Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I strongly object to the outline North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011- 2031 especially the sites EL1, EL2 and EL3 which affect the areas of Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green, Tea Green, Copthorne, Rochford Drive, Putteridgebury, Wandon End, Wigmore and Brick kiln Lane, for the following reasons: Please tick all of the issues that concern you (all if necessary!) .The 'New Neighbourhood Planning Infrastructure Bill 2016' states that it supports the Government's ambition to deliver one million new homes, whilst protecting those areas that are valued most, including the Green Belt. This area is Green Belt and the application does not meet the 'Very Special Circumstances' required to build on it as stated in paragraph 80 and 83 of the National Planning Framework and also the House of Commons briefing note on Green Belt. The Green Belt boundaries should not be amended in response to individual planning applications (The National Planning Policy Framework, Paragraph 83).

There are 205 dwellings in Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green and Tea Green currently. An additional 2100 dwellings will be an increase of 1124%. This development is completely out of proportion to all other developments in the district - these villages and communities will cease to exist.

1.Of these additional dwellings 150 are for North Herts, the remaining 1950 are to meet Luton's supposed unmet needs, a number which hasn't been qualified when challenged.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: Crawley Green Road and Eaton Green Road are backing up over 750 metres at their junctions with Airport Way during the rush hour, without the addition of a further 5000+ vehicles. The roads through the airport are often gridlocked and with the growth of passengers at Luton Airport, currently 12.75 million (2015) with a projected increase year on year to 22 million by 2030 this is set to worsen. Stockingstone and A505 suffer equally.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: The traffic Survey carried in 2015 was not done to industry standards i.e. for a month and also the results of this survey showed a negligible or nil effect on local congestion when the results, and thus the underpinning of the proposal, were based on a road that doesn't exist, hasn't been proposed and has been stated by the council that there is no money to develop.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: In the shorter term, the projected airport development/business park/light industry, will attract a further 7,000 employees (ref. LBC). The roads cannot cope with this increase in vehicles.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: The two country lanes with insufficient passing places which lead out of the site into North Herts are already being used as dangerous rat-runs. This will increase as residents seek to access the M1 via Lilley Bottom and Lilley, and seek to access Hitchin/Stevenage through Offley.

2.The paths and woodlands are used by villagers and people from neighbouring Luton as a leisure area for walking/running/cycling. These will be destroyed despite the national push to encourage people to keep fit.

3.In the presentation of the local plan Councillor Levitt stated that "the development plays a key role in supporting the growth of our economy planning for the right type and number of homes, in the right place to create sustainable communities" How can a development only linking north Herts by two single track lanes be considered as a sustainable community?

4.There is sufficient brown field land in Luton to accommodate 'Luton's Unmet Need' at the same housing density as this proposed development.

5.Teeming wildlife, owl, bats, deer, etc., will be displaced. Wildlife corridors are no substitute

In addition to the above the reason I feel most strongly that this development should not go ahead is -
I have lived in this area for 25 years. I can confirm without a doubt, that the increase in traffic from any of the proposed development sites will be a nightmare.
Already, the Lilley Bottom Road which will take the brunt of this new development, is a rat run due to increase in traffic generally, and those who seek a 'short cut' from the A1 at Hitchin or Welwyn to get to the north side of Luton or to the M1 or airport. Modern sat nav technology, encourages those who would not normally dream of taking back routes, to slavishly follow it. Lilley Bottom is single track along the largest percentage of its length. It is narrow and dangerous. Existing users who use it at rush hour being mostly town dwellers, drive it at ridiculous speed and recklessly. The volume of traffic destroys the roads and the banks are being eroded at an alarming rate and the damage is cheaply patched only to appear again in a matter of weeks. The devastation to wildlife can be seen at any time as a result of traffic. Corpses of game birds, rabbits and hares are all too often littered along its length. To add to the smaller birds and mammals, there are significant herds (20 -30 animals) of fallow and roe deer, muntjac and badgers. All have been killed on the Lilley Bottom and the roads that lead to and from it. When the Lilley Bottom becomes congested, then people will rat run through the small villages and destroy their quality of life. All roads surrounding this development are single track. Take it please from someone who lives here and has watched this problem get worse over the years. What you propose is going to cause so many problems. And we have not even touched on the demands on local infrastructure and education and health!
Aside from the local roads, the volume of traffic around East of Luton is already too much for the existing infrastructure. It is absolutely atrocious. And you want to add more?!
The airport development blunders on with the threat of more traffic and pollution to add to the already chaotic situation. Further there is the new massive development started on the old Vauxhall passenger car plant for new homes and businesses plus a retail park.
Aside from the traffic generated post development, what about the construction traffic? Inevitably that traffic will end up on the rural roads when other routes are blocked. Sub contractors invariably are working to a time schedule for deliveries with penalties and will think nothing of ignoring the fact they should obey the signs that say no construction traffic.
In a word, the proposals are pure MADNESS! And the loss of Green Belt a tragedy and will set a precedent. Please drop this now.

I strongly object to the outline North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011- 2031 especially the sites EL1, EL2 and EL3 which affect the areas of Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green, Tea Green, Copthorne, Rochford Drive, Putteridgebury, Wandon End, Wigmore and Brick kiln Lane, for the following reasons: Please tick all of the issues that concern you (all if necessary!) .The 'New Neighbourhood Planning Infrastructure Bill 2016' states that it supports the Government's ambition to deliver one million new homes, whilst protecting those areas that are valued most, including the Green Belt. This area is Green Belt and the application does not meet the 'Very Special Circumstances' required to build on it as stated in paragraph 80 and 83 of the National Planning Framework and also the House of Commons briefing note on Green Belt. The Green Belt boundaries should not be amended in response to individual planning applications (The National Planning Policy Framework, Paragraph 83).

There are 205 dwellings in Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green and Tea Green currently. An additional 2100 dwellings will be an increase of 1124%. This development is completely out of proportion to all other developments in the district - these villages and communities will cease to exist.

1.Of these additional dwellings 150 are for North Herts, the remaining 1950 are to meet Luton's supposed unmet needs, a number which hasn't been qualified when challenged.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: Crawley Green Road and Eaton Green Road are backing up over 750 metres at their junctions with Airport Way during the rush hour, without the addition of a further 5000+ vehicles. The roads through the airport are often gridlocked and with the growth of passengers at Luton Airport, currently 12.75 million (2015) with a projected increase year on year to 22 million by 2030 this is set to worsen. Stockingstone and A505 suffer equally.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: The traffic Survey carried in 2015 was not done to industry standards i.e. for a month and also the results of this survey showed a negligible or nil effect on local congestion when the results, and thus the underpinning of the proposal, were based on a road that doesn't exist, hasn't been proposed and has been stated by the council that there is no money to develop.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: In the shorter term, the projected airport development/business park/light industry, will attract a further 7,000 employees (ref. LBC). The roads cannot cope with this increase in vehicles.

There is no planned improvement to the already stretched roads/infrastructure: The two country lanes with insufficient passing places which lead out of the site into North Herts are already being used as dangerous rat-runs. This will increase as residents seek to access the M1 via Lilley Bottom and Lilley, and seek to access Hitchin/Stevenage through Offley.

2.The paths and woodlands are used by villagers and people from neighbouring Luton as a leisure area for walking/running/cycling. These will be destroyed despite the national push to encourage people to keep fit.

3.In the presentation of the local plan Councillor Levitt stated that "the development plays a key role in supporting the growth of our economy planning for the right type and number of homes, in the right place to create sustainable communities" How can a development only linking north Herts by two single track lanes be considered as a sustainable community?

4.There is sufficient brown field land in Luton to accommodate 'Luton's Unmet Need' at the same housing density as this proposed development.

5.Teeming wildlife, owl, bats, deer, etc., will be displaced. Wildlife corridors are no substitute

In addition to the above the reason I feel most strongly that this development should not go ahead is -
I have lived in this area for 25 years. I can confirm without a doubt, that the increase in traffic from any of the proposed development sites will be a nightmare.
Already, the Lilley Bottom Road which will take the brunt of this new development, is a rat run due to increase in traffic generally, and those who seek a 'short cut' from the A1 at Hitchin or Welwyn to get to the north side of Luton or to the M1 or airport. Modern sat nav technology, encourages those who would not normally dream of taking back routes, to slavishly follow it. Lilley Bottom is single track along the largest percentage of its length. It is narrow and dangerous. Existing users who use it at rush hour being mostly town dwellers, drive it at ridiculous speed and recklessly. The volume of traffic destroys the roads and the banks are being eroded at an alarming rate and the damage is cheaply patched only to appear again in a matter of weeks. The devastation to wildlife can be seen at any time as a result of traffic. Corpses of game birds, rabbits and hares are all too often littered along its length. To add to the smaller birds and mammals, there are significant herds (20 -30 animals) of fallow and roe deer, muntjac and badgers. All have been killed on the Lilley Bottom and the roads that lead to and from it. When the Lilley Bottom becomes congested, then people will rat run through the small villages and destroy their quality of life. All roads surrounding this development are single track. Take it please from someone who lives here and has watched this problem get worse over the years. What you propose is going to cause so many problems. And we have not even touched on the demands on local infrastructure and education and health!
Aside from the local roads, the volume of traffic around East of Luton is already too much for the existing infrastructure. It is absolutely atrocious. And you want to add more?!
The airport development blunders on with the threat of more traffic and pollution to add to the already chaotic situation. Further there is the new massive development started on the old Vauxhall passenger car plant for new homes and businesses plus a retail park.
Aside from the traffic generated post development, what about the construction traffic? Inevitably that traffic will end up on the rural roads when other routes are blocked. Sub contractors invariably are working to a time schedule for deliveries with penalties and will think nothing of ignoring the fact they should obey the signs that say no construction traffic.
In a word, the proposals are pure MADNESS! And the loss of Green Belt a tragedy and will set a precedent. Please drop this now.