving. This is the same issue as secondary schools. Thousands more homes but no new provisions for GP care planned.

d. the village cannot sustain any further increase in the level of traffic that goes through the village at rush hours, particularly if there is a problem on the A1M. There is already a slow to static queue every morning and evening. Where will the extra 600 or so cars go? Not to mention all the others from surrounding villages. This is not helped by the fact that there is a very limited (almost non-existent) bus service through the village, so commuters are forced to use their cars due to a lack of alternative. This also impacts on the safety of school children. There are only two official crossing points on the route to school on the High Street even though several other already very busy roads have to be crossed e.g. St Albans Road (a main route to Luton and St Albans) and Bury Lane ( a main route through from Stevenage to Welwyn.

e. I feel that the village also cannot sustain this level of increase in housing, increasing the population (of the official 'Settlement Boundary') by over 30% , especially as many new houses have already been snuck in over the last few years via larger houses being sold off and then several new houses being built in their place. The High Street, lovely Sports & Social centre and primary school were not built to accommodate hundreds (even thousands?) of extra people. Also, to my knowledge no further infrastructure has been included to make this increase work e.g. improved waste water facilities and we already experience regular power cuts - how will this be affected by an extra 300+ homes?

f. Finally I feel that the houses being built are not for, nor are in the interests of, current and nearby local residents. It seems to me that these are being built to accommodate Londoners who can no longer afford to live in London. They can afford much higher prices and so the new houses being built are currently all 'luxury' homes, with 3 bedroom houses being sold for at least £650,000, while the locals cannot possibly move up to a 3-bed at that price from a £250,000 2-bed that they currently reside in. This is not fair, nor local nor sustainable.

In summary I feel that the local plan currently seeks to house more people than the village and wider locality can possibly sustain on land that should not be used for housing but be left to nature in an area full to bursting in terms of schooling, healthcare, public transport and road use.

It needs a total re-think.

I would like to participate in the ongoing discussions surrounding the proposed housing development in Codicote village. I do not feel the proposed plan is in any way viable. The village is already at maximum capacity with roads, including the B197 high street, almost impassable at rush hour. The current plan takes no account of this. The primary school is under enormous pressure not to mention the desperate need for secondary school provision. The doctors surgery in nearby Welwyn is similarly unable to cope as it is and having two small children, it is very worrying that it takes so long to get appointments.
The second problem with the plan is that it does not comply with the governments Green belt plans. In fact it seems to be in direct opposition.
Our MP Stephen McPartland has suggested that instead of adding on to already over run villages, a new garden city is what is needed. I think this is a much better idea. Mr McPartland has suggested the only reason this is not already our only plan is that time has run short to draft such a proposal. This seems like a ridiculously weak excuse. To continue with the current plan will only create many many more problems and expense for the council.

We appreciate the need for some new housing in Codicote mainly affordable housing but feel the numbers suggested will cause more chaos in the High Street and surrounding roads. Also we wonder how the local school will cope with such a large influx of children. Many people are experiencing difficulty obtaining medical appointments now and will surely find things at doctors surgeries more difficult in the future were the proposals approved.

We personally object to the plan due to the insufficient infrastructure within the area. Traffic is a current problem with the roads being gridlocked.
The parents and children going to Codicote School have no crossing patrol at the busy high street.
Codicote school does not have sufficient space to keep on extending and parking is a current issue now in Meadow Way and St Albans road imagine the problems if we keep extending the school.
The never-ending quarry lorries also pose a safety risk to villagers in Codicote especially school children and parents.
Codicote has very few facilities meaning people have to travel to near by towns which means again an increase of traffic during all times of the day.
It is an impossibility to get a doctors appointment and hospital appointment now. what plans are there for improved health care provisions in North Hertfordshire.
I am sure you are aware all schools are currently well over subscribed and only an additional twenty places added at Hitchin Girls and Hitchin Boys and the Priory was overlooked for expansion, no other expansions in Letchworth or Baldock etc. have been considered and the same with primary schools.
Are there any plans for better internet services within Codicote?
I feel the best option due to the lack of infrastructure, over subscribed schools and traffic is to build a new garden City with sufficient infrastructure than add to the current problems we are facing in North Hertfordshire.

I am a resident of Codicote and I having examined North Herts District Councils Local Plan proposal and I whole heartedly reject it.

I have lived in this Village since birth, and now I raise my Children here.

Codicote does not have the infrastructure to add 300 houses. Such a huge influx will be detrimental to the sense of community. The school is not equipped to cope, it is hard enough to get Drs appointments already, traffic is too heavy already and parking is a joke. To increase the population by this level is ludicrous, Codicote is a village it doesn't need to become a town.

I agree with our local MPs Stephen McPartland's view that building another 'garden city' would be in the best interests of all the local villages.

Please reconsider the current unacceptable proposal.

I refer to the following point in your proposals:

13.81 "Our transport modelling does not identify a requirement for any specific mitigation measures in Codicote" Whoever undertook the modelling clearly does not understand the transport situation in Codicote. The main road through Codicote from Hitchin to Welwyn is continually at a standstill which has been made worse in recent years due to the high volume of 20 ton lorries travelling to and from the quarry. The same goes for St Albans road, from Wheathamstead into Codicote. It means being in a traffic jam if you want to go to the Doctors or go to work in the morning and afternoon. The current road infrastructure can't and does not cope. Having a further 300 plus houses with no doubt 700 plus more cars will mean everything will grind to a halt.

13.82 "Sites in Codicote will need to ensure that any transport assessments appropriately take these issues into account and contribute reasonably to any necessary measures which may seek to address these issues"
This is an extremely vague and soft requirement in my opinion. What are the mitigating measures which could address the major issues? A by-pass? There is no capacity to widen the road and little capacity for traffic 'flow' measures. As already mentioned the current infrastructure is already at breaking point, so adding more volume will only make matters much worse. This has already been voiced to officials from North Herts District Council, at various public meetings on the matter and no answers have been provided.

I strongly object to the new proposed plan.

I have written to you twice in the past 3 years without a reply or even the courtesy of an acknowledgement.
My main point is that the Government, in the form of the 'Homes and Community Agency' ( a government quango) issued a report in 2013, stating that there was enough brownfield sites/land available for 3 million new homes in Britain, enough to fulfill the housing needs for the next 12 years. Why have you ignored this ?

I moved here (Codicote) 9 years ago and, since then, the standard of living has seriously deteriorated due to a huge increase in population in the County, accompanied by government austerity and social infrastructure cuts.

[...] We all know that the NHS is collapsing. Our local hospital, the QE11 in Welwyn Garden City is being pulled down for replacement with new housing on the promise of a new 'super hospital' in Hatfield : this promise has now been renaged upon. We have no doctors surgery in Codicote but have to go the one in Welwyn . 82% of Doctors surgeries report an unmanageable/overwhelming demand. What a disgrace. When I asked Welwyn surgery how they were going to cope with the huge increase in houses in Welwyn ( mainly on the 'Frith' - the old Glaxo/Smith/ Kline site)' I was told 'they didn't even have time to think about it: let alone do anything about it'.

[...]Codicote Primary has 37 pupils in its Reception class ( the size of a broom cupboard ). All local schools are at least 3 times over subscribed. Its a nightmare for young parents[...].

Policing has ceased in Codicote (apart from policemen hiding in bushes at the entrance to the village with speed guns on income generation duties) and theft, vandalism, rubbish, diesel theft and spills and dog fouling prevail.

Codicote high street forms the 3rd lane of the A1M as it reduces to 2 lanes from 3 from Hitchin to Welwyn causing traffic gridlock in rush hour which now begins in the evening at 3:30pm.

No new building should be sanctioned until we have:

1. A new extra Primary School in Codicote.

2. A large Secondary School in Codicote.

3. A doctors surgery in Codicote.

4 . A dental surgery in Codicte.

5. A Codicote bypass road, like at Watton-at-Stone.

6. The 3rd lane of the A1M is built between Hitchin and Welwyn ( not some dangerous hard shoulder running).

7. A new 'Super Hospital' is up & running locally.

Until the above is achieved and up and running, there should be no house building in Codicote. When it is accomplished only small housing should be built on the only brown field site available [...]