Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

This is the first time that his area of land has been included as a preferred option for housing development. It therefore hasn't been previously been subject to review by the local community, and doesn't meet the Legal Compliance criteria.
It has never been developed previously and it is working agricultural land. It shouldn't be a priority for development.
The land is in agricultural use and close to the working Swangleys Farm, which is accessed regularly via Swangleys Lane by agricultural machinery and heavy vehicles.
Much of it is high land compared to the surrounding area. The southern part of KB4 , if developed will therefore dominate the skyline so that it can be seen from across the village.
Swangleys Lane is not wide enough to cope with the resulting increase in traffic. Old Lane is too narrow to cope with an increase in traffic, and indeed its junction with Watton Road was changed a few years ago to prevent it being over used by through traffic. Traffic flow down Swangleys Lane and St Martin's road is hindered by parents picking up and dropping of children. The proposed surgery/library on St Martin's road will make this worse.
Water drainage down Swangleys Lane is currently inadequate, with numerous blocked drains and standing water. The bottom of Swangleys Lane, around the shops, is subject to flooding during heavy rainfall.

For any development of more that 500 houses, NHDC has put together a strategic plan. Although the individual sites proposed have less that 500 houses, the total of all the sites is 598. All the sites together will impact the village in similar ways, so an integrated approach to highways, transport, schools, employment and housing makes sense.
Any new housing residents are likely to be commuters working in London. The trains and station from this commuter village are already over-crowed at peak times, and busy at others.There is a current proposal by Govia Thameslink to reduce the frequency the trains.