Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Size of development will exacerbate severe traffic problems at traffic light controlled pinch points in Baldock and residents will drive through Baldock as a short cut.
Increased traffic will adversely affect air quality.
Proposed development is on large area of higher ground that the town centre and this area acts as a large natural soak away for water. After roads have been laid and buildings have been erected this development will simply funnel rainwater to lower lying ground and increase risk of flooding in Baldock town, particularly areas such as Whitehorse Street.

The plan does not define the type of business or employment that the proposed site will support and this opens the possibility of activities and higher private and commercial traffic volume that will be detrimental to Baldock town. Some heavy commercial traffic already uses the town, not the present bypass and there seems to be no way of regulating this. Additional traffic will adversely affect air quality in the town. Additional traffic will exacerbate jams that already occur at peak times at pinch point road junctions. This development may also increase flood risk in Baldock.