Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I have reviewed the 2016 NHDC proposals for developing CODICOTE.

It is my opinion that many of the issues raised in connection with the 2014 plan have not been addressed properly and, in fact, have been trivialised!

To my mind the major issue for the future well-being of CODICOTE relates to the inevitable, huge increase in road traffic flow and parking. The NHDC seems to consider this a minor inconvenience!

I have lived in CODICOTE for 3 years and my own experience tells me that the traffic flow and parking on the B656 has increased considerably in that time and, as a result, the traffic comes to a standstill most weekday mornings and evenings. It is not difficult to deduce that the extra traffic associated with the proposed increased population of the village AND the effect of other local development proposals AND the natural traffic increase due to enhanced use of the A1(M) in the WELWYN area, will have a profound detrimental effect on the CODICOTE environment and the daily lives of current and future residents.

I am not against a reasonable population increase for CODICOTE and believe the development of housing on the garden centre site (CD2) could be an appropriate use for a previously designated green field site.

The other nominated sites are not minor infills but gross abuses on the green field concept.

Generally, I find the NHDC plan to be unsound and has the potential to create tomorrow's slums and, above all disregards the will of the local people!