Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I'm objecting to the use of the Green Belt land to build a proposed 364 new homes within the protected area of CD5.
Does this conform to the Governments policies regarding Green Belt and threat to the vast amount of wildlife and natural habitat?

Having lived within the vicinity of the proposed site for over 15 years, I'm concerned about the viability of the project. One of the access points will be off the St Albans road into Dark lane. The St Albans road is presently a very high traffic link road between Stevenage, Knebworth, the A1 and then onto either the M1, St Albans or towards the south and Hatfield. This right or left turn in either direction is a blind turning with traffic travelling at high speed in both directions - VERY DANGEROUS. Along with the rush-hour traffic there is a huge number of lorries using the quarry just 1/2 a mile away plus the traffic from the travellers site.

This road is also used by families to either park or cross the road to go into Codicote Primary school. To add potentially another 600-800 cars travelling along the road will be VERY DANGEROUS to the school children and quite simply this village / country road cannot cope with that traffic.

Within Codicote there isn't a Doctor surgery and we are presently served by Old Welwyn Surgery who at best offer 4-6 weeks waiting time - it cannot cope with any more patients. To my knowledge there isn't a dentist in the village either. Codicote school is at it's maximum and any growth of the school cannot be supported by the village infrastructure.

The impact will be tragic on this historic country village, it's a conversation area lost forever (it is one of only 2 manors mentioned in the Domesday survey in 1086). There is no train station within 3 miles so all transport will be by car adding to an already overloaded village.

I cannot understand how the planning takes into account the public footpaths and bridleway on Dark Lane which does not have the width to cope with a 2 way road along with a public walking pathway. How is the planning going to handle the public footpaths within the actual site?

The Wildlife will be decimated surrounding the site and the precious biodiversity woodland habitat actually within the site. Living adjacent to the actual proposed site we know that it houses a family of very rare Red Kite hawks protected by the RSPB, along with many other beautiful wildlife, Monk Jacks, Bats to name just a very few. Has Natural England who are responsible for many of the regulations that protect the natural environment, including the management and licensing of wildlife been consulted? Can this planning overcome the deciduous Wildlife and Countryside act 1981 and the European Regulations safeguarding protected species?