Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Please see below my concerns with respect to your Local Plan 2011 - 2031 Proposed Submission Draft and in particular with regards to the village of Knebworth.

Re Section 2, 13, Communities, Knebworth:
Inadequate consideration has been applied with respect to selection of land for development in Knebworth in that:
1) It is predominantly land which is currently green belt and the use of green belt should only be considered in exceptional circumstances (as per your document). I have not seen any exceptional circumstances mentioned so struggle to understand why you are even thinking of requesting repurposing these plots of land.
2) Sites KB1 and KB2 are next to the A1M and with respect to this will have the problem of a) high noise and pollution levels next to residential properties b) no consideration of the pending widening of the A1M which is still on the plans for taking place c) extreme difficulty with large heavy construction vehicles attempting to access these sites and d) a school being developed next to the A1M on site KB2 which will cause safety concerns. Furthermore land which is currently under agricultural use which will be lost.
3) Site KB4 appears to be a very late addition to the plans and has accessibility issues for construction purposes and also will add a significant amount of traffic to roads which are narrow and already very busy. With Woolmer Green applying for turning green belt land (which is on the same side of the road as site KB4) into residential use then one sees the threat of land between the two sites being proposed for yet further development and with this the total loss of any separation with green land.
4) Site KB3 (centre of the village) appears to be predominantly for residential use. This means additional traffic and also pressure on local services (doctors, dentist...) and nothing in the plans that support bringing additional business development into Knebworth to help provide the opportunity of local employment to the increased population of people seeking employment.
5) The number of dwellings proposed has been increased from initial proposals and additionally no allowance/consideration has been taken into account with respect to land adjacent to the Odyssey Sports Club on which some 60+ residential properties have had planning approval? There is no justification for not including this development within the numbers for Knebworth.
6) Furthermore the repurposing of Green Belt land is contrary to Government policy and the proposed plans make no attempt to protect space between towns and villages in the area and this is significant to Knebworth in regard to Stevenage and Woolmer Green. Such plans, if approved, will erode the separate identity that Knebworth, as a village, has.

The addition of an excess of some 600+ residential properties in Knebworth has not really recognised the negative impact and issues which will arise:
1) The B197 was never built to accommodate such an increase in population and the village already suffers from significant traffic congestion and there is a shortfall in the centre of the village for parking for shoppers etc.
2) Areas of the village are difficult to access for large vehicles and there would be the necessity for such vehicles to attempt to gain access to planned sites and via one of the two railway bridges that exist and which are already danger points.
3) Lack of consideration for the local economy and nothing is proposed in respect to job creation or allocation of sites for commercial use. In fact the proposals show such land being removed with the planned development of site KB3.
4) Local NHS facilities will become more overstretched than they currently are - there is not even one full time NHS Dental provider in the village? Recognition needs to be given to the fact that Knebworth is a village and as such residents do need easy access to such NHS facilities - travelling to Stevenage , Welwyn Garden City or elsewhere is not going to be practical especially with Knebworth having an ageing population.
5) Building an additional, single form entry, junior school is neither cost effective from an operational perspective nor cost effective from a cost of build perspective. We currently have a very good two form entry Junior School in the village and this does operate cost effectively at present but with NHDC funding challenges it may well struggle in the not too distant future and especially with a second Junior School for NHDC to fund. I also understand that there are no monies available to fund the purchase of the land nor construction and setup of a new school and with this being the case one can only summise that the company that develop the facility on site KB2 will need to uplift the costs of each property that they develop and sell to cover such costs - something that I am sure they will not appreciate and especially with the cost of properties in Knebworth which are already at the higher end of the market. Unless there is a thoroughly considered and funded approach for this then it does not and will not stack up financially.
6) Additional traffic will occur, onto already highly used roads, by parents whose children attend school at the new site proposed in KB2. Such additional traffic will just add to the current overload and there are no alternative easy access points that would obviate such a position.
7) There does not appear to have been any consideration of the land that has already been secured and planning approved on the west of Stevenage. This site would provide for much more accommodation than Knebworth and other similar areas could provide and would also be able to provision commercial properties that would support and need additional employment which would be locally available.

Please see below my concerns with respect to your Local Plan 2011 - 2031 Proposed Submission Draft and in particular with regards to the village of Knebworth.

Re Section 2, 13, Communities, Knebworth:
Inadequate consideration has been applied with respect to selection of land for development in Knebworth in that:
1) It is predominantly land which is currently green belt and the use of green belt should only be considered in exceptional circumstances (as per your document). I have not seen any exceptional circumstances mentioned so struggle to understand why you are even thinking of requesting repurposing these plots of land.
2) Sites KB1 and KB2 are next to the A1M and with respect to this will have the problem of a) high noise and pollution levels next to residential properties b) no consideration of the pending widening of the A1M which is still on the plans for taking place c) extreme difficulty with large heavy construction vehicles attempting to access these sites and d) a school being developed next to the A1M on site KB2 which will cause safety concerns. Furthermore land which is currently under agricultural use which will be lost.
3) Site KB4 appears to be a very late addition to the plans and has accessibility issues for construction purposes and also will add a significant amount of traffic to roads which are narrow and already very busy. With Woolmer Green applying for turning green belt land (which is on the same side of the road as site KB4) into residential use then one sees the threat of land between the two sites being proposed for yet further development and with this the total loss of any separation with green land.
4) Site KB3 (centre of the village) appears to be predominantly for residential use. This means additional traffic and also pressure on local services (doctors, dentist...) and nothing in the plans that support bringing additional business development into Knebworth to help provide the opportunity of local employment to the increased population of people seeking employment.
5) The number of dwellings proposed has been increased from initial proposals and additionally no allowance/consideration has been taken into account with respect to land adjacent to the Odyssey Sports Club on which some 60+ residential properties have had planning approval? There is no justification for not including this development within the numbers for Knebworth.
6) Furthermore the repurposing of Green Belt land is contrary to Government policy and the proposed plans make no attempt to protect space between towns and villages in the area and this is significant to Knebworth in regard to Stevenage and Woolmer Green. Such plans, if approved, will erode the separate identity that Knebworth, as a village, has.

The addition of an excess of some 600+ residential properties in Knebworth has not really recognised the negative impact and issues which will arise:
1) The B197 was never built to accommodate such an increase in population and the village already suffers from significant traffic congestion and there is a shortfall in the centre of the village for parking for shoppers etc.
2) Areas of the village are difficult to access for large vehicles and there would be the necessity for such vehicles to attempt to gain access to planned sites and via one of the two railway bridges that exist and which are already danger points.
3) Lack of consideration for the local economy and nothing is proposed in respect to job creation or allocation of sites for commercial use. In fact the proposals show such land being removed with the planned development of site KB3.
4) Local NHS facilities will become more overstretched than they currently are - there is not even one full time NHS Dental provider in the village? Recognition needs to be given to the fact that Knebworth is a village and as such residents do need easy access to such NHS facilities - travelling to Stevenage , Welwyn Garden City or elsewhere is not going to be practical especially with Knebworth having an ageing population.
5) Building an additional, single form entry, junior school is neither cost effective from an operational perspective nor cost effective from a cost of build perspective. We currently have a very good two form entry Junior School in the village and this does operate cost effectively at present but with NHDC funding challenges it may well struggle in the not too distant future and especially with a second Junior School for NHDC to fund. I also understand that there are no monies available to fund the purchase of the land nor construction and setup of a new school and with this being the case one can only summise that the company that develop the facility on site KB2 will need to uplift the costs of each property that they develop and sell to cover such costs - something that I am sure they will not appreciate and especially with the cost of properties in Knebworth which are already at the higher end of the market. Unless there is a thoroughly considered and funded approach for this then it does not and will not stack up financially.
6) Additional traffic will occur, onto already highly used roads, by parents whose children attend school at the new site proposed in KB2. Such additional traffic will just add to the current overload and there are no alternative easy access points that would obviate such a position.
7) There does not appear to have been any consideration of the land that has already been secured and planning approved on the west of Stevenage. This site would provide for much more accommodation than Knebworth and other similar areas could provide and would also be able to provision commercial properties that would support and need additional employment which would be locally available.

Please see below my concerns with respect to your Local Plan 2011 - 2031 Proposed Submission Draft and in particular with regards to the village of Knebworth.

Re Section 2, 13, Communities, Knebworth:
Inadequate consideration has been applied with respect to selection of land for development in Knebworth in that:
1) It is predominantly land which is currently green belt and the use of green belt should only be considered in exceptional circumstances (as per your document). I have not seen any exceptional circumstances mentioned so struggle to understand why you are even thinking of requesting repurposing these plots of land.
2) Sites KB1 and KB2 are next to the A1M and with respect to this will have the problem of a) high noise and pollution levels next to residential properties b) no consideration of the pending widening of the A1M which is still on the plans for taking place c) extreme difficulty with large heavy construction vehicles attempting to access these sites and d) a school being developed next to the A1M on site KB2 which will cause safety concerns. Furthermore land which is currently under agricultural use which will be lost.
3) Site KB4 appears to be a very late addition to the plans and has accessibility issues for construction purposes and also will add a significant amount of traffic to roads which are narrow and already very busy. With Woolmer Green applying for turning green belt land (which is on the same side of the road as site KB4) into residential use then one sees the threat of land between the two sites being proposed for yet further development and with this the total loss of any separation with green land.
4) Site KB3 (centre of the village) appears to be predominantly for residential use. This means additional traffic and also pressure on local services (doctors, dentist...) and nothing in the plans that support bringing additional business development into Knebworth to help provide the opportunity of local employment to the increased population of people seeking employment.
5) The number of dwellings proposed has been increased from initial proposals and additionally no allowance/consideration has been taken into account with respect to land adjacent to the Odyssey Sports Club on which some 60+ residential properties have had planning approval? There is no justification for not including this development within the numbers for Knebworth.
6) Furthermore the repurposing of Green Belt land is contrary to Government policy and the proposed plans make no attempt to protect space between towns and villages in the area and this is significant to Knebworth in regard to Stevenage and Woolmer Green. Such plans, if approved, will erode the separate identity that Knebworth, as a village, has.

The addition of an excess of some 600+ residential properties in Knebworth has not really recognised the negative impact and issues which will arise:
1) The B197 was never built to accommodate such an increase in population and the village already suffers from significant traffic congestion and there is a shortfall in the centre of the village for parking for shoppers etc.
2) Areas of the village are difficult to access for large vehicles and there would be the necessity for such vehicles to attempt to gain access to planned sites and via one of the two railway bridges that exist and which are already danger points.
3) Lack of consideration for the local economy and nothing is proposed in respect to job creation or allocation of sites for commercial use. In fact the proposals show such land being removed with the planned development of site KB3.
4) Local NHS facilities will become more overstretched than they currently are - there is not even one full time NHS Dental provider in the village? Recognition needs to be given to the fact that Knebworth is a village and as such residents do need easy access to such NHS facilities - travelling to Stevenage , Welwyn Garden City or elsewhere is not going to be practical especially with Knebworth having an ageing population.
5) Building an additional, single form entry, junior school is neither cost effective from an operational perspective nor cost effective from a cost of build perspective. We currently have a very good two form entry Junior School in the village and this does operate cost effectively at present but with NHDC funding challenges it may well struggle in the not too distant future and especially with a second Junior School for NHDC to fund. I also understand that there are no monies available to fund the purchase of the land nor construction and setup of a new school and with this being the case one can only summise that the company that develop the facility on site KB2 will need to uplift the costs of each property that they develop and sell to cover such costs - something that I am sure they will not appreciate and especially with the cost of properties in Knebworth which are already at the higher end of the market. Unless there is a thoroughly considered and funded approach for this then it does not and will not stack up financially.
6) Additional traffic will occur, onto already highly used roads, by parents whose children attend school at the new site proposed in KB2. Such additional traffic will just add to the current overload and there are no alternative easy access points that would obviate such a position.
7) There does not appear to have been any consideration of the land that has already been secured and planning approved on the west of Stevenage. This site would provide for much more accommodation than Knebworth and other similar areas could provide and would also be able to provision commercial properties that would support and need additional employment which would be locally available.

Please see below my concerns with respect to your Local Plan 2011 - 2031 Proposed Submission Draft and in particular with regards to the village of Knebworth.

Re Section 2, 13, Communities, Knebworth:
Inadequate consideration has been applied with respect to selection of land for development in Knebworth in that:
1) It is predominantly land which is currently green belt and the use of green belt should only be considered in exceptional circumstances (as per your document). I have not seen any exceptional circumstances mentioned so struggle to understand why you are even thinking of requesting repurposing these plots of land.
2) Sites KB1 and KB2 are next to the A1M and with respect to this will have the problem of a) high noise and pollution levels next to residential properties b) no consideration of the pending widening of the A1M which is still on the plans for taking place c) extreme difficulty with large heavy construction vehicles attempting to access these sites and d) a school being developed next to the A1M on site KB2 which will cause safety concerns. Furthermore land which is currently under agricultural use which will be lost.
3) Site KB4 appears to be a very late addition to the plans and has accessibility issues for construction purposes and also will add a significant amount of traffic to roads which are narrow and already very busy. With Woolmer Green applying for turning green belt land (which is on the same side of the road as site KB4) into residential use then one sees the threat of land between the two sites being proposed for yet further development and with this the total loss of any separation with green land.
4) Site KB3 (centre of the village) appears to be predominantly for residential use. This means additional traffic and also pressure on local services (doctors, dentist...) and nothing in the plans that support bringing additional business development into Knebworth to help provide the opportunity of local employment to the increased population of people seeking employment.
5) The number of dwellings proposed has been increased from initial proposals and additionally no allowance/consideration has been taken into account with respect to land adjacent to the Odyssey Sports Club on which some 60+ residential properties have had planning approval? There is no justification for not including this development within the numbers for Knebworth.
6) Furthermore the repurposing of Green Belt land is contrary to Government policy and the proposed plans make no attempt to protect space between towns and villages in the area and this is significant to Knebworth in regard to Stevenage and Woolmer Green. Such plans, if approved, will erode the separate identity that Knebworth, as a village, has.

The addition of an excess of some 600+ residential properties in Knebworth has not really recognised the negative impact and issues which will arise:
1) The B197 was never built to accommodate such an increase in population and the village already suffers from significant traffic congestion and there is a shortfall in the centre of the village for parking for shoppers etc.
2) Areas of the village are difficult to access for large vehicles and there would be the necessity for such vehicles to attempt to gain access to planned sites and via one of the two railway bridges that exist and which are already danger points.
3) Lack of consideration for the local economy and nothing is proposed in respect to job creation or allocation of sites for commercial use. In fact the proposals show such land being removed with the planned development of site KB3.
4) Local NHS facilities will become more overstretched than they currently are - there is not even one full time NHS Dental provider in the village? Recognition needs to be given to the fact that Knebworth is a village and as such residents do need easy access to such NHS facilities - travelling to Stevenage , Welwyn Garden City or elsewhere is not going to be practical especially with Knebworth having an ageing population.
5) Building an additional, single form entry, junior school is neither cost effective from an operational perspective nor cost effective from a cost of build perspective. We currently have a very good two form entry Junior School in the village and this does operate cost effectively at present but with NHDC funding challenges it may well struggle in the not too distant future and especially with a second Junior School for NHDC to fund. I also understand that there are no monies available to fund the purchase of the land nor construction and setup of a new school and with this being the case one can only summise that the company that develop the facility on site KB2 will need to uplift the costs of each property that they develop and sell to cover such costs - something that I am sure they will not appreciate and especially with the cost of properties in Knebworth which are already at the higher end of the market. Unless there is a thoroughly considered and funded approach for this then it does not and will not stack up financially.
6) Additional traffic will occur, onto already highly used roads, by parents whose children attend school at the new site proposed in KB2. Such additional traffic will just add to the current overload and there are no alternative easy access points that would obviate such a position.
7) There does not appear to have been any consideration of the land that has already been secured and planning approved on the west of Stevenage. This site would provide for much more accommodation than Knebworth and other similar areas could provide and would also be able to provision commercial properties that would support and need additional employment which would be locally available.

Please see below my concerns with respect to your Local Plan 2011 - 2031 Proposed Submission Draft and in particular with regards to the village of Knebworth.

Re Section 2, 13, Communities, Knebworth:
Inadequate consideration has been applied with respect to selection of land for development in Knebworth in that:
1) It is predominantly land which is currently green belt and the use of green belt should only be considered in exceptional circumstances (as per your document). I have not seen any exceptional circumstances mentioned so struggle to understand why you are even thinking of requesting repurposing these plots of land.
2) Sites KB1 and KB2 are next to the A1M and with respect to this will have the problem of a) high noise and pollution levels next to residential properties b) no consideration of the pending widening of the A1M which is still on the plans for taking place c) extreme difficulty with large heavy construction vehicles attempting to access these sites and d) a school being developed next to the A1M on site KB2 which will cause safety concerns. Furthermore land which is currently under agricultural use which will be lost.
3) Site KB4 appears to be a very late addition to the plans and has accessibility issues for construction purposes and also will add a significant amount of traffic to roads which are narrow and already very busy. With Woolmer Green applying for turning green belt land (which is on the same side of the road as site KB4) into residential use then one sees the threat of land between the two sites being proposed for yet further development and with this the total loss of any separation with green land.
4) Site KB3 (centre of the village) appears to be predominantly for residential use. This means additional traffic and also pressure on local services (doctors, dentist...) and nothing in the plans that support bringing additional business development into Knebworth to help provide the opportunity of local employment to the increased population of people seeking employment.
5) The number of dwellings proposed has been increased from initial proposals and additionally no allowance/consideration has been taken into account with respect to land adjacent to the Odyssey Sports Club on which some 60+ residential properties have had planning approval? There is no justification for not including this development within the numbers for Knebworth.
6) Furthermore the repurposing of Green Belt land is contrary to Government policy and the proposed plans make no attempt to protect space between towns and villages in the area and this is significant to Knebworth in regard to Stevenage and Woolmer Green. Such plans, if approved, will erode the separate identity that Knebworth, as a village, has.

The addition of an excess of some 600+ residential properties in Knebworth has not really recognised the negative impact and issues which will arise:
1) The B197 was never built to accommodate such an increase in population and the village already suffers from significant traffic congestion and there is a shortfall in the centre of the village for parking for shoppers etc.
2) Areas of the village are difficult to access for large vehicles and there would be the necessity for such vehicles to attempt to gain access to planned sites and via one of the two railway bridges that exist and which are already danger points.
3) Lack of consideration for the local economy and nothing is proposed in respect to job creation or allocation of sites for commercial use. In fact the proposals show such land being removed with the planned development of site KB3.
4) Local NHS facilities will become more overstretched than they currently are - there is not even one full time NHS Dental provider in the village? Recognition needs to be given to the fact that Knebworth is a village and as such residents do need easy access to such NHS facilities - travelling to Stevenage , Welwyn Garden City or elsewhere is not going to be practical especially with Knebworth having an ageing population.
5) Building an additional, single form entry, junior school is neither cost effective from an operational perspective nor cost effective from a cost of build perspective. We currently have a very good two form entry Junior School in the village and this does operate cost effectively at present but with NHDC funding challenges it may well struggle in the not too distant future and especially with a second Junior School for NHDC to fund. I also understand that there are no monies available to fund the purchase of the land nor construction and setup of a new school and with this being the case one can only summise that the company that develop the facility on site KB2 will need to uplift the costs of each property that they develop and sell to cover such costs - something that I am sure they will not appreciate and especially with the cost of properties in Knebworth which are already at the higher end of the market. Unless there is a thoroughly considered and funded approach for this then it does not and will not stack up financially.
6) Additional traffic will occur, onto already highly used roads, by parents whose children attend school at the new site proposed in KB2. Such additional traffic will just add to the current overload and there are no alternative easy access points that would obviate such a position.
7) There does not appear to have been any consideration of the land that has already been secured and planning approved on the west of Stevenage. This site would provide for much more accommodation than Knebworth and other similar areas could provide and would also be able to provision commercial properties that would support and need additional employment which would be locally available.