Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

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Object

Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

CD5 Land south of Heath Lane

Representation ID: 655

Received: 17/11/2016

Respondent: Mrs Lara van den Bogaard

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

Object to CD5: Traffic, education provision, loss of open space, cumulative impacts with quarry traffic, highway safety, parking on High Street, Green Belt, biodiversity, loss of recreational opportunities, impact on village character

Full text:

I would like to register my objections against CD5 building plans, under the Local Plan 2011-2031.
This is based on:
*Existing traffic issues, set to worsen
*Lack of availability at the local Codicote school - also set to worsen
*Loss of open space
To address the issues mentioned above:

Existing traffic issues
*The St Albans Road already struggles with large vehicles, as result of activity at the local quarry, making it a dangerous place with large speeding vehicles through a small village - particularly for the elderly and young families. Adding further homes to CD5, the largest of all those planned, will only exacerbate these issues as construction takes place and more people move in
*The high-street, which effectively operates as a single lane due to parking, is regularly clogged during rush hour (and around these times too). Buses struggle to get through the streets as it is, affecting neighbouring villages including gridlocking Old Welwyn. Tailbacks from the A1M can be felt throughout the surrounding areas (Welwyn Garden City to Hitchin), particularly when the Codicote high street is used a "back road" option to avoid A1M traffic. Adding further homes will make this issue considerably worse. A usual six minute journey from our home to Welwyn North train station, to commute for work, can take 45 minutes in rush hour.
Lack of availability at local school
*Villagers are already refused entry into the local school - adding further homes is going to increase demand, without the infrastructure to support it
Loss of open space
*Green belts are protected for a reason and the CD5 proposals will directly and negatively affect the wildlife in the area - as well as the health and wellbeing benefits is gives to local villagers. There are limited spaces to walk dogs, play in fields and generally see greenery - yet the proposed CD5 area provides just this to villagers currently. Adding more housing will cram more people into an already limited space, creating more of a town rather than village feel - which goes against what residents have chosen for their lifestyle
*We have plenty of wildlife in the area too - including kites, rabbits and pheasants, as well as farm animals including cows and horses. Wildlife and their habitat is at risk, as a result of proposed buildings - as well as space for farm animals that provide so much joy to young children in the area
I just wanted to add a few personal points too, which I understand inspectors don't like but I think is important for context:
We bought our house 18 months ago, which was based on thorough consultation that nothing would be built on the land behind our house. We are bitterly upset to learn that not even a few years later, our home and lifestyle is in jeopardy as a result of proposals to build on CD5. We have worked so hard and spent our entire life savings to buy a derelict house in the area, so we can start a family that will benefit from the open space we so desperately want our children to grow up in. Now 18 months later, having spent all our money and vast amounts of time in making our Codicote home livable, I am six months pregnant and devastated to learn that our dream home is at very real risk of being turned into a living nightmare with planned works in CD5.

I would welcome the opportunity to personally show the inspector the negative ramifications building with have to the Codicote area - in terms of traffic, access to schools and green space.



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