Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I am writing to express my grave concerns regarding the plans for new homes to be built on greenbelt land around Knebworth, as explained in the current local neighbourhood plan.

I have lived at my current address in the village for some 14 years now, and prior to that, another 8 years at a different address in the village. Both my children have been through Knebworth Primary, and one has now been lucky enough to be in her 3rd year at Hitchin Girls School (this involves using the train service twice daily, a service that appears to be looking to be heading towards cuts itself) and the other is in his final year at Knebworth.

The village, in my opinion, is already facing over capacity in terms of traffic - you only have to go through the high street on a daily basis to witness the congestion caused by buses and cars. Whenever there is a problem on the A1, this becomes 3 times worse, as drivers divert through the village hoping to avoid the delays. As someone who takes my son to Baldock on a Friday evening for football training, there is regularly a queue from the edge of the village down to the Roebuck roundabout - again caused by people leaving the A1 at Welwyn.

So, traffic chaos would surely ensue should all these proposed new homes go ahead.

And what of the school - it is at full capacity already, and we then face the options for secondary schools with many parents not getting the choice they want for their child. Investment would be obligatory should the plans go ahead, to avoid a shortage of school place for primary and secondary schools.

And with the planned reduction in levels of service proposed by Govia Thamelsink on the railway, then the village faces further lapses in public transport at the exact time when you are looking to dramatically increase the number of residents.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the proposed plans, and feel that village life and the village itself would suffer very badly from these plans.

I would be more than happy to express my views in more detail if required.