Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I am writing to you provide you with my objections to the proposed Codicote Local Development Plan (part of the Proposed Submission Local Plan 2011-2031). I have been a resident of Codicote for around 50 years, and my two daughters have also been homeowners here. As such I feel I am well placed to comment on the Local Development Plan.

Whilst I appreciate that there is a shortage of housing in the current climate and that the village will have to provide new houses, the number of dwellings proposed in this Plan is far beyond what the village infrastructure could cope with. The 315 dwellings proposed represents growth of almost 25%.

Over the last few years Codicote has grown significantly and its infrastructure is already severely over stretched. The proposed plan will radically change the nature of this rural country village. My objections are as follows:

1. School

The school is already oversubscribed. Although enlarging it is within the plan, the quantity of houses envisaged will fill that immediately. The secondary schools all involve a commute (which would add extra traffic and school buses to the roads) and would struggle to provide places to the additional children.

2. Doctors

The local GP surgery is already at crisis point and it is extremely difficult to get a doctors appointment with the present number of residents. They often quote 3-week waiting times. The surgery finds it extremely hard to recruit new GPs to cope with present demand.

3. Transport

The village roads are crowded and these are rural lanes quite unsuited to managing a lot more traffic. At peak times it is difficult to gain access to the main B656, and there are long daily tailbacks through the village. Parking near the shops on the high street is already always difficult, and school drop-off and collection times mean gridlock in the side streets. Extra houses would increase pollution and journey times.

4. Utilities

The main drains in the village are said to be struggling to manage the present level of use. There are still some houses that are not connected to the mains drains because of the difficulties with levels.

It is doubtful that the pumping station by the river could deal with the number of houses in the proposed plan. It has one small pipe leading to the village water tower that is a fair distance away from the pumping station. A few years ago the river even dried up due to increased demand.

The electricity supply is similarly challenged and a new sub-station had to be built after the supply dropped below the legal limit after some in-fill houses were built.

5. Recreation & Nature

Although some of the proposed sites (such as CD2 by the garden centre) would appear to have good road access, other proposed sites are in the green belt. They are also extremely rural and are traversed by footpaths that are regularly used by dog walkers.

The Mimram Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in this part of Hertfordshire. To blight it with the CD5 development is a significant loss. The large green belt area to the south of Heath Lane and west of St Albans Road (CD5) is prime green belt land. Building on it would totally affect the entire nature of the village and have a very detrimental effect on the diverse wildlife dependent upon it. This includes deer, foxes, badgers, herons, egrets, owls, red kites and many other species.

Dark Lane offers an attractive year-round walk. The villagers extensively use it for recreational purposes. Dog walkers, cyclists, horse riders and families visiting the Mimram river (that is accessed further down via a bridleway) use this quiet, pretty lane frequently. The proposed CD5 development would surely mean that the high traffic levels would be too dangerous for this recreational use to continue. This would be a big loss to the community and to their access to, and enjoyment of, nature.

6. Farming

The CD5 and CD1 proposed houses would replace a dwindling supply of established permanent pasture, which has for decades been used for fattening farm cattle and sheep, and producing summer hay crops. We need such established farmland to feed the British cattle and sheep that in turn feed the people of our country. There would also be loss of open space and loss of Green Belt land.

7. Road Safety

The proposed access to CD5 from St Albans Road and Dark Lane is ridiculously inappropriate. One access is a grassy farm track just wide enough for a tractor or land rover. The other access point off Dark Lane is also narrow, and becomes an overhung single-track road currently serving just three houses. Dark Lane comes off a very dangerous blind bend on St Albans Lane. This is surely the most dangerous corner in the village. To increase the traffic to it would be unfeasible.

Similarly the CD1 houses would be accessed off Cowards Lane, which too is a single-width lane that connects onto one of the faster travelling sections of the High Street featuring a blind summit.

To conclude, I believe that the rural nature of Codicote village would be lost forever by the proposed number of houses outlined in this ill conceived plan.

I am writing to you provide you with my objections to the proposed Codicote Local Development Plan (part of the Proposed Submission Local Plan 2011-2031). I have been a resident of Codicote for around 50 years, and my two daughters have also been homeowners here. As such I feel I am well placed to comment on the Local Development Plan.

Whilst I appreciate that there is a shortage of housing in the current climate and that the village will have to provide new houses, the number of dwellings proposed in this Plan is far beyond what the village infrastructure could cope with. The 315 dwellings proposed represents growth of almost 25%.

Over the last few years Codicote has grown significantly and its infrastructure is already severely over stretched. The proposed plan will radically change the nature of this rural country village. My objections are as follows:

1. School

The school is already oversubscribed. Although enlarging it is within the plan, the quantity of houses envisaged will fill that immediately. The secondary schools all involve a commute (which would add extra traffic and school buses to the roads) and would struggle to provide places to the additional children.

2. Doctors

The local GP surgery is already at crisis point and it is extremely difficult to get a doctors appointment with the present number of residents. They often quote 3-week waiting times. The surgery finds it extremely hard to recruit new GPs to cope with present demand.

3. Transport

The village roads are crowded and these are rural lanes quite unsuited to managing a lot more traffic. At peak times it is difficult to gain access to the main B656, and there are long daily tailbacks through the village. Parking near the shops on the high street is already always difficult, and school drop-off and collection times mean gridlock in the side streets. Extra houses would increase pollution and journey times.

4. Utilities

The main drains in the village are said to be struggling to manage the present level of use. There are still some houses that are not connected to the mains drains because of the difficulties with levels.

It is doubtful that the pumping station by the river could deal with the number of houses in the proposed plan. It has one small pipe leading to the village water tower that is a fair distance away from the pumping station. A few years ago the river even dried up due to increased demand.

The electricity supply is similarly challenged and a new sub-station had to be built after the supply dropped below the legal limit after some in-fill houses were built.

5. Recreation & Nature

Although some of the proposed sites (such as CD2 by the garden centre) would appear to have good road access, other proposed sites are in the green belt. They are also extremely rural and are traversed by footpaths that are regularly used by dog walkers.

The Mimram Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in this part of Hertfordshire. To blight it with the CD5 development is a significant loss. The large green belt area to the south of Heath Lane and west of St Albans Road (CD5) is prime green belt land. Building on it would totally affect the entire nature of the village and have a very detrimental effect on the diverse wildlife dependent upon it. This includes deer, foxes, badgers, herons, egrets, owls, red kites and many other species.

Dark Lane offers an attractive year-round walk. The villagers extensively use it for recreational purposes. Dog walkers, cyclists, horse riders and families visiting the Mimram river (that is accessed further down via a bridleway) use this quiet, pretty lane frequently. The proposed CD5 development would surely mean that the high traffic levels would be too dangerous for this recreational use to continue. This would be a big loss to the community and to their access to, and enjoyment of, nature.

6. Farming

The CD5 and CD1 proposed houses would replace a dwindling supply of established permanent pasture, which has for decades been used for fattening farm cattle and sheep, and producing summer hay crops. We need such established farmland to feed the British cattle and sheep that in turn feed the people of our country. There would also be loss of open space and loss of Green Belt land.

7. Road Safety

The proposed access to CD5 from St Albans Road and Dark Lane is ridiculously inappropriate. One access is a grassy farm track just wide enough for a tractor or land rover. The other access point off Dark Lane is also narrow, and becomes an overhung single-track road currently serving just three houses. Dark Lane comes off a very dangerous blind bend on St Albans Lane. This is surely the most dangerous corner in the village. To increase the traffic to it would be unfeasible.

Similarly the CD1 houses would be accessed off Cowards Lane, which too is a single-width lane that connects onto one of the faster travelling sections of the High Street featuring a blind summit.

To conclude, I believe that the rural nature of Codicote village would be lost forever by the proposed number of houses outlined in this ill conceived plan.

I am writing to you provide you with my objections to the proposed Codicote Local Development Plan (part of the Proposed Submission Local Plan 2011-2031). I have been a resident of Codicote for around 50 years, and my two daughters have also been homeowners here. As such I feel I am well placed to comment on the Local Development Plan.

Whilst I appreciate that there is a shortage of housing in the current climate and that the village will have to provide new houses, the number of dwellings proposed in this Plan is far beyond what the village infrastructure could cope with. The 315 dwellings proposed represents growth of almost 25%.

Over the last few years Codicote has grown significantly and its infrastructure is already severely over stretched. The proposed plan will radically change the nature of this rural country village. My objections are as follows:

1. School

The school is already oversubscribed. Although enlarging it is within the plan, the quantity of houses envisaged will fill that immediately. The secondary schools all involve a commute (which would add extra traffic and school buses to the roads) and would struggle to provide places to the additional children.

2. Doctors

The local GP surgery is already at crisis point and it is extremely difficult to get a doctors appointment with the present number of residents. They often quote 3-week waiting times. The surgery finds it extremely hard to recruit new GPs to cope with present demand.

3. Transport

The village roads are crowded and these are rural lanes quite unsuited to managing a lot more traffic. At peak times it is difficult to gain access to the main B656, and there are long daily tailbacks through the village. Parking near the shops on the high street is already always difficult, and school drop-off and collection times mean gridlock in the side streets. Extra houses would increase pollution and journey times.

4. Utilities

The main drains in the village are said to be struggling to manage the present level of use. There are still some houses that are not connected to the mains drains because of the difficulties with levels.

It is doubtful that the pumping station by the river could deal with the number of houses in the proposed plan. It has one small pipe leading to the village water tower that is a fair distance away from the pumping station. A few years ago the river even dried up due to increased demand.

The electricity supply is similarly challenged and a new sub-station had to be built after the supply dropped below the legal limit after some in-fill houses were built.

5. Recreation & Nature

Although some of the proposed sites (such as CD2 by the garden centre) would appear to have good road access, other proposed sites are in the green belt. They are also extremely rural and are traversed by footpaths that are regularly used by dog walkers.

The Mimram Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in this part of Hertfordshire. To blight it with the CD5 development is a significant loss. The large green belt area to the south of Heath Lane and west of St Albans Road (CD5) is prime green belt land. Building on it would totally affect the entire nature of the village and have a very detrimental effect on the diverse wildlife dependent upon it. This includes deer, foxes, badgers, herons, egrets, owls, red kites and many other species.

Dark Lane offers an attractive year-round walk. The villagers extensively use it for recreational purposes. Dog walkers, cyclists, horse riders and families visiting the Mimram river (that is accessed further down via a bridleway) use this quiet, pretty lane frequently. The proposed CD5 development would surely mean that the high traffic levels would be too dangerous for this recreational use to continue. This would be a big loss to the community and to their access to, and enjoyment of, nature.

6. Farming

The CD5 and CD1 proposed houses would replace a dwindling supply of established permanent pasture, which has for decades been used for fattening farm cattle and sheep, and producing summer hay crops. We need such established farmland to feed the British cattle and sheep that in turn feed the people of our country. There would also be loss of open space and loss of Green Belt land.

7. Road Safety

The proposed access to CD5 from St Albans Road and Dark Lane is ridiculously inappropriate. One access is a grassy farm track just wide enough for a tractor or land rover. The other access point off Dark Lane is also narrow, and becomes an overhung single-track road currently serving just three houses. Dark Lane comes off a very dangerous blind bend on St Albans Lane. This is surely the most dangerous corner in the village. To increase the traffic to it would be unfeasible.

Similarly the CD1 houses would be accessed off Cowards Lane, which too is a single-width lane that connects onto one of the faster travelling sections of the High Street featuring a blind summit.

To conclude, I believe that the rural nature of Codicote village would be lost forever by the proposed number of houses outlined in this ill conceived plan.

I am writing to you provide you with my objections to the proposed Codicote Local Development Plan (part of the Proposed Submission Local Plan 2011-2031). I have been a resident of Codicote for around 50 years, and my two daughters have also been homeowners here. As such I feel I am well placed to comment on the Local Development Plan.

Whilst I appreciate that there is a shortage of housing in the current climate and that the village will have to provide new houses, the number of dwellings proposed in this Plan is far beyond what the village infrastructure could cope with. The 315 dwellings proposed represents growth of almost 25%.

Over the last few years Codicote has grown significantly and its infrastructure is already severely over stretched. The proposed plan will radically change the nature of this rural country village. My objections are as follows:

1. School

The school is already oversubscribed. Although enlarging it is within the plan, the quantity of houses envisaged will fill that immediately. The secondary schools all involve a commute (which would add extra traffic and school buses to the roads) and would struggle to provide places to the additional children.

2. Doctors

The local GP surgery is already at crisis point and it is extremely difficult to get a doctors appointment with the present number of residents. They often quote 3-week waiting times. The surgery finds it extremely hard to recruit new GPs to cope with present demand.

3. Transport

The village roads are crowded and these are rural lanes quite unsuited to managing a lot more traffic. At peak times it is difficult to gain access to the main B656, and there are long daily tailbacks through the village. Parking near the shops on the high street is already always difficult, and school drop-off and collection times mean gridlock in the side streets. Extra houses would increase pollution and journey times.

4. Utilities

The main drains in the village are said to be struggling to manage the present level of use. There are still some houses that are not connected to the mains drains because of the difficulties with levels.

It is doubtful that the pumping station by the river could deal with the number of houses in the proposed plan. It has one small pipe leading to the village water tower that is a fair distance away from the pumping station. A few years ago the river even dried up due to increased demand.

The electricity supply is similarly challenged and a new sub-station had to be built after the supply dropped below the legal limit after some in-fill houses were built.

5. Recreation & Nature

Although some of the proposed sites (such as CD2 by the garden centre) would appear to have good road access, other proposed sites are in the green belt. They are also extremely rural and are traversed by footpaths that are regularly used by dog walkers.

The Mimram Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in this part of Hertfordshire. To blight it with the CD5 development is a significant loss. The large green belt area to the south of Heath Lane and west of St Albans Road (CD5) is prime green belt land. Building on it would totally affect the entire nature of the village and have a very detrimental effect on the diverse wildlife dependent upon it. This includes deer, foxes, badgers, herons, egrets, owls, red kites and many other species.

Dark Lane offers an attractive year-round walk. The villagers extensively use it for recreational purposes. Dog walkers, cyclists, horse riders and families visiting the Mimram river (that is accessed further down via a bridleway) use this quiet, pretty lane frequently. The proposed CD5 development would surely mean that the high traffic levels would be too dangerous for this recreational use to continue. This would be a big loss to the community and to their access to, and enjoyment of, nature.

6. Farming

The CD5 and CD1 proposed houses would replace a dwindling supply of established permanent pasture, which has for decades been used for fattening farm cattle and sheep, and producing summer hay crops. We need such established farmland to feed the British cattle and sheep that in turn feed the people of our country. There would also be loss of open space and loss of Green Belt land.

7. Road Safety

The proposed access to CD5 from St Albans Road and Dark Lane is ridiculously inappropriate. One access is a grassy farm track just wide enough for a tractor or land rover. The other access point off Dark Lane is also narrow, and becomes an overhung single-track road currently serving just three houses. Dark Lane comes off a very dangerous blind bend on St Albans Lane. This is surely the most dangerous corner in the village. To increase the traffic to it would be unfeasible.

Similarly the CD1 houses would be accessed off Cowards Lane, which too is a single-width lane that connects onto one of the faster travelling sections of the High Street featuring a blind summit.

To conclude, I believe that the rural nature of Codicote village would be lost forever by the proposed number of houses outlined in this ill conceived plan.