Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

My objection is based around 4 key areas:

1. The plan itself provides no clear strategy for the future of Knebworth as a village. The plan seems to be designed around justifying the need for 600+ houses as opposed to fully exploring the impact the extra population will have on the village I i.e. The direct and obvious relationship between housing and the infrastructure which is required to fully support the new inhabitants (education, dental surgery, parking, doctors surgery, trains and buses as well as the capacity of the local roads).

2. The impact on the highways and transport links. Knebworth high street is already heavily congested. Local traffic already use cut through routes such as Pondcroft Road to try and miss the traffic. On the other side of the village Swangleys Lane and St. Martin's Road are used for the same purpose.

3. Drainage - a couple of years ago the village flooded in a couple of areas (gun Lane and Watton Road). The access along Watton Road will become even more important if these extra houses were built and there has been no planning to prevent this re-occurring. In addition there will be a capacity issue at Rye Meads Sewage Treatment works.

4. Green belt removal from around Knebworth. Knebworth is very much a village. By increasing the number of dwellings by upwards of 30% Knebworth will lose it's village character and identity. Removal of the Green belt goes against Government policy and will have an inevitable negative loss of countryside to the detriment of existing residents.