Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

The Council needs, along with UK Government, to completely overhaul it's current thinking on housing policy for the country's current and future need.
No authority seems to be taking into consideration the sudden expansion of our population, which is driven by immigration, which in turn is causing a steep rise in the birth rate. If our economy were to take a sharp downturn, many new comers would move on to other countries or return to country of origin. Gained knowledge of this from experience working for the London Borough of Bromley's Housing Benefit & Council Tax department for many years. We could build millions of homes which could suddenly become empty having lost our countryside in the process.
The shortage of decent homes we are currently suffering from has many causes and no simple solution. Our old cities & towns need careful consideration how to either replace or refurbish existing housing stock. A stroll around Luton and Stevenage streets can shake you how folk live in run down and ancient housing. Hitchin has it's share, having seen parts of Purwell and the truly awful block of flats in Queens Road overlooking St Mary's Square car park. Who in their right minds allowed that construction, the building is showing it's age and suitability as decent housing. Letchworth, along with the other places mentioned, has many empty retail shops and sites on it's industrial areas. Strong minded ideas for usage of such sites must be considered for change of use to housing. City and town centres need people living in them, not empty when shops etc are closed, dead areas after 6pm.The old and young without cars especially appreciate living in the heart of towns, which can have a good effect on retail, catering and entertainment opportunities for start up of new business.
Climate change is going to drastically change countries ability to produce food for the World's expanding population. North Hertfordshire is blessed with it's arable lands, they should be preserved for the growing of crops, which could change from cereals to orchards, if countries currently growing huge fruit crops are affected by drought, trees also help take up carbon from the atmosphere.
To build on our beautiful countryside when our local cities and towns are in urgent need of regeneration is a crime, particularly for the local young generation, they will be the losers in this rapidly changing face of England as we know it.
All the transport systems in North Herts area suffer from overcrowding at strategic times as am sure the Authority is well aware. Building on sites around our cities and towns will further exacerbate congestion, just make life even more difficult and unpleasant.
Milton Keynes, Peterborough and Cambridge are all expanding rapidly, Biggleswade is looking a mess with the centre deteriorating yet new housing and retail parks erupting on the outskirts, Bedford the likewise, the thought of North Hertfordshire going the same way is unbearable. Our environment, either the built, farming or natural must be comfortable and a pleasant place to live and enjoy. Please reconsider this plan, leave the fields and open spaces and look to the state of existing run down areas or under utilised and brown field sites to provide the housing we currently need.