Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

RE: North Herts Local Plan Site CD3 - I do not want to take part in the oral examination and do wish to be notified when the plan is submitted

I am writing to oppose the housing developments in Codicote, in particular the site at CD3 Land North of The Close.
The charm of Codicote is that it is an ancient village, where the residents, in the main, know each other. The proposed development is going towards turning it into a small town, thus completely ruining it's character forever.
I stated my objections during the last round of consultation and wish to restate them here. In the first instance I would like to ask why the idea of creating a new Garden City has not been further explored in this consultation. This would provide the housing that the plan seems to suggest is needed. It would then be possible to provide the infrastructure that the current plans are sadly lacking in. This would make use of the areas of disused land.
In particular I would like to ask how you plan to overcome the following problems which will inevitably arise from the building of further housing in Codicote.
1. Transport and travel
There is currently no train station and a limited bus service. This already causes problems for residents attempting to get to local doctors, hospitals and to shops. This results in people further taking to their cars, creating yet more congestion within the village. The High Street is the main access for many to reach the A1M, both from Codicote itself and surrounding villages and this is already an extremely congested area with rush hours causing long delays. The added traffic from the new Clock development has already added to this congestion at the A1 roundabout. This along with the added strain of Quarry traffic will make this road dangerous and difficult to park on, therefore reducing the number of people using the local businesses The building of houses in Codicote, Kimpton and Old Welwyn will only add further pressure to this already busy, congested and often dangerous road. An increase in traffic will surely be in contravention of Design Policy D3 Protecting living conditions, in the Local Plan.
There are an additional 315 new houses planned for Codicote, The average number of cars per household in rural villages is 1.77 (source: Department of Transport National Travel Survey). That equates to nearly 560 additional cars in the village. The Local Plan (paragraph 13.82) states: "Sites in Codicote will need to ensure that any transport assessments appropriately take these issues into account and contribute reasonably to any necessary mitigation measures which may seek to address these issues." Given that currently approximately 75% of the residents travel out of the village for work and that this will also be the case for residents in new developments; how could any mitigation measures possibly address these issues to any degree of satisfaction, this surely fails one of the key criteria of the plan - that it be 'justified'.
In particular site CD3 will involve traffic from all 48 houses exiting along an already congested and poorly unkept residential road, Valley Road, exiting the village either through the already busy high street or the again poorly kept lanes leading to Stevenage. I would like to ask how this can be an option which your surveys and investigations found to be preferable to a site where access is via a main road.
Section 4 of NPPF paragraph 34 dictates that Local Plans should prioritise developments in areas where journey times and distances are minimised, where good public transport links exist and where sustainable transport (walking, cycling) can be maximised. Codicote is not such an area and the plan on this count fails the sustainability test.
2. Schools and Education
The local primary school is a successful and outstanding school. It is ideal as a village school for village residents, if the plans to extend the school go ahead then this will change the character and nature of the school completely.
I would like you to tell me your plans for where these children will attend secondary school when schools in nearby Stevenage are already closing. Also to how you see the increase in transportation of these children being achieved without creating more congestion and traffic in our village.
3. Doctors' Surgeries.
Codicote does not have it's own doctors' surgery at present, this means that residents have to travel to outlying villages and make use of the already busy surgeries there. I would like to hear from you how you plan to address this within your current plan of building 315 new houses. How does your plan demonstrate that the infrastructure to accommodate this is present.
4. Green belt land.
Codicote is within the boundaries of the Green Belt area, and subject to it's protections. It protects the boundaries between the villages and provides opportunities for access to open countryside, the ability to see wildlife flourish and get the exercise that the government promotes as so vital to the health and wellbeing of residents. Building on the sites such as CD3 will be a misuse of green belt land and adversely affect those living here.
5. Flood risk
The area adjacent to site CD3 had in the past been vulnerable to flooding. The reduction in open countryside, the addition of further Tarmac and concrete non porous surfaces all built on a steep slope leading down to The Paddocks and Valley Road will surely increase this flood risk to unacceptable levels. Currently my own property is up to 8 inches deep in water in heavy rains with water running down from the higher land at the front of the house and and the back where the proposed housing would be on site CD3, this will only get worse if houses and building goes ahead on this site. I would like to know how you propose to prevent this in your plans.

In conclusion village life is about ' achieving sustainable development which means ensuring that better lives for ourselves don't mean worse lives for future generations' Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister for Planning - National Planning Policy Framework 2012.
'Adding new developments of homes on the edge of villages... Is hugely damaging to the immense strain on public services in the Villages' As stated by Stephen McPartland MP Stevenage. I strongly oppose the plans for Codicote and in particular CD3 for the reasons that I have stated above. Again I ask why the apparent need for housing stated in your proposal is not being covered by the creation of a new Garden City.

RE: North Herts Local Plan Site CD3 - I do not want to take part in the oral examination and do wish to be notified when the plan is submitted

I am writing to oppose the housing developments in Codicote, in particular the site at CD3 Land North of The Close.
The charm of Codicote is that it is an ancient village, where the residents, in the main, know each other. The proposed development is going towards turning it into a small town, thus completely ruining it's character forever.
I stated my objections during the last round of consultation and wish to restate them here. In the first instance I would like to ask why the idea of creating a new Garden City has not been further explored in this consultation. This would provide the housing that the plan seems to suggest is needed. It would then be possible to provide the infrastructure that the current plans are sadly lacking in. This would make use of the areas of disused land.
In particular I would like to ask how you plan to overcome the following problems which will inevitably arise from the building of further housing in Codicote.
1. Transport and travel
There is currently no train station and a limited bus service. This already causes problems for residents attempting to get to local doctors, hospitals and to shops. This results in people further taking to their cars, creating yet more congestion within the village. The High Street is the main access for many to reach the A1M, both from Codicote itself and surrounding villages and this is already an extremely congested area with rush hours causing long delays. The added traffic from the new Clock development has already added to this congestion at the A1 roundabout. This along with the added strain of Quarry traffic will make this road dangerous and difficult to park on, therefore reducing the number of people using the local businesses The building of houses in Codicote, Kimpton and Old Welwyn will only add further pressure to this already busy, congested and often dangerous road. An increase in traffic will surely be in contravention of Design Policy D3 Protecting living conditions, in the Local Plan.
There are an additional 315 new houses planned for Codicote, The average number of cars per household in rural villages is 1.77 (source: Department of Transport National Travel Survey). That equates to nearly 560 additional cars in the village. The Local Plan (paragraph 13.82) states: "Sites in Codicote will need to ensure that any transport assessments appropriately take these issues into account and contribute reasonably to any necessary mitigation measures which may seek to address these issues." Given that currently approximately 75% of the residents travel out of the village for work and that this will also be the case for residents in new developments; how could any mitigation measures possibly address these issues to any degree of satisfaction, this surely fails one of the key criteria of the plan - that it be 'justified'.
In particular site CD3 will involve traffic from all 48 houses exiting along an already congested and poorly unkept residential road, Valley Road, exiting the village either through the already busy high street or the again poorly kept lanes leading to Stevenage. I would like to ask how this can be an option which your surveys and investigations found to be preferable to a site where access is via a main road.
Section 4 of NPPF paragraph 34 dictates that Local Plans should prioritise developments in areas where journey times and distances are minimised, where good public transport links exist and where sustainable transport (walking, cycling) can be maximised. Codicote is not such an area and the plan on this count fails the sustainability test.
2. Schools and Education
The local primary school is a successful and outstanding school. It is ideal as a village school for village residents, if the plans to extend the school go ahead then this will change the character and nature of the school completely.
I would like you to tell me your plans for where these children will attend secondary school when schools in nearby Stevenage are already closing. Also to how you see the increase in transportation of these children being achieved without creating more congestion and traffic in our village.
3. Doctors' Surgeries.
Codicote does not have it's own doctors' surgery at present, this means that residents have to travel to outlying villages and make use of the already busy surgeries there. I would like to hear from you how you plan to address this within your current plan of building 315 new houses. How does your plan demonstrate that the infrastructure to accommodate this is present.
4. Green belt land.
Codicote is within the boundaries of the Green Belt area, and subject to it's protections. It protects the boundaries between the villages and provides opportunities for access to open countryside, the ability to see wildlife flourish and get the exercise that the government promotes as so vital to the health and wellbeing of residents. Building on the sites such as CD3 will be a misuse of green belt land and adversely affect those living here.
5. Flood risk
The area adjacent to site CD3 had in the past been vulnerable to flooding. The reduction in open countryside, the addition of further Tarmac and concrete non porous surfaces all built on a steep slope leading down to The Paddocks and Valley Road will surely increase this flood risk to unacceptable levels. Currently my own property is up to 8 inches deep in water in heavy rains with water running down from the higher land at the front of the house and and the back where the proposed housing would be on site CD3, this will only get worse if houses and building goes ahead on this site. I would like to know how you propose to prevent this in your plans.

In conclusion village life is about ' achieving sustainable development which means ensuring that better lives for ourselves don't mean worse lives for future generations' Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister for Planning - National Planning Policy Framework 2012.
'Adding new developments of homes on the edge of villages... Is hugely damaging to the immense strain on public services in the Villages' As stated by Stephen McPartland MP Stevenage. I strongly oppose the plans for Codicote and in particular CD3 for the reasons that I have stated above. Again I ask why the apparent need for housing stated in your proposal is not being covered by the creation of a new Garden City.

RE: North Herts Local Plan Site CD3 - I do not want to take part in the oral examination and do wish to be notified when the plan is submitted

I am writing to oppose the housing developments in Codicote, in particular the site at CD3 Land North of The Close.
The charm of Codicote is that it is an ancient village, where the residents, in the main, know each other. The proposed development is going towards turning it into a small town, thus completely ruining it's character forever.
I stated my objections during the last round of consultation and wish to restate them here. In the first instance I would like to ask why the idea of creating a new Garden City has not been further explored in this consultation. This would provide the housing that the plan seems to suggest is needed. It would then be possible to provide the infrastructure that the current plans are sadly lacking in. This would make use of the areas of disused land.
In particular I would like to ask how you plan to overcome the following problems which will inevitably arise from the building of further housing in Codicote.
1. Transport and travel
There is currently no train station and a limited bus service. This already causes problems for residents attempting to get to local doctors, hospitals and to shops. This results in people further taking to their cars, creating yet more congestion within the village. The High Street is the main access for many to reach the A1M, both from Codicote itself and surrounding villages and this is already an extremely congested area with rush hours causing long delays. The added traffic from the new Clock development has already added to this congestion at the A1 roundabout. This along with the added strain of Quarry traffic will make this road dangerous and difficult to park on, therefore reducing the number of people using the local businesses The building of houses in Codicote, Kimpton and Old Welwyn will only add further pressure to this already busy, congested and often dangerous road. An increase in traffic will surely be in contravention of Design Policy D3 Protecting living conditions, in the Local Plan.
There are an additional 315 new houses planned for Codicote, The average number of cars per household in rural villages is 1.77 (source: Department of Transport National Travel Survey). That equates to nearly 560 additional cars in the village. The Local Plan (paragraph 13.82) states: "Sites in Codicote will need to ensure that any transport assessments appropriately take these issues into account and contribute reasonably to any necessary mitigation measures which may seek to address these issues." Given that currently approximately 75% of the residents travel out of the village for work and that this will also be the case for residents in new developments; how could any mitigation measures possibly address these issues to any degree of satisfaction, this surely fails one of the key criteria of the plan - that it be 'justified'.
In particular site CD3 will involve traffic from all 48 houses exiting along an already congested and poorly unkept residential road, Valley Road, exiting the village either through the already busy high street or the again poorly kept lanes leading to Stevenage. I would like to ask how this can be an option which your surveys and investigations found to be preferable to a site where access is via a main road.
Section 4 of NPPF paragraph 34 dictates that Local Plans should prioritise developments in areas where journey times and distances are minimised, where good public transport links exist and where sustainable transport (walking, cycling) can be maximised. Codicote is not such an area and the plan on this count fails the sustainability test.
2. Schools and Education
The local primary school is a successful and outstanding school. It is ideal as a village school for village residents, if the plans to extend the school go ahead then this will change the character and nature of the school completely.
I would like you to tell me your plans for where these children will attend secondary school when schools in nearby Stevenage are already closing. Also to how you see the increase in transportation of these children being achieved without creating more congestion and traffic in our village.
3. Doctors' Surgeries.
Codicote does not have it's own doctors' surgery at present, this means that residents have to travel to outlying villages and make use of the already busy surgeries there. I would like to hear from you how you plan to address this within your current plan of building 315 new houses. How does your plan demonstrate that the infrastructure to accommodate this is present.
4. Green belt land.
Codicote is within the boundaries of the Green Belt area, and subject to it's protections. It protects the boundaries between the villages and provides opportunities for access to open countryside, the ability to see wildlife flourish and get the exercise that the government promotes as so vital to the health and wellbeing of residents. Building on the sites such as CD3 will be a misuse of green belt land and adversely affect those living here.
5. Flood risk
The area adjacent to site CD3 had in the past been vulnerable to flooding. The reduction in open countryside, the addition of further Tarmac and concrete non porous surfaces all built on a steep slope leading down to The Paddocks and Valley Road will surely increase this flood risk to unacceptable levels. Currently my own property is up to 8 inches deep in water in heavy rains with water running down from the higher land at the front of the house and and the back where the proposed housing would be on site CD3, this will only get worse if houses and building goes ahead on this site. I would like to know how you propose to prevent this in your plans.

In conclusion village life is about ' achieving sustainable development which means ensuring that better lives for ourselves don't mean worse lives for future generations' Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister for Planning - National Planning Policy Framework 2012.
'Adding new developments of homes on the edge of villages... Is hugely damaging to the immense strain on public services in the Villages' As stated by Stephen McPartland MP Stevenage. I strongly oppose the plans for Codicote and in particular CD3 for the reasons that I have stated above. Again I ask why the apparent need for housing stated in your proposal is not being covered by the creation of a new Garden City.