Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I am writing in response to the local plan intended for Knebworth and thought you should know a brief history of the village.

New Knebworth as it is known was developed in the late 1800's due to the introduction of the railway, thanks to Lord Lytton. Knebworth had previously been an agricultural village for hundreds of years and it's nearness to London provided a ready market for produce. In 1881 Knebworth consisted of 30 dwellings which occupied 250 people, it took a further 20 years during the industrial revolution for the village to increase to 522 residents by 1901 and the number of dwellings to rise to 109.

This may be over a 50% increase of inhabitants but this was at a time when an average of two cars per house hold was non existant. And the viĺlage had far greater scope to grow, which brings me to my first concern, with the proposed increase of 663 dwellings and a national average of two cars per house hold which I'm sure will be on the rise over the future years, you are potentially adding to the village at least 1326 cars that will frequently be travelling through the roads of Knebworth, having lived in the village for 27 years I as well as others know many of the A and B roads surrounding this area would not be able to cope. You have another potential increase of 300 cars to the neighbouring village Woolmer Green (1mile south) with their proposed 150 dwellings.
I have not yet seen serious consideration regarding the plans for the infrastructure of the village with any solutions that settle villagers concerns, this leads me to another statistic with an average of 2.3 people per household (based on 2011) you are potentially bringing to the village a further 1525 people, such an increase using these roads will increase the risk accidents occuring. The railway bridges that impose 2 regularly used roads (Park Lane & Gun Road)will be used by the KB1 and KB2 sites into the village by children to get to school, there is single file traffic through these bridges and a two foot wide pathway on a single side of the road of which many people already have to walk on to road to allow people to pass. National Rail have already stated they do not intend on widening the bridges! A serious concern.
Whilst on the subject of National Rail, it was stated on Bob.Fm on Monday 28th November that the service at 5:15 am pm will be executed, with carriages already being full at peak times and services being suspended how do you intend people who have to commute to work in London get to work? Via car? Right there is a reason for use of vehicles in the village to increase.

It is an end to the 2.4 children ratio as we know so an increase of 1525 people almost half of those will be children intending on going to school in the village. With 5247 (2011 census) already being able to live in the village, we will be required to have school spaces for at least 2000 pupils. The school at present holds space for 450 pupils and the extra school proposed will only have space for 200 pupils the other pupils will have to travel out of the village to go to school. Yet again another reason for the roads of Knebworth and surrounding area's to become saturated.

Knebworth Surgery has already had to join up to Merrymead surgery to cope with the workload of 1200 patients on their records and people at current struggle to get on a 3 week waiting list for an appointment. The NHS proposed 11% cutback on funds in 2015 and propose further cutbacks each year how will the village cope with an extra, 1525 who all have a right to National Healthcare cope? I would like to see plans in place.

The loss of Chas Lowe, will be hard felt in the community it has provided traders with a place to buy goods and also brought prosperity to small businesses on the High Street, I am concerned for the future of the High Street, as I fear Knebworth without bringing the traders in will become a through road and small business's will struggle before your plans of bringing more people to the village complete, almost like Beeston in Bedfordshire where the a1 runs through.

Furthermore leads me to my final concern the use of our Green Belt to provide housing with lack of consideration to our roots as an agricultural village, Saturating our village to the 30% that has been proposed will loose all site of our heritage, I understand housing is required but to use villages that do not have the potential to expand upon their infrastructure is pure carnage and an accident waiting to happen, when there is a suitable site for 3100 homes to the west of Stevenage and the increase of traffic will have less of an impact on everyone's lives and the roads. The KB1 site is home to a breeding pair of buzzards and breeding pair of kites, what will left to show the future generation at such close grasp to London if our green belt is used.
Potters Bar was developed in the early 1950's to deal with the overflow with Tottenham, just as Borehamwood was developed for the overflow from arsenal, and these have comfortably housed the growing community for 50 years, it is time North Herts Looked into the distant future and build something that can prosper not something that will make do and ruin the community people have worked hard to achieve.

Thank you for taking your time to read my concerns.