Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

This plan would entail the coalescing of Knebworth into the town of Stevenage and the surrounding villages. It has been put forward without any consideration of the lack of transport infrastructure through the village, in particular the fact that the high street is a major route between Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage, especially during periods of congestion on the nearby A1(M) and access between one side of the village and the other is via very narrow bridges with very small (1 metre wide) pavements and a roadway that does not allow large vehicles to pass one another. Although this objection has been raised at every stage of the process the council has not responded to these concerns. The plan is for over 600 houses in Knebworth but as the council has decided to enter this as 4 items on the plan no strategic planning has been done with regard to social and economic impact, traffic or education requirements beyond primary level.

This site is only accessible via small lanes or via a narrow railway bridge. No consideration has been given to the traffic congestion that would result from any large scale development. It is also adjacent to, and would present a serious risk to, the wildlife and habitats in the adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest. It would unjustifiably destroy Green Belt buffer between Knebworth and Woolmer Green and does not take into account the proposed development of Woolmer Green.

No response has been given by the council to the concerns raised by residents regarding the inaccessibility of the site, the resulting congestion that would be caused both during building and from the resulting increase on traffic volumes. This would also be a danger to pedestrians due to the narrow railway bridge and insufficient footpath that is the only access from that side of the village to the high street, the school, the doctors and library and is also the only access from the other side of the village to the railway station.
Any large scale development would remove the buffer of Green Belt between the village and the A1(M), which is due to be widened, causing increased noise and air pollution.
The local area has been prone to flooding and the current agricultural use of the land has to some degree helped to mitigate this, removal of this would make the situation worse. There is nothing in the plan that addresses this point.

This site is a major percentage of the high street and a change in use would remove a large and valued asset to the community. It not only offers employment but attracts outside visitors who also use other businesses within the village.

This site has not featured in any of the previous versions of the plan presented to residents for discussion. Development on this site would bring the boundary of Knebworth into direct contact with the proposed expansion of Stevenage, a fact which has not been mentioned by the council in their plan. This lack of a joined up approach with the adjacent Stevenage Council undermines this proposal. It would also unnecessarily destroy Green Belt and valuable Agricultural land.