Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I am writing to object to the proposals of GA1 and GA2. I walk my dogs everyday on this beautiful land and would be devastated if it were to be destroyed for housing. The reason that we moved to Great Ashby was to be close to the beautiful woodland/farmland and be part of a nice, safe community for ourselves and our children.

Green Belt Land - The proposed development is on Green Belt land and as such is an inappropriate development. In your e-mail dated 19/4/2016 entitled 'pre-Application Advice' to Croudace you wrote 'As you know the site is located in the Metropolitan Green Belt and as such under current local and national planning policy I am unable to support the principle of development at this site. Housing represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt and despite the Council's absence of a five year land supply of deliverable housing sites 'housing need' is not in my view in of itself a very special circumstance which would pursued the Council to grant planning permission in advance of further progress with the current Local Plan (2011-2031).'

This stance is reinforced by the attached letter from Brandon Lewis, Minister of State for Housing and Planning dated 7/6/2016.

In light of this reaffirmation of the Government's strong stance against development of Green Belt 'unless exceptional circumstance exists and with the support of local people' which this proposed site clearly do not have, I disagree with your subsequent statement in that e-mail that following approval of the Local Plan and release of this site from Green Belt, subject to there being no unresolved technical planning issues, planning officers would be able in principle to support the application.


I appreciate that there is a shortage of housing, but does not think we should compromise safety of current Great Ashby residents to allow this inappropriate access arrangements as per the application. This is absolutely ludicrous to even think that the roads (Bray Drive, Mendip Way and Haybluff Drive) will cope with this small change to the existing roads to allow for more vehicles!

1. Section 2.1.7: Promises "safe and easy access for all sections of the community, including people with disabilities, the infirm and parents of young children" - I question how removing the grass verges and trees and widening the roads in Bray Drive, Mendip Way and Haybluff Drive is complying with this statement? - By removing the verges, not only do you allow the developer to take out the grass, but the environmental impact of losing what few trees have been planted, will have an adverse impact on the current ecosystem.
There is absolutely no way that a child walking to school can pass a parent with a double buggy safely without stepping in the road, if there are no grass verges. Keeping in mind that this is the main access to the current Great Ashby residents; and is also proposed to be the main access for the Roundwood development - this is totally unsafe and should not be allowed as an access route to this development. - Parked cars will be so closed to the boundaries of houses. If you walk with your children (I have seen parents walking with 4 children) and someone open the door of a parked car, a child (who might be on a scooter, or bicycle, or just walking) or adult can get seriously injured. Great Ashby's roads are already heavily filled with traffic and parked cars, this will be untenable if more houses are to be built!
Schooling and GP Facilities: In its conclusion to its Planning Application, Croudace describes the proposed development as being 'in a sustainable location, with good access to a range of facilities (11.5)'. This is incorrect. Local primary schools within walking distance are already heavily oversubscribed, with children having to travel to other schools within Stevenage and the surrounding villages. Also there is no secondary school provision within Great Ashby, and the current draft local plan does not indicate a provision of one.

Likewise despite having been established for over 15 years, Great Ashby still does not have its own GP surgery, again requiring existing residents to travel across Stevenage to other GP surgeries or to the Lister Hospital.

It is very concerning that the above errors relating to essential infrastructure requirements have been made, particularly given the close involvement Croudace and its employees have had in the development of Great Ashby over the years and raises questions as to the integrity of the information provided in the application.

Please listen to the people who are against the proposal these are all valid reasons to refuse the application for GA1 and GA2.

I am writing to object to the proposals of GA1 and GA2. I walk my dogs everyday on this beautiful land and would be devastated if it were to be destroyed for housing. The reason that we moved to Great Ashby was to be close to the beautiful woodland/farmland and be part of a nice, safe community for ourselves and our children.

Green Belt Land - The proposed development is on Green Belt land and as such is an inappropriate development. In your e-mail dated 19/4/2016 entitled 'pre-Application Advice' to Croudace you wrote 'As you know the site is located in the Metropolitan Green Belt and as such under current local and national planning policy I am unable to support the principle of development at this site. Housing represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt and despite the Council's absence of a five year land supply of deliverable housing sites 'housing need' is not in my view in of itself a very special circumstance which would pursued the Council to grant planning permission in advance of further progress with the current Local Plan (2011-2031).'

This stance is reinforced by the attached letter from Brandon Lewis, Minister of State for Housing and Planning dated 7/6/2016.

In light of this reaffirmation of the Government's strong stance against development of Green Belt 'unless exceptional circumstance exists and with the support of local people' which this proposed site clearly do not have, I disagree with your subsequent statement in that e-mail that following approval of the Local Plan and release of this site from Green Belt, subject to there being no unresolved technical planning issues, planning officers would be able in principle to support the application.


I appreciate that there is a shortage of housing, but does not think we should compromise safety of current Great Ashby residents to allow this inappropriate access arrangements as per the application. This is absolutely ludicrous to even think that the roads (Bray Drive, Mendip Way and Haybluff Drive) will cope with this small change to the existing roads to allow for more vehicles!

1. Section 2.1.7: Promises "safe and easy access for all sections of the community, including people with disabilities, the infirm and parents of young children" - I question how removing the grass verges and trees and widening the roads in Bray Drive, Mendip Way and Haybluff Drive is complying with this statement? - By removing the verges, not only do you allow the developer to take out the grass, but the environmental impact of losing what few trees have been planted, will have an adverse impact on the current ecosystem.
There is absolutely no way that a child walking to school can pass a parent with a double buggy safely without stepping in the road, if there are no grass verges. Keeping in mind that this is the main access to the current Great Ashby residents; and is also proposed to be the main access for the Roundwood development - this is totally unsafe and should not be allowed as an access route to this development. - Parked cars will be so closed to the boundaries of houses. If you walk with your children (I have seen parents walking with 4 children) and someone open the door of a parked car, a child (who might be on a scooter, or bicycle, or just walking) or adult can get seriously injured. Great Ashby's roads are already heavily filled with traffic and parked cars, this will be untenable if more houses are to be built!
Schooling and GP Facilities: In its conclusion to its Planning Application, Croudace describes the proposed development as being 'in a sustainable location, with good access to a range of facilities (11.5)'. This is incorrect. Local primary schools within walking distance are already heavily oversubscribed, with children having to travel to other schools within Stevenage and the surrounding villages. Also there is no secondary school provision within Great Ashby, and the current draft local plan does not indicate a provision of one.

Likewise despite having been established for over 15 years, Great Ashby still does not have its own GP surgery, again requiring existing residents to travel across Stevenage to other GP surgeries or to the Lister Hospital.

It is very concerning that the above errors relating to essential infrastructure requirements have been made, particularly given the close involvement Croudace and its employees have had in the development of Great Ashby over the years and raises questions as to the integrity of the information provided in the application.

Please listen to the people who are against the proposal these are all valid reasons to refuse the application for GA1 and GA2.