Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

2800 houses means over 5000 cars on an estate like this. These cars will want to travel west because their employment and shopping facilities predominantly exist that direction. This will produce traffic chaos to Baldock on a grand scale.

Baldock is a small Market Town with limited facilities in a compact town centre. Apart from the old Kayser Bondor building becoming a large supermarket, which is used by many car driving North Herts residents, there have been no other facility changes for decades.
There is no room in and around the centre to increase its size. The facilities are designed for a small sized town with very limited parking spaces. Any further major development will completely destroy the whole character of the town

This increase (80%) in size is not logical. The town is only just coping today so adding this number of houses can only lead to chaos. Too much traffic, not enough parking and even more pollution increasing the unacceptable level that it has currently reached.

The traffic flowing through the town has easily exceeded the levels experienced pre-1966 i.e. before the A1 bypass and the more recently built east bypass. These two road changes, though important for the town, have not stopped the volumes of through traffic and the poor health implications that go with it. Unless something is done about this traffic (the solution is quite simple, which I can explain if requested), any further development will lead to chaotic lifestyles for all residents.

The NHDC presenters of this plan have not given the above serious thought at all. I believe the one and only reason for the 2800 house site is AS STATED IN THE PROPOSALS, that the site will not be contested by the landowner, HCC, and therefore building can happen quickly on this site to achieve a statutory numbers' requirement. There has been very little consultation about testing alternative sites around Baldock that would make more sense. This has been a hurried submission due to the lack of input in prior years to resolve the National Housing dilemma.

Infrastructure & Delivery Policy ID2: Masterplans

The Council will prepare masterplans for the following sites:
* Blackhorse Farm, north of Baldock (Site BA1);

Note: a. A site masterplan to be approved prior to the submission of any detailed matters.

A site masterplan should have been prepared 2 years ago to give the residents of Baldock a chance to understand how this 2800 development is going to work. If this plan is approved, it is fundamental that the Baldock Community have a big influence on how this huge estate will integrate with Baldock as it currently exists. It is the peripheral infrastructure that has fundamental implications for the existing community and not the detail within so much. HCC have already started archaeological exploration of the site, despite the fact that this land has yet to be approved by the Inspector. It would be sensible for the Inspector to delay his decision to give NHDC the opportunity to produce and gain acceptance of their masterplan.

Note: d. A new link road connecting the A507 London Road to the A505 Baldock bypass including a new bridge across the railway.

A new duel carriageway link road from Stotfold Services to the A505 Bypass roundabout would be more sensible. Then another link from the Buntingford Road to the A505 bypass roundabout would give Baldock a full Ring Road. Then all through traffic could be stopped and then maybe this development and further developments could possibly make sense.
Clearly a site of this size needs this link road which must NOT connect with the current Bygrave Road. For the residents of Lower Bygrave it needs to tunnelled under the Bygrave Road.

Note: e. Iv. "The use of Bygrave Road/Ashwell Road from the south-western edge of the allocated site to the link road as a sustainable transport corridor".

This estate must NOT have access to Bygrave Road in order to exit this estate. The existing residents of Bygrave Road, Salisbury Road and Larkins Close will not be able to move by car due to the long queues that will form at the Baldock end of this road. It will be utter chaos.

Notej. i. Ivel Springs Local Nature Reserve.

Ivel Springs has a serious water shortage issue due to the fact that the local water authority has a right to take a specified amount of water from the chalk aquifer. This has meant that the springs are dry for nearly 6 months of the year. It is fundamental that no supplies to this estate should be taken to the further detriment of this natural nature reserve. Sir Oliver Heald has some very good papers on his web site regarding the Springs.

4.178 This site enables growth to meet needs arising from the surrounding areas in such a way that does not erode the narrow gaps between the towns of Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Baldock.
This comment has no relevance to this proposed site.


4.180 A range of sustainable transport measures will be required. Critically, this will include measures that allow safe access to the northern side of Baldock station and the town centre as well as routes through the development to provide access to the wider countryside for all Baldock residents.

This comment is too vague which is why the masterplan should be produced and discussed/modified by Baldock residents before approval from the Inspector is given.

2800 houses means over 5000 cars on an estate like this. These cars will want to travel west because their employment and shopping facilities predominantly exist that direction. This will produce traffic chaos to Baldock on a grand scale.

Baldock is a small Market Town with limited facilities in a compact town centre. Apart from the old Kayser Bondor building becoming a large supermarket, which is used by many car driving North Herts residents, there have been no other facility changes for decades.
There is no room in and around the centre to increase its size. The facilities are designed for a small sized town with very limited parking spaces. Any further major development will completely destroy the whole character of the town

This increase (80%) in size is not logical. The town is only just coping today so adding this number of houses can only lead to chaos. Too much traffic, not enough parking and even more pollution increasing the unacceptable level that it has currently reached.

The traffic flowing through the town has easily exceeded the levels experienced pre-1966 i.e. before the A1 bypass and the more recently built east bypass. These two road changes, though important for the town, have not stopped the volumes of through traffic and the poor health implications that go with it. Unless something is done about this traffic (the solution is quite simple, which I can explain if requested), any further development will lead to chaotic lifestyles for all residents.

The NHDC presenters of this plan have not given the above serious thought at all. I believe the one and only reason for the 2800 house site is AS STATED IN THE PROPOSALS, that the site will not be contested by the landowner, HCC, and therefore building can happen quickly on this site to achieve a statutory numbers' requirement. There has been very little consultation about testing alternative sites around Baldock that would make more sense. This has been a hurried submission due to the lack of input in prior years to resolve the National Housing dilemma.