Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Re: North Hertfordshire Proposed Submission Local Plan
As long time residents in Codicote village we have several objections regarding the North Hertfordshire District Council Local Plan and are concerned regarding the impact on the district and particularly our village, Codicote. The plans show no infrastructure work and seem excessive and do not seem to be joined up as there are plans for nearby Knebworth and Woolmer Green , too much for three villages .

Objections

13.77 Local Housing Allocation

Site CD5: Number of houses in the plan states 140 homes for Land south of Heath Lane based on 20 Dwellings per hectare. However, the developer is promoting circa 200. This is an 45% increase on the proposed number of houses than the local plan suggests.

Site CD5 gives a clear example that the Local Plan has not calculated the number of houses on each site correctly. The proposed number of newly built homes in the Local Plan is 20 per hectare. Government Guidance of the number of house built; 30 per hectare has been withdrawn and therefore the actual number being built by developers is far greater sometimes up to 40-50 per hectare.

The NHDC Local Plan has failed to correctly calculate the number of houses. The fact is that there will be a significant increase in the number of homes built in the Local Plan than have been proposed. Therefore, suggesting the Local Plan has allocated at least 45-50% more land than is required. The only logical conclusion is there is too much land allocated in the plan and therefore there is no need to develop on Green Belt sites and Villages which do not have the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building on Green Belt conflicts with national Green Belt Policy.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. The site will have visual impacts on the Countryside and wildlife, loss of trees and nature, impact on public footpaths.

Site CD5. Access to sites is difficult due to width of the existing roads. Heath Lane and St Albans Roads are lanes with one vehicle road width. Government Inspectors need to visit the village and drive these roads at peak time more cars will be dangerous. There is no highways plan to improve the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Thames Water have spent over £4m investigating drainage in Codicote. It is believed some is pre Victorian and have no records on drainage. Codicote has a high water table and sites are prone to flooding. There is no plan to address flooding more hard staying means less run off more flash flooding .

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building over 364 homes in Codicote will have considerable impact on traffic through the village. More than 364 cars as most homes have multiple cars. Increased congestion and pollution

Site CD5 was a last-minute addition to the plan and there was not proper consultation to the significant increase in size to this site.

There is no employment in the village apart from shops , restaurants and the local garden centre Wyevale. The garden centre is an employer and also a social centre for many local elderly and disabled communities. To loose this to housing is not a good plan. Loss of local employment and local community site Wyevale .

13.81, 13.82, 13.83 Infrastructure and Mitigation

* NHDC have not given reasonable consideration to the impact on traffic through the village and the current road networks to people to travel to employment. The plan is not consistent with National Policy Section 4 "Promoting Sustainable transport"
* Heath Lane/Heath Hill. Route to Luton, regularly floods at CodicoteBottom due to the River Mimram. The road has very poor forward visibility and one vehicle width road.
* High Street, Codicote. Route to A1M, Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, London, Hitchin and Luton. It's a through road to A1M significant congestion already at peak travel times. Any hold ups on the A1M already results in very heavy traffic through the village, motor vehicles and HGV Lorries. Significant number of residential houses in the high street with no parking which causes one vehicle lane.
* St Albans Road. Working quarry with regular HGV lorries visiting site. Main route from Codicote to St Albans. Road is one lane with lack of forward visibility and regular flooding at three locations.
* Bury Lane. Busy cut through route to Stevenage, one lane roads.
* All roads feeding the high street are becoming rat runs for the lack of accessibility to the A1M and high traffic load on the A1M.
* Lack of consideration to the Traffic impact caused by new housing north of Codicote. We believe there will be a significant increase without the new housing being built in our village as the regular traffic routes would be those named above.
* Limited bus service to local towns and hospitals.
* A & E Department at Lister Hospital is 9 Miles away with no public transport available.
* A1M is expanding to three lanes and during congestion Ambulance services would rely on the coming through Codicote on the B656. Delays in the Ambulance Service could mean life or death.
* Nearest NHS available Dentist is 5.6 miles in Welwyn Garden city, normal journey time 16 minutes.
* Bridge Cottage Surgery Welwyn is our nearest GP Service. Can wait up to 2-3 weeks for an appointment and daily appointments are taken within 10 mins of opening and queuing starts an 1hour before appointments are released.
* Railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are already at parking capacity and not in walking distance and the railway plan proposes fewer fast services to London , again evidence no joined up thinking

* No Local Authority Leisure facilities in the village. The sports centre is funded by residents and opened and operates via a volunteer group.
* Codicote Primary school is already oversubscribed without the additional houses being added to the village. The school currently requires immediate expansion to cope with existing numbers. Building new houses would not solve this issue only exacerbate the problem. The Local Plan has not forecast the correct demand for the Primary School expansion.
* No higher education facilities in the village children rely heavily on buses increase in traffic. There would also be further impact on secondary schooling which has not been considered in the local plan.
* No commuting cyclists as roads are very dangerous and nearest employment and railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are too far to cycle.

Under these circumstances I would recommend New Garden City or Cities which be developed that would be able to meet future housing needs at the same time developing public services and employment opportunities and transport networks for the new community. This plan causes more problems than solutions for current residents and indeed future residents.

Re: North Hertfordshire Proposed Submission Local Plan
As long time residents in Codicote village we have several objections regarding the North Hertfordshire District Council Local Plan and are concerned regarding the impact on the district and particularly our village, Codicote. The plans show no infrastructure work and seem excessive and do not seem to be joined up as there are plans for nearby Knebworth and Woolmer Green , too much for three villages .

Objections

13.77 Local Housing Allocation

Site CD5: Number of houses in the plan states 140 homes for Land south of Heath Lane based on 20 Dwellings per hectare. However, the developer is promoting circa 200. This is an 45% increase on the proposed number of houses than the local plan suggests.

Site CD5 gives a clear example that the Local Plan has not calculated the number of houses on each site correctly. The proposed number of newly built homes in the Local Plan is 20 per hectare. Government Guidance of the number of house built; 30 per hectare has been withdrawn and therefore the actual number being built by developers is far greater sometimes up to 40-50 per hectare.

The NHDC Local Plan has failed to correctly calculate the number of houses. The fact is that there will be a significant increase in the number of homes built in the Local Plan than have been proposed. Therefore, suggesting the Local Plan has allocated at least 45-50% more land than is required. The only logical conclusion is there is too much land allocated in the plan and therefore there is no need to develop on Green Belt sites and Villages which do not have the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building on Green Belt conflicts with national Green Belt Policy.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. The site will have visual impacts on the Countryside and wildlife, loss of trees and nature, impact on public footpaths.

Site CD5. Access to sites is difficult due to width of the existing roads. Heath Lane and St Albans Roads are lanes with one vehicle road width. Government Inspectors need to visit the village and drive these roads at peak time more cars will be dangerous. There is no highways plan to improve the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Thames Water have spent over £4m investigating drainage in Codicote. It is believed some is pre Victorian and have no records on drainage. Codicote has a high water table and sites are prone to flooding. There is no plan to address flooding more hard staying means less run off more flash flooding .

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building over 364 homes in Codicote will have considerable impact on traffic through the village. More than 364 cars as most homes have multiple cars. Increased congestion and pollution

Site CD5 was a last-minute addition to the plan and there was not proper consultation to the significant increase in size to this site.

There is no employment in the village apart from shops , restaurants and the local garden centre Wyevale. The garden centre is an employer and also a social centre for many local elderly and disabled communities. To loose this to housing is not a good plan. Loss of local employment and local community site Wyevale .

13.81, 13.82, 13.83 Infrastructure and Mitigation

* NHDC have not given reasonable consideration to the impact on traffic through the village and the current road networks to people to travel to employment. The plan is not consistent with National Policy Section 4 "Promoting Sustainable transport"
* Heath Lane/Heath Hill. Route to Luton, regularly floods at CodicoteBottom due to the River Mimram. The road has very poor forward visibility and one vehicle width road.
* High Street, Codicote. Route to A1M, Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, London, Hitchin and Luton. It's a through road to A1M significant congestion already at peak travel times. Any hold ups on the A1M already results in very heavy traffic through the village, motor vehicles and HGV Lorries. Significant number of residential houses in the high street with no parking which causes one vehicle lane.
* St Albans Road. Working quarry with regular HGV lorries visiting site. Main route from Codicote to St Albans. Road is one lane with lack of forward visibility and regular flooding at three locations.
* Bury Lane. Busy cut through route to Stevenage, one lane roads.
* All roads feeding the high street are becoming rat runs for the lack of accessibility to the A1M and high traffic load on the A1M.
* Lack of consideration to the Traffic impact caused by new housing north of Codicote. We believe there will be a significant increase without the new housing being built in our village as the regular traffic routes would be those named above.
* Limited bus service to local towns and hospitals.
* A & E Department at Lister Hospital is 9 Miles away with no public transport available.
* A1M is expanding to three lanes and during congestion Ambulance services would rely on the coming through Codicote on the B656. Delays in the Ambulance Service could mean life or death.
* Nearest NHS available Dentist is 5.6 miles in Welwyn Garden city, normal journey time 16 minutes.
* Bridge Cottage Surgery Welwyn is our nearest GP Service. Can wait up to 2-3 weeks for an appointment and daily appointments are taken within 10 mins of opening and queuing starts an 1hour before appointments are released.
* Railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are already at parking capacity and not in walking distance and the railway plan proposes fewer fast services to London , again evidence no joined up thinking

* No Local Authority Leisure facilities in the village. The sports centre is funded by residents and opened and operates via a volunteer group.
* Codicote Primary school is already oversubscribed without the additional houses being added to the village. The school currently requires immediate expansion to cope with existing numbers. Building new houses would not solve this issue only exacerbate the problem. The Local Plan has not forecast the correct demand for the Primary School expansion.
* No higher education facilities in the village children rely heavily on buses increase in traffic. There would also be further impact on secondary schooling which has not been considered in the local plan.
* No commuting cyclists as roads are very dangerous and nearest employment and railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are too far to cycle.

Under these circumstances I would recommend New Garden City or Cities which be developed that would be able to meet future housing needs at the same time developing public services and employment opportunities and transport networks for the new community. This plan causes more problems than solutions for current residents and indeed future residents.

Re: North Hertfordshire Proposed Submission Local Plan
As long time residents in Codicote village we have several objections regarding the North Hertfordshire District Council Local Plan and are concerned regarding the impact on the district and particularly our village, Codicote. The plans show no infrastructure work and seem excessive and do not seem to be joined up as there are plans for nearby Knebworth and Woolmer Green , too much for three villages .

Objections

13.77 Local Housing Allocation

Site CD5: Number of houses in the plan states 140 homes for Land south of Heath Lane based on 20 Dwellings per hectare. However, the developer is promoting circa 200. This is an 45% increase on the proposed number of houses than the local plan suggests.

Site CD5 gives a clear example that the Local Plan has not calculated the number of houses on each site correctly. The proposed number of newly built homes in the Local Plan is 20 per hectare. Government Guidance of the number of house built; 30 per hectare has been withdrawn and therefore the actual number being built by developers is far greater sometimes up to 40-50 per hectare.

The NHDC Local Plan has failed to correctly calculate the number of houses. The fact is that there will be a significant increase in the number of homes built in the Local Plan than have been proposed. Therefore, suggesting the Local Plan has allocated at least 45-50% more land than is required. The only logical conclusion is there is too much land allocated in the plan and therefore there is no need to develop on Green Belt sites and Villages which do not have the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building on Green Belt conflicts with national Green Belt Policy.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. The site will have visual impacts on the Countryside and wildlife, loss of trees and nature, impact on public footpaths.

Site CD5. Access to sites is difficult due to width of the existing roads. Heath Lane and St Albans Roads are lanes with one vehicle road width. Government Inspectors need to visit the village and drive these roads at peak time more cars will be dangerous. There is no highways plan to improve the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Thames Water have spent over £4m investigating drainage in Codicote. It is believed some is pre Victorian and have no records on drainage. Codicote has a high water table and sites are prone to flooding. There is no plan to address flooding more hard staying means less run off more flash flooding .

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building over 364 homes in Codicote will have considerable impact on traffic through the village. More than 364 cars as most homes have multiple cars. Increased congestion and pollution

Site CD5 was a last-minute addition to the plan and there was not proper consultation to the significant increase in size to this site.

There is no employment in the village apart from shops , restaurants and the local garden centre Wyevale. The garden centre is an employer and also a social centre for many local elderly and disabled communities. To loose this to housing is not a good plan. Loss of local employment and local community site Wyevale .

13.81, 13.82, 13.83 Infrastructure and Mitigation

* NHDC have not given reasonable consideration to the impact on traffic through the village and the current road networks to people to travel to employment. The plan is not consistent with National Policy Section 4 "Promoting Sustainable transport"
* Heath Lane/Heath Hill. Route to Luton, regularly floods at CodicoteBottom due to the River Mimram. The road has very poor forward visibility and one vehicle width road.
* High Street, Codicote. Route to A1M, Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, London, Hitchin and Luton. It's a through road to A1M significant congestion already at peak travel times. Any hold ups on the A1M already results in very heavy traffic through the village, motor vehicles and HGV Lorries. Significant number of residential houses in the high street with no parking which causes one vehicle lane.
* St Albans Road. Working quarry with regular HGV lorries visiting site. Main route from Codicote to St Albans. Road is one lane with lack of forward visibility and regular flooding at three locations.
* Bury Lane. Busy cut through route to Stevenage, one lane roads.
* All roads feeding the high street are becoming rat runs for the lack of accessibility to the A1M and high traffic load on the A1M.
* Lack of consideration to the Traffic impact caused by new housing north of Codicote. We believe there will be a significant increase without the new housing being built in our village as the regular traffic routes would be those named above.
* Limited bus service to local towns and hospitals.
* A & E Department at Lister Hospital is 9 Miles away with no public transport available.
* A1M is expanding to three lanes and during congestion Ambulance services would rely on the coming through Codicote on the B656. Delays in the Ambulance Service could mean life or death.
* Nearest NHS available Dentist is 5.6 miles in Welwyn Garden city, normal journey time 16 minutes.
* Bridge Cottage Surgery Welwyn is our nearest GP Service. Can wait up to 2-3 weeks for an appointment and daily appointments are taken within 10 mins of opening and queuing starts an 1hour before appointments are released.
* Railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are already at parking capacity and not in walking distance and the railway plan proposes fewer fast services to London , again evidence no joined up thinking

* No Local Authority Leisure facilities in the village. The sports centre is funded by residents and opened and operates via a volunteer group.
* Codicote Primary school is already oversubscribed without the additional houses being added to the village. The school currently requires immediate expansion to cope with existing numbers. Building new houses would not solve this issue only exacerbate the problem. The Local Plan has not forecast the correct demand for the Primary School expansion.
* No higher education facilities in the village children rely heavily on buses increase in traffic. There would also be further impact on secondary schooling which has not been considered in the local plan.
* No commuting cyclists as roads are very dangerous and nearest employment and railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are too far to cycle.

Under these circumstances I would recommend New Garden City or Cities which be developed that would be able to meet future housing needs at the same time developing public services and employment opportunities and transport networks for the new community. This plan causes more problems than solutions for current residents and indeed future residents.

Re: North Hertfordshire Proposed Submission Local Plan
As long time residents in Codicote village we have several objections regarding the North Hertfordshire District Council Local Plan and are concerned regarding the impact on the district and particularly our village, Codicote. The plans show no infrastructure work and seem excessive and do not seem to be joined up as there are plans for nearby Knebworth and Woolmer Green , too much for three villages .

Objections

13.77 Local Housing Allocation

Site CD5: Number of houses in the plan states 140 homes for Land south of Heath Lane based on 20 Dwellings per hectare. However, the developer is promoting circa 200. This is an 45% increase on the proposed number of houses than the local plan suggests.

Site CD5 gives a clear example that the Local Plan has not calculated the number of houses on each site correctly. The proposed number of newly built homes in the Local Plan is 20 per hectare. Government Guidance of the number of house built; 30 per hectare has been withdrawn and therefore the actual number being built by developers is far greater sometimes up to 40-50 per hectare.

The NHDC Local Plan has failed to correctly calculate the number of houses. The fact is that there will be a significant increase in the number of homes built in the Local Plan than have been proposed. Therefore, suggesting the Local Plan has allocated at least 45-50% more land than is required. The only logical conclusion is there is too much land allocated in the plan and therefore there is no need to develop on Green Belt sites and Villages which do not have the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building on Green Belt conflicts with national Green Belt Policy.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. The site will have visual impacts on the Countryside and wildlife, loss of trees and nature, impact on public footpaths.

Site CD5. Access to sites is difficult due to width of the existing roads. Heath Lane and St Albans Roads are lanes with one vehicle road width. Government Inspectors need to visit the village and drive these roads at peak time more cars will be dangerous. There is no highways plan to improve the infrastructure.

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Thames Water have spent over £4m investigating drainage in Codicote. It is believed some is pre Victorian and have no records on drainage. Codicote has a high water table and sites are prone to flooding. There is no plan to address flooding more hard staying means less run off more flash flooding .

Site CD5, CD1, CD2, CD3. Building over 364 homes in Codicote will have considerable impact on traffic through the village. More than 364 cars as most homes have multiple cars. Increased congestion and pollution

Site CD5 was a last-minute addition to the plan and there was not proper consultation to the significant increase in size to this site.

There is no employment in the village apart from shops , restaurants and the local garden centre Wyevale. The garden centre is an employer and also a social centre for many local elderly and disabled communities. To loose this to housing is not a good plan. Loss of local employment and local community site Wyevale .

13.81, 13.82, 13.83 Infrastructure and Mitigation

* NHDC have not given reasonable consideration to the impact on traffic through the village and the current road networks to people to travel to employment. The plan is not consistent with National Policy Section 4 "Promoting Sustainable transport"
* Heath Lane/Heath Hill. Route to Luton, regularly floods at CodicoteBottom due to the River Mimram. The road has very poor forward visibility and one vehicle width road.
* High Street, Codicote. Route to A1M, Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, London, Hitchin and Luton. It's a through road to A1M significant congestion already at peak travel times. Any hold ups on the A1M already results in very heavy traffic through the village, motor vehicles and HGV Lorries. Significant number of residential houses in the high street with no parking which causes one vehicle lane.
* St Albans Road. Working quarry with regular HGV lorries visiting site. Main route from Codicote to St Albans. Road is one lane with lack of forward visibility and regular flooding at three locations.
* Bury Lane. Busy cut through route to Stevenage, one lane roads.
* All roads feeding the high street are becoming rat runs for the lack of accessibility to the A1M and high traffic load on the A1M.
* Lack of consideration to the Traffic impact caused by new housing north of Codicote. We believe there will be a significant increase without the new housing being built in our village as the regular traffic routes would be those named above.
* Limited bus service to local towns and hospitals.
* A & E Department at Lister Hospital is 9 Miles away with no public transport available.
* A1M is expanding to three lanes and during congestion Ambulance services would rely on the coming through Codicote on the B656. Delays in the Ambulance Service could mean life or death.
* Nearest NHS available Dentist is 5.6 miles in Welwyn Garden city, normal journey time 16 minutes.
* Bridge Cottage Surgery Welwyn is our nearest GP Service. Can wait up to 2-3 weeks for an appointment and daily appointments are taken within 10 mins of opening and queuing starts an 1hour before appointments are released.
* Railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are already at parking capacity and not in walking distance and the railway plan proposes fewer fast services to London , again evidence no joined up thinking

* No Local Authority Leisure facilities in the village. The sports centre is funded by residents and opened and operates via a volunteer group.
* Codicote Primary school is already oversubscribed without the additional houses being added to the village. The school currently requires immediate expansion to cope with existing numbers. Building new houses would not solve this issue only exacerbate the problem. The Local Plan has not forecast the correct demand for the Primary School expansion.
* No higher education facilities in the village children rely heavily on buses increase in traffic. There would also be further impact on secondary schooling which has not been considered in the local plan.
* No commuting cyclists as roads are very dangerous and nearest employment and railway stations Knebworth and Welwyn North are too far to cycle.

Under these circumstances I would recommend New Garden City or Cities which be developed that would be able to meet future housing needs at the same time developing public services and employment opportunities and transport networks for the new community. This plan causes more problems than solutions for current residents and indeed future residents.