Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I am writing to object to the proposal to build 150 houses in Barkway, North Herts.

I am a resident in the next village, Barley and object to the proposal for the following reasons:

1.There is already traffic issues at the A505 junction at Flint Cross with the B1368. It's so difficult to pull out onto the A505 in rush hour that the queue of cars build up to exert that it can take half an hour to get out of the road. This is the main way out through to Cambridge and the M11. Cars from another 150 houses without any consideration for how this commuter exit would be managed will make an already dangerous junction even more dangerous, as frustrated drivers make bad decisions to try and get out to this incredibly busy road. There are no significant employment opportunities in the village therefore everyone will have to commute to work and bus routes are so poor that the chances of this not being by car are remote. It's a fair assumption that we will see well over 200 additional cars on the road and given the size of the village now, that is an incredibly significant number. Then add the additional traffic that will run upland down the B1368 through all the villages that already have speeding issues and it's difficult to see how this won't make the villages significantly more dangerous for all our children to cross.
2.The number of houses is complete disproportionate to the size of both Barkway Village and it's neighbouring village, Barley. Barley is home to the doctors surgery that services the surrounding villages and it's already over flowing with inadequate parking. It simply cannot cope with patients from another 140 houses. In auditor the current parking situation around our local shop, the nearest to Barkway village and the proposed new site, is already difficult and the additional traffic up and down Church End in Barley would be a nightmare for everyone. In addition to this, the preschool and 2 x First Schools offered by both Barley and Barkway simply couldn't cope with the additional numbers. They would go from being under subscribed to being so ridiculously over subscribed that they would be bursting at the seems and turning children away. I can't understand how this size of development could be considered in such a small area without thought to whether the local amenities can support such development.
3. The new houses are intended to be built on green belt land - beautiful countryside that will be trashed to build houses in an area that doesn't even have the infrastructure or amenities to support it. This is a historic village and a development of new houses of this size will completely change the character of the village.

I look forward to the outcome of the plan consultation and sincerely hope that common sense will prevail on this occasion.