Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

The proposed development is too large for the town to sustain. At present, roads such as Hitchin Street and Station Road become easily congested, even outside peak times; the town cannot cope with an increase in traffic, especially if this includes traffic from a new industrial estate.

Pollution is also a significant concern; Baldock is in a vulnerable area due to its position in a valley, and it seems certain that this would rise dangerously with this new development. Recent council meetings about the development have failed to answer the question of whether or not this factor has been taken into consideration with the local plan. Not only would this pose a danger to health but also cause significant damage to the many unique historic buildings in the town.

The character of the town is also an important consideration. Baldock is an historic market town with a unique character and a close knit community. To disregard the history of the town which dates from the Roman times and is a rare example of a preserved coaching town would be an irresponsible and irrevocable action. People who live here choose to do so because of its state as a small town with a deep relationship to the natural surrounding area. Such a large development is certain to change the town's character drastically and once changed cannot be undone.

The proposed development would inevitably result in a greatly increased number of commuters using Baldock Station. At the moment the peak services are running at near to full capacity and extremely busy, so it would be essential for any development to contain a plan to increase the service. At a recent meeting our local councillor informed us that Govia trains had not been made aware of the planned development, which shows a severe lack of attention to detail and foresight in planning. Bus services in our town have also been drastically reduced which would also be unable to support an increase in the town's population.

Affordable housing is another concern. When questioned at a recent meeting, the councillor with lead responsibility for the plan (David Levitt) responded that he did not know what the term meant. This is deeply worrying and clearly shows that there has been no thought as to how much of this housing will be affordable. As the intended purpose of the plan is to provide housing for local people in North Herts, there need to be tight guidelines on how these houses will be affordable which is clearly not in place. There also needs to be a plan in place against property developers going against agreed quotas and simply accepting a fine; this is not a sufficient deterrent.

This development will deprive the estate of green space and trees, significantly depleting the appeal of the estate. This was planned as part of the original design for Clothall Common Estate and forms an important part of its character.

This development would remove green space around Clothsll Common, significantly changing the nature of the estate. Rural links are an important feature of Baldock and removing these would be a terrible mistake. Residents of the town and Clothall Common alike enjoy these views and it is our duty to preserve them for future generations.