Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

The comments below relate in particular to the BK3 proposed development site in Barkway.

INTRODUCTION
My main concern is the proposal to use this piece of land for the benefit of fulfilling some of the government requirements for North Herts to build 4,400 dwellings within the lifetime of the plan, seemingly disregarding the suitability of place, size, sustainability and desirability in relation to those who come to live there, and to those already resident in the village.

The main area of Barkway is the High Street where houses date from as early as the sixteenth century and is of historic consequence having the first toll house in the country and early coaching houses. There is a Pilgrim's Way just below the proposed land

COMMENTS ON SECTIONS OF THE NATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORK
NPPF Para14 and para 55
In the past North Herts houses built on the edge of the Barkway have had minimal social and visual impact. This cannot be said for the introduction of 140 dwellings forming a suburban environment at odds with the High Street and increasingly dividing Barkway into two separate communities to the detriment of each

NPPF paras 17, 30, 34 and 35
Car ownership would increase. 100 to 200 extra cars would inevitably have to travel through the dangerous corner of High Street/Royston Road or along the Joint to the A10,,, increasing pollution and noise already at unacceptable levels.
Public transport has been reduced to the occasional daily bus to Royston/Hertford
This need for cars is because there are few services available. The doctor and the post office/shop are 4 miles away; the primary school has vacancies but not for the number of children to be expected from 100 - 140 houses;
Social facilities are a Social Club; Public House; Recreation Ground with children's play area and a pavilion; further entertainment would involve a car journey.
Cars could be kept running by the two repair shops and a garage - one service that would be appreciated by newcomers to the estate.

NPPF para 38
Local evidence shows that the setting up of shops, cafes etc has been short term and even in the one building now used by a hairdresser, its use changes frequently.
Any shop on BK3 would mainly be accessed by car as the distance from one end of the village to another is over a mile
In a similar way there is little evidence that opportunities for rural employment would increase

CONCLUSION
I feel that there is very little positive evidence that the allocation of 140 houses on site BK3 would enhance the environment, encourage key facilities or make maximum use of existing ones, rather it would encourage divisiveness, decrease the services available to all residents by sheer numbers, and although it would answer the housing shortage foreseen by the Government, that would only happen by the movement from one house to another so that those who wished to live in a rural area would take the place of those for whom the housing development was originally intended.