KB4 Land east of Knebworth

This is Green Belt it protects the gap between the edge of Stevenage to the north and east.
The roads are narrow and any development would change the landscape, there are long views into and out of the village which add to its character the land is actively-farmed and its loss to development would be contrary to the NPPF (paragraph 112), which seeks to protect the best and versatile agricultural land.
Watton Road is a narrow Rural Road and this contravenes the Hertfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011 (LTP3) which seeks to protect Rural Roads. loss of wildlife and trees.

Firstly, KB4 should not be in the draft plan because consultation on its sudden inclusion has been inadequate and therefore illegal.

In July 2016 (4 months ago) the North Herts District Council declared KB4 to be one of the most significant Green Belt areas in Knebworth, preserving the countryside and protecting the village from neighbouring settlements. It is not credible to suddenly decide otherwise, and goes against national policy for the permanence of the green belt.

The fields in KB4 are good agricultural land being actively farmed. Development would interfere with current productive activities.

Swangleys Lane bisects KB4 and rises towards Datchworth, providing views of the countryside, the 'openness' required of green belt land, and preventing the coalescence of Knebworth, Stevenage, Bragbury End, Datchworth and Woolmer Green.

Conversely, new development on KB4 would be an eyesore visible from surrounding areas .

Watton Road, Old Lane, Blaines Lane and Swangleys Lane bordering KB4 are all narrow rural roads lacking pavements, with hedges on each side and single carriageway in places. Junctions and corners on these lanes are almost blind, unsuitable for more than light traffic.

The limited road access via Swangleys Lane was one of the factors raised during the 2014 application (ref 14/01683/1SO) for a solar farm alongside Blaines Lane on upper Swangleys Lane. The application was withdrawn.

Delivery vans, lorries, farm vehicles, bin lorries and other service vehicles already have difficulty negotiating the lanes around KB4 and cause serious problems with other traffic, in particular school traffic on Swangleys Lane (as mentioned elsewhere).

Apart from a recent resurfacing of Swangleys Lane, from the junction of Old Lane to Knebworth Primary School on the B197, the lanes around KB4 have been in poor condition with potholes, irregular surfacing (eg Old Lane) and broken edges (eg Watton Road, upper Swangleys Lane) for several years. This is evidence of lack of maintenance of necessary infrastructure.

The housing development suggested for KB4 has to connect with the B197. Haygarth, on the edge of KB4 leading to the B197, has been declared unsuitable. Maybe it should join up with with Woolmer Green? That would need co-operation with the neighbouring council and the coalescence of two villages would be against national policy. The narrow lanes around KB4 are even less suitable, for the reasons given above.

If instead a Knebworth bypass is to be built for the planned development in KB4 behind Haygarth, it would need to be routed between the edge of the existing housing on Swangleys Lane (the houses, iconic tower, the farm and row of cottages) and Blaines Lane. From there towards the A602 at Bragbury End, or past Datchworth to join up with the dual-carriageway roundabout towards Ware and Hertford. See attached map image with coloured lines indicating possible alternative routes under the railway east of Knebworth to join the A602.

It is clear that the existing road infrastructure is not adequate to support development in KB4. Considering the lack of interest shown by the Herts County Council in repairing the existing roads, let alone improving them, it is unlikely that a proper bypass would be built across KB4 before 2031.

Similarly, the concept of building a school on the field alongside Old Lane is unrealistic, the road infrastructure is clearly not adequate. It would be more effective to enlarge and extend (again) the existing primary school on Swangleys Lane including better parking facilities; note that the school is already over subscribed with the current population.

Broadband provision has been mentioned only briefly in the local plan. This is surprising because seriously fast broadband (100-1000 Mbps) is a modern requirement to participate in the 21st century. It can help to reduce commuting and travel in general; it enables businesses to operate effectively with remote customers, staff, suppliers and regulatory authorities - such as HMRC and DVLA. There are still parts of Hertfordshire where half of 1 Mbps is the maximum speed; broadband download and upload speeds and coverage requirements should be included in any plan for the future.

The KB4 area in theory has access to the telephone exchange on Swangleys Lane, and the VirginMedia cable cabinets on Swangleys Lane at the junctions with B197 and Old Lane. The pending legal separation of BT from OpenReach introduces uncertainty, over which the council has no power; it might make things better or worse, perhaps leaving a housing estate without its essential internet connectivity.

The Knebworth rail station has a tiny car park marked out next to the track fence. The ticket office is manned only part-time. There is an ongoing consultation to shift some services to Watton-on-Stone, which may put extra pressure on the road system between Knebworth and Watton-on-Stone along the Watton Road, Swangleys Lane and Blaines Lane. As commuter rail services are cut at Knebworth, platforms and carriages become more crowded. A barrier fence was recently installed between platforms 2 and 3 to help protect people waiting on the platform. Adding another 31% to the population (as in the plan) makes everything worse: traffic jams on the road, commuter parking spreading out across the village, and more crowding on rail journeys.

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Removal of green belt.
Local roads and general infrastructure insufficient to meet planned needs.
Main line station in village already unable to provide sufficient parking for users.
The plan is not justified

Development of this site would be detrimental to the openness of the green belt and the character of Knebworth. It would blur the boundaries between Knebworth and the edge of Stevenage. There is also insufficient local infrastructure to support this number of additional occupants of Knebworth and, traffic in Knebworth would increase drastically which Knebworth cannot accommodate.

Loss of greenbelt and loss of openness of the greenbelt. It would also shrink the distance between Knebworth and the edge of Stevenage which could threaten the identity of Knebworth as a village in it's own right. Also traffic on Watton Road and in the centre of Knebworth already extremely congested which will not be aided by additional development placing increased pressure on limited capacity.

Due the already over congested B197 at peak times during weekdays the suggestion to introduce 200 house on this site (potential 200 plus cars) and 600 houses in Knebworth generally (600 plus cars). The area is unsafe and unsound as a location for additional Housing. The strain will push the local community infrastructure (Doctors, Schooling and Railway Station) beyond breaking point.

Additionally, the only access point to this location is via 3 very narrow and overly congested routes around the High Street. One of these routes is directly past the local JMI school, where hundreds of children and parents are congregated at exactly the peak times most of the additional car journeys will be taking place.

The roads are too narrow to deal with additional traffic. This will also result in removal of the green belt and loss of valuable agricultural land. In addition the number of houses proposed will increase the size of the village considerably and no credible has been put in place for schooling/doctors (already nearly impossible to get an appointment). The current drainage cannot cope with heavy rainfall and the newer houses already are liable to flooding.

This development increases the risk of uninterrupted housing between Knebworth and Stevenage

The development will impact on the open landscape and remove and area of productive agricultural land.

Watton Road and Swangley's Lane are both very narrow and will be unable to cope with the increased traffic flows.

GREEN BELT ENCROACHMENT

This is contrary to Government policy and where within your own NHDC Green Belt Review of July 2016 at Table 2.4 states that Knebworth "Overall makes a significant contribution to Green Belt purposes, helping to prevent sprawl, merger and encroachment." There is a significant risk of the blurring of boundaries between Knebworth and Stevenage, should this site be developed.

HIGHWAYS

Within the Local Plan Transport Review dated 23 Sep 16 by Odyssey Markides there is one minor mention of Knebworth.

However, the proposed 663 extra dwelling will generate additional strain on the already heavily used B197 through the village along with other connecting roads. London Road in the centre of the village is frequently
congested, notably when a Bus or Truck is travelling as there is not enough width to the road, with parked cars either side for a Bus/Truck to pass through with oncoming traffic.

The approach roads to the mini-roundabout on the B197 at the junction of London Rd / Stevenage Rd / Station Rd / Watton Rd, which will have to take the majority of traffic from this site, frequently has queues of
traffic >500m at peak hours. This will only be exacerbated with additional housing.

Traffic congestion in the village centre is exacerbated by the B197 being used as a 'rat run' and Diversion route for traffic from the A1(M).

Building as many dwellings in this area will spoil the village and up added pressure on health, parking and traffic.
No mention of extra leisure up community buildings, where will young people congregate or access extra circular activities.
Again, no mention here if providing for Early years provision or providing a secondary school, which would keep youth in this village.

This is the first time that his area of land has been included as a preferred option for housing development. It therefore hasn't been previously been subject to review by the local community, and doesn't meet the Legal Compliance criteria.
It has never been developed previously and it is working agricultural land. It shouldn't be a priority for development.
The land is in agricultural use and close to the working Swangleys Farm, which is accessed regularly via Swangleys Lane by agricultural machinery and heavy vehicles.
Much of it is high land compared to the surrounding area. The southern part of KB4 , if developed will therefore dominate the skyline so that it can be seen from across the village.
Swangleys Lane is not wide enough to cope with the resulting increase in traffic. Old Lane is too narrow to cope with an increase in traffic, and indeed its junction with Watton Road was changed a few years ago to prevent it being over used by through traffic. Traffic flow down Swangleys Lane and St Martin's road is hindered by parents picking up and dropping of children. The proposed surgery/library on St Martin's road will make this worse.
Water drainage down Swangleys Lane is currently inadequate, with numerous blocked drains and standing water. The bottom of Swangleys Lane, around the shops, is subject to flooding during heavy rainfall.

I object to the proposed use of land east of Knebworth for the following reasons:

The removal of green belt, contrary to Government policy, increases the risk of coalescence between Knebworth and the edge of Stevenage and the associated risk of Knebworth losing its village identity

Loss of countryside and open landscape setting

The plan makes no attempt to address access issues to KB4 particularly the lack of capacity on existing roads such as Watton Road and Swangleys Lane

I feel the plan in general has not been prepared well and is a disappointing representation on how the village is viewed for the future. The new housing would increase the village size by 31%. Greenbelt land will be used in between sites KB1 and KB2 which will remove the buffer between Knebworth and Woolmer Green. This will be a loss of countryside and the open setting villagers enjoy.
Currently living near the main high street I witness on a daily basis many times a day traffic congestion, danger to other road users and pedestrians and limited parking. Knebworth appears to not cope well with high levels of traffic which becomes apparent during school pick up and drop off times and if there is an issue on the surrounding areas and roads including the A1M. Adding new developments on to this village will cause even more strain on the transport system along with the schooling, GP system which is apparently locating but does not factor in the new houses in its build and is therefore failing before its even opened and the wear and tear of the surrounding roads.....the two bridges in knebworth are currently only single traffic lanes and become gridlock and built up even now in busy periods.

In terms of schools, a second primary school located on the KB2 site is to well considered. Tis would be right next to the A1M motorway and noise and air pollution high. A second primary school will spread t he village and create divide. Parents will not necessary choose the school nearest to them or indeed be offered the school nearest to them with a sibling rule and therefore will create more traffic to and from each site with an already stressed roadwork system.

Any housing development on this site will impact the open landscape of Knebworth and the loss of productive agricultural land.
The key road channels are not sufficient to cope with increase impact of road traffic including the key London Road through Knebworth.

I have always thought that the most appropriate site for housing development in Knebworth is land to the south-east of the village, which can have a direct road connection onto London Road.
Such access would not put additional traffic over or under the three railway bridges, which could not accommodate the increased traffic (particularly the additional journeys to the proposed new primary school).
I would object, however, to more houses to the NORTH of Watton Road (east of the recreation ground); this area must be preserved, to avoid the coalescence of Knebworth with Stevenage.

Insufficient road infrastructure: The high street is already congested and parking inadequate. Potential access roads Oakfields Road (pilot for a Knebworth Garden City that was never realised and quiet cul de sac), Watton Road (narrow and already busy in rush hours with speed bumps and restrictions) and Swangleys Lane (School road) would suffer a complete change in character and be overwhelmed with traffic. Bridleway 001 occasionally used by illegal motorcyclists would change from being a pleasant country walking amenity enjoyed by villagers to become a through route to an even closer Stevenage damaging the character of the village irreparably.

There has been no consultation about the development of this site. The village infrastructure can not cope with this development.

Site KB4 involves erosion of the Green Belt - this should not be permitted. The Green Belt was created for a reason. If this and other areas are removed under this consultation what will stop further erosion under future proposals?

Access to KB4 is via narrow roads. These roads would need to be widened to cope with construction traffic during building and residential traffic after building.

Knebworth is already choked with traffic at busy times, particularly when there are problems on the A1(M). Development of the village would exacerbate the situation.

Any development would be on valuable and productive farmland.

I object to the proposed developments KB1 KB2 KB3 and KB4 at Knebworth for the following reasons:

Knebworth is unsuitable for this large scale expansion because of insufficient infrastructure. The proximity of the A1 M motorway and any expansion on the KB1 and KB2 sites will then exceed the new government air pollution levels. The noise is bad now so sound barriers would be needed making building less viable for builders. Particularly if it is widened as proposed. The proposed dedesignation of Green Belt land for building is unacceptable when prime agricultural land is required to feed our ever growing population. Once built on, the land for agriculture is lost for ever. If more low cost housing is required then why build in one of the most expensive villages. The only people who would be able to afford to buy them would be London commuters as local jobs if any, are not high salaried.

Access to KB1 and KB2 sites will currently have to pass under Gun Lane or Knebworth railway bridges. These bridges are too narrow for vehicles to pass each other as these are dog legged. They are also unsuitable for high vehicles as there is a height restriction .

The Deards End Lane railway bridge has a 7.5 ton weight restriction and is narrow , also it is listed as a historic monument. Deards End lane is narrow and a Conservation area with many listed Lutyens properties . Thus the lane is unsuitable as a cut through to avoid the village.

If there is an accident on the A1M , which is frequent particularly in the winter months, the current knock on effect is a complete blockage through Knebworth high street and all the surrounding roads. This is because Knebworth is on the B197 which is the old great North Road and runs parallel to the A1M. Complete gridlock ensues
which means increased pollution and thousands of wasted man hours.

If we have the proposed 663 dwellings then there will be an extra approx. 1300 cars using the roads and adding to the pollution. Since we have no local industry or proposed job creation all the new residents will be driving or commuting elsewhere to work. The trains are already full when they get to Knebworth and the rail companies are considering reducing the fast rail services from Knebworth
to accommodate other stations.

There is also increased building planned in the surrounding villages so this will also increase traffic. Extending the fixed village boundaries eg Odyssey development and Woolmer Green proposals reduces the traditional Green Belt corridor between towns and villages.

The current drains in Knebworth are no longer maintained, in fact along Park Lane have been tarmacked over, and increased housing will exacerbate the drainage problems. Re KB1 and KB2 the fields adjacent to the motorway are a run off for water from the motorway. Also there are natural springs making it unsuitable for development. The proposals state that wouldn't be a problem. In practice any assurances cannot be relied on as there is flooding in places now and our climate is currently changing to be more extreme.

The current plan to build a single form entry school to accommodate 663 dwellings and possibly about 1300 children is hardly sufficient. What planet do these forecasters live on. The Chas Lowe site should not be developed for housing but for creating a new badly needed surgery and facilities for the village. We have also recently had a small new estate, Oak Tree Gardens, built on the Bulwer Lytton site , the new large retirement home. Also various small developments in the last few years plus infill in every conceivable place. So Knebworth has already played its part in local development. Any more will change the village into a suburb of Stevenage.

If Luton and surrounding need more housing then why build on a more expensive area that few can afford. It is far more sensible to build a purpose built new town with the appropriate infrastructure and employment.

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Further to the proposed developments in Knebworth as part of the North Hertfordshire Local Plan, we object to each of the proposed developments. All four developments, at site KB1, site KB2, site KB3 and site KB4, will increase the existing housing stock by some 30%. This increase can in no way be accommodated in Knebworth without major new infrastructure and amenities also implemented, for which there are virtually no proposals within any of these developments. The only proposed community facility is within site KB2, being another primary school. This will be adjacent to the A1(M) which clearly is not an acceptable location for a primary school, with the high levels of noise and air pollution.

Knebworth already suffers from a number of issues, being:

- Inadequate doctors' surgery provision

- Very busy railway station and very limited car parking provision. Because NHDC has still not properly addressed the ongoing problem with commuter parking in Knebworth, there are numerous instances where commuters park badly, so as to prevent access by emergency vehicles, as well as causing general nuisance parking. This problem will become rapidly worse with the building of so many more dwellings and make Knebworth streets even more unsafe. In addition, Govia Thameslink Railway is currently reviewing its services and is proposing to potentially cut the fast train services from Knebworth to London in the future.

- Overused and busy roads, with limited/narrow access at two locations under the railway bridges, Station Road and Gun Lane. These two passing points particularly make major proposed developments highly unsafe and practically impossible because of such a lack of access (KB1 and KB2 will rely heavily, if not completely, on these two road access points, in order to build 200 and 184 dwellings respectively). We personally have witnessed a number of incidents where cars have struck pedestrians with wing mirrors and other pedestrians having to duck out of the way because of passing vans and larger vehicles. It will only be a matter of time if there were to be consistent heavy goods vehicle traffic through these points that a serious or fatal road accident will occur. The high street is also consistently congested with traffic and provides limited access.

- Limited leisure facilities. There is also speculation that Knebworth's only public house will be sold for yet more housing.

- Limited choice for secondary school places. Knebworth Primary School already at capacity.

To plan for such a housing stock increase without first properly addressing and eliminating these issues, as well as making adequate provision for new future issues which will be caused by both the building of the proposed developments and the subsequent strain on local amenities by those developments, is unacceptable and unviable.

Specifically, our objections for each site are:

KB1

- Green belt land. Helps protect the village to be a discrete entity as well as the importance of green space.
- Very close to the A1(M). Noise and air pollution.
- Traffic and access problems as stated above.
- Conservation area impact.

KB2

- Green belt land. Helps protect the village to be a discrete entity as well as the importance of green space.
- Very close to the A1(M). Noise and air pollution.
- Traffic and access problems as stated above.
- New additional primary school. Not acceptable location for a primary school as detailed above. Also, divisive for a village to have two separate primary schools; breaks down the community spirit.
- Conservation area impact.

KB3

- Hub of Knebworth. Loss of jobs and support of other village cafe and retail units.
- Vital to have a mixed use development here.
- Unsuitable for residential dwellings because of busy roads, noise and air pollution.
- Opportunity to use the land for Knebworth community, much needed extra facilities for existing Knebworth population could be incorporated here.

KB4

- Green belt land. Helps protect the village to be a discrete entity as well as the importance of green space.
- Loss of identity of Knebworth as village separate to Stevenage.
- Loss of much needed agricultural land.

Overwhelmingly, it is clear that these proposed housing developments have not been properly considered and at no time has a cohesive approach to these proposals been put forward to ensure Knebworth can incorporate such a character-changing plan while still providing day-to-day needs for its residents, as well as retaining its identity as both a community and a village surrounded by green belt land. Therefore, we object to each of the 4 housing proposals.

site KB1 the current road size and layout is inadequate even as existing and will not cope with further traffic from development, in particular railway bridge at Deards End Lane

site KB2 the current road layout and size is inadequate even as existing and will not cope with further traffic from development, in particular railway bridge at Gun Lane

site KB4 the coalescence with Knebworth and the edge of Stevenage would be a great visual impact to the environment and greatly reduce productive agricultural land

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I wish to make representations regarding the above plan to be placed before the Inspector. I am not using your form as its layout does not suit the comments I wish to make.

I wish to object formally to proposals KB1, KB2 and KB4.

GREEN BELT
The existing Green Belt around Knebworth was established to prevent development and uncontrolled urban expansion. Government policy requires that all development in the Green Belt should be rejected unless there are specific overriding requirements for that development. No such requirements have been put forward leading to the obvious assumption that they exist.
Policies KB1 and KB2 propose the creation of areas of defendable Green Belt to the North of KB1 and the South of KB2. It is the existing Green Belt that must be defended. If that does not happen, clearly North Herts cannot be trusted to protect any Green Belt which is necessary to maintain the identity of the village, prevent coalescence with adjoining settlements and protect high quality agricultural land.

Other Objections should not be necessary but in view of North Herts apparent intention to ignore the Government's Green Belt requirements they clearly are.

TRAFFIC
Paragraphs 13.195 and 13.196 set out the traffic problems as existing. Paragraph 13.197 ducks responsibility for dealing with them. At peak periods, and that is not just the rush hour, the centre of the village is completely gridlocked. In the morning rush hour the B197 is often blocked as far as J6 of the A1(M), and in the afternoon rush hour as far as Tesco at the Roebuck.

The two railway bridges at Station Road and Gun Road are both accidents waiting to happen. Both are low and narrow with narrow pavements on one side only. The Western approaches to both are from the Northwest where drivers are often blinded by the morning sun.

The above are existing problems which would be greatly exacerbated by increasing the population by 30% as you propose especially if any new homes are occupied by a high percentage of commuters. This is especially true of the bridge issues in relation to sites KB1 and KB2 with a total of 384 additional dwellings proposed where most owners would probably be two car families or worse. The end result is likely to be total gridlock and not just when motorway traffic is diverted through the village.

RAILWAY
Commuter trains are already arriving full at Knebworth and commuter parking is as you know a increasing problem. Now the frequency of trains may be downgraded and you are proposing a massive new residential development in Baldock, further up the line. Also there are proposals for more development in surrounding villages where the commuters use Knebworth station and park in the surrounding streets. Is it intended that the whole village will eventually be double yellow banded?

Clearly your proposals are likely to make these problems unacceptably worse.

DRAINAGE
Your draft finally acknowledges these issues, but no large scale development of the nature you propose can take place before they are actually dealt with. This presumably includes the major undertaking of a new sewage link to Rye Meads, about 11 miles as the crow flies.

With specific reference to KB2 I presume in the absence of any comment to the contrary that it is intended to leave the developer to resolve the flooding problems. As you know there were severe floods in 1989 and 2014 when a number of houses in Orchard Way and Broom Grove were flooded at considerable cost and anguish to the residents due to extreme weather (which is on the increase due to climate change), failure to maintain existing drains including those serving the motorway and the natural lines of drainage across the Northern half of KB2 and along Gypsy Lane from both ends. After the 1989 flood, I understand that a drainage maintenance scheme was put in place but this was subsequently an unacceptable victim of recession. Any development on this site would clearly need to be carried out by a single developer with a new drainage maintenance scheme put in place and guaranteed in perpetuity. Clearly a ploughed field soaks up water better than a housing estate, so any scheme must be very robust and include the existing carriageway of Gypsy Lane.
IF AS A RESULT OF ANY DEVELOPMENT ON THAT PART OF KB2 NORTH OF GYPSY APPROVED BY NORTH HERTS DC THE FLOODING PROBLEMS IN ORCHARD WAY AND BROOM GROVE GET WORSE IN EXTENT OR FREQUENCY THEN NORTH HERTS DC WILL BE CULPABLE.

OTHER VILLAGE FACILITIES
13.183 states that Knebworth offers a good range of facilities, but these are of course only suitable for the existing population.

13.200 The proposed new surgery and library building offers one extra consulting room necessary for the current population and a downgraded library to volunteer operation with insufficient parking. Both will be totally inadequate for even a small increase in population and therefore a waste of money.

There is a provision for a new primary school in KB2, although no suggestion precisely where or how it would be accessed. I suspect this has not yet even been considered. A similar provision was made in 1976 when the Orchard Way estate was built. It never happened and the site became Bellamy Close many years later. Will this promise go the same way?

13.192 The council should also consider that the existing village school (like all others) is a cause of traffic congestion twice a day and any new school would create a similar problem.

No consideration has been given to employment for the new residents which strengthens the view tat most, if not all, would be commuters.

KB3 I presume the designation of this site for housing only is an error. The frontage to the High St at ground floor level should of course be commercial with residential above and behind.

CONCLUSION
I consider that as far as it concerns Knebworth this is not a properly considered Draft District plan. Apart from the capacity of Rye Meads none of the potential problems of the proposals have been given full consideration, nor do the Council appear to have carried out the necessary liaison with other responsible bodies, para 13.197 being an example.
Its North Herts District Plan so liaison responsibility is theirs.
It appears that the North Herts thought process has been:-
Can we put any more houses round Knebworth?
Yes, there are a couple of farmers who want to sell their land.
Its Green Belt.
Oh never mind.
Full stop.
This is certainly true in the case of KB2 which has been touted in several previous consultation documents with North Herts making it clear at that time that it was the landowner's proposal not theirs.

In view of all the above comments I strongly feel that the Inspector should reject all the proposed allocation for housing in sites KB1, KB2 and KB4. If he or she is minded to let a small part of it through it should not be in the Northern half of KB2 because of the drainage issues.

KB1 Land at Deards End Lane
Deards End Lane is a busy access point into Knebworth from Stevenage and is used to access the west side of Knebworth without travelling along the B197 through the often congested high street. Deards End Lane is a single track road for most of its length with some passing points and many blind corners make it dangerous to drive and especially for pedestrians. At its junction with the B197 there is a bridge, over the railway. This bridge is weight limited and narrow allowing only single lane traffic. The proposed development on the KB1 site will cause increased traffic on this already congested and dangerous route.
An alternative route through Knebworth to the KB1 site is via the bridge, under the railway, on Station Road/Station Approach, which is height restricted is too narrow for traffic to travel in both directions, and subsequently does not even have road markings down the middle of the road.
Both of the above routes terminate at the B197 which suffers from traffic congestion due the weight of traffic using it. Another contributor to this is the A1M motorway running past Knebworth reduces to 2 lanes at junction 7 to the north of Stevenage through to junction 5 to the south of Knebwort/Welwyn. This stretch becomes very congested causing traffic to route through and already congested Knebworth via the B197.

KB2 Land off Gypsy Lane Lane
The KB2 site Can be accessed via multiple routes. One such route is Deards End Lane as detailed above.
There are three other main access routes through Knebworth
1. Via the bridge, under the railway, on Station Road/Station Approach, This is height restricted and does not have a white line separating traffic travelling in opposite directions as it is too narrow.
2. Via the bridge, under the railway, on Gun Lane, which is height restricted and does not have a white line separating traffic travelling in opposite directions as it is too narrow and is blind to traffic travelling from Stockens Green.
3. Via Wych Elm Lane which reaches Wolmer Green via Bridge Road. This is a single track lane for most of its length with a height restricted bridge which is too narrow for traffic to travel in both directions.
All of these routes terminate at the B197 which suffers from traffic congestion due the weight of traffic using it.

Living in Broom Grove I travel along Gypsy Lane to Park Lane daily and experience high congestion due to Gypsy lane being single track for most of its length with limited passing points.

The KB2 site is prone to surface water run off onto Gypsy lane. This causes the drains to overflow into Orchard Way and Broom Grove. This has occurred twice within the last four years to an extent that houses flooded. The concern is that development of both the KB1 and KB2 sites will cause greater surface water run off and subsequent flooding.

The development of the KB2 site conflict with national Green Belt policy (Section 9 of the NPPF).

KB4 Land East of Knebworth
There are three possible access routes through Knebworth
1. Via Watton Road which has traffic calming measures to improve road safety by restricting road width by the use of two single lane passing places.
2. Via St Martins Road which is a private road.
3. Via Swangleys Lane, the site of Knebworth Primary School, which is also narrow.
All three of these routes terminate at the B197 which suffers from traffic congestion due the weight of traffic using it.

The development of the KB4 site will risk convergence of Knebworth and Stevenage and put the identity of Knebworth as a village at risk.


The cumulative effect of all four sites (KB1, KB2, KB3 and KB4) would put a great strain on local services and facilities including roads as detailed above, health services and the Knebworth Primary School. The Knebworth Primary School is consistently oversubscribed year on year and with an intake of just 60 children per year, children living in Knebworth are often refused places. The addition of the proposed approximately 660 houses will greatly increase this demand and will be detrimental to both new residents moving into the new houses and current residents of Knebworth. The lack of a local secondary school results in high volumes of applicants to secondary schools in nearby towns Stevenage, Hitchin and Hertford from Knebworth. The proposed development will cause increased competition for secondary school places, which will again be to the detriment of both new residents moving into the new houses and current residents of Knebworth.