Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

There are many issues which indicate that the development of land north of the Grange for 1,000 houses is not appropriate or acceptable.

The Green Belt issue. We should not be building on Green Belt land as it is designed to be there for a very good reason. The proposed North of the Grange development encroaches on Letchworth's Green Belt and expands the town nearer to Stotfold and comes to within 50 metres of the Bedfordshire border at Fairfield. Any housing plans should specifically prevent urban sprawl; existing Green Belt land should be the very last option.
Councils no longer need to invade their Green Belts to meet housing needs forecasts. [New paragraphs 44 and 45 of the Government's / Parliament's Planning Practice Guidance make that clear. The forecasts are for between 2011 and 2031 and made by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).]

Increase in local population beyond designed capacity: The Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation's total proposals for about 2,000 new dwellings in Letchworth (including the 1,000 north of the Grange) would increase Letchworth's population by about 5,000, raising it to almost 40,000; almost 8,000 above Ebenezer Howard's planned 32,000.

The proposed North of the Grange development will increase the vehicle movements per day through the Grange Estate by between 3,000 and 6,000. The totals will depend on whether any, and if so which, relief roads to the Norton Road and to the Stotfold Road are built. Pollution and congestion will be increased, which is going against the NHDC's own policies.

There is no public parking for commuters north of the railway. Letchworth is already groaning under commuter parking. The NHDC is struggling to protect the town and homeowners from difficulties associated with this issue.

Infrastructure is lacking for doctors, roads, motorways and schools.

The adverse effect on loss of farmland, nature and ancient hedgerows does not seem to have been considered.

The proposed area north of the Grange is extremely well used by residents of Letchworth and beyond for nature and recreation, accessing footpaths and spaces for jogging, walking, cycling, nature appreciation. The adverse effect on the health and well being of families in this area is not recognised in the proposed destruction of this precious Green Belt space.

I suggest that Brownfield sites including derelict land, disused garage areas etc must be utilised first and empty homes numbering over 1000 in the area be forced back into use. A small new Garden City buffered from joining existing towns would be preferable to adding housing to existing struggling developments. It would include properly planned infrastructure and would create a considerable amount of jobs.

I urge the Secretary of State to consider that this development is not appropriate in Letchworth Garden City for the reasons above.