Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

To label Whitwell as a category A village is an incorrect assessment. This categorisation deems that the village needs an increase in housing numbers in order to thrive but there is no evidence to this effect in the case of Whitwell. The village thrives BECAUSE of its rural nature and location. Its attraction to those who live in the nearby conurbations are those very attributes that would be put under threat by development . The village is a magnet for ramblers, hikers, cyclists and those who wish to escape the nearby towns for a short while and experience the atmosphere of a country village with its attendant pace of life - an amenity all too rare in this corner of North Herts. Whitwell would be correctly classified as a 'category B' village.

The last minute addition of the site SP2 to the draft local plan and the redrawing of the village boundary to accommodate it clearly contravenes the code of conduct laid down in the National Planning and Policy Framework. This states that proper and true community consultation must be made before taking this type of decision and that said consultation should include local neighbourhoods, businesses and organisations. This has manifestly not been the case given the time scale involved. The local plan has been in the draft stage for the last several years and to introduce this change a matter of weeks before the consultation closes completely goes against the spirit of the NPPF with regards to changes and adoptions of this kind.
SP2 has long been allocated as green belt in the draft local plan, this was fully supported by the local community. To change the status of the site by redrawing the village boundary at this late stage clearly goes against National policy and as such is not legally compliant.