Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I strongly object to the above document, especially the sites EL1, EL2 and EL3 which affect the settlements of Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green and Tea Green, Copthorne, Rochford Drive, Putteridgebury, Wanden End, Wigmore and Brick Kiln Lane. The following are my reasons.

The 'New Neighbourhood Planning Infrastructure Bill 2016' states that it supports the Government's ambition to deliver one million new homes, while protecting those area that are valued most, including the Green Belts. This area is Green Belt and the applications do not meet the 'Very Special Circumstances' required to build on as stated in Paragraphs 80 and 83 of the National Plannning Framework and also the House of Commons briefing note on the Green Belt. 'The Green Belt boundaries should not be amended in response to individual planning applications on Green Belt'. (para 83). Luton's unmet need does not class as an exceptional circumstance, nor will the unmet need outweigh the harm to the Green Belt. The land under this section of Green Belt is an important recreational area, and vital to a wide range of wildlife. By its own admission Luton has sufficient Brown field sites within its boundaries to meet its need. Therefore would development only be permitted in this area if Luton could make an exceptional case for it being the only possible area to meet its unmet needs??

The removal of the Green Belt will leave this land unprotected and open to the applications from developers. There are at present 205 dwellings in the 3 settlements covered by this area. The land is presently being sought by developers for building 2100 dwellings of which only 150 are for North Herts. use, the remaining 1950 are for Luton's unmet needs. The three existing settlements will be entirely swamped by this level of development and are bound to lose their sense of identity and individuality.

Such a development does not seem to have been adequately researched. Schooling, medical, social and emergency service provision have so far not been fully explained, and there is no provision for extra transport infrastructure to cope with the proposed development. Towards Hitchin there are only 2 narrow roads with passing places, and towards Luton there are roads which already have severe queues at junctions leading to the town centre, Vauxhalls and the motorway. Add to this the extra traffic generation through the development of the airport (an extra 9.25 million passengers by 2030), new business areas planned to the east of the airport, the developments on the Vauxhall site and traffic congestion continues to grow before this new development from North Herts sends extra cars towards the town and motorway. Luton is expecting an extra spine road to be built to the A505 at Lilley. In the North Herts report Page 72 para 4.222 it states that 'this development could not be accommodated without a significant adverse impact on the wider highway networks of Luton and Hertfordshire' - including access into and through Hitchin.

I trust these points will be taken into consideration. I want to participate in the Examination Stages for the NHDC Local Plan 2011 - 2030 and wish to see changes made to parts of the Plan.