Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

The plan represents a 30% increase in the village without any additional infrastructure. Roads are already overcrowded with commuter cars from Stevenage and outlying villages. All increases in developments elsewhere will only add to the stress on local roads. Rail bridges are both narrow with no white line down the centre. This is already dangerous for pedestrians as footpaths only one person width. The remaining bridge allowing access to the west of the village has a weight and width restriction on it. The school is full as are the dentists and doctor. The B197 is already severely congested.
through the high street, it can take up to 10 minutes to get through. In peak hours it already takes around 30 minutes to get the A1 Motorway. The B197 is also used if the A1 is blocked. This road is already under great strain and these houses together with additional housing in Woolmer Green will only add to the situation. This housing is on green belt and will only add to the liklehood of coalescence of the village with Woolmer Green and Stevenage. The site KB2 suffers from flooding and has on a number of occasions flooded large parts of the village. The drains cannot cope with the existing situation. There is only a junior school in the village which is full where are the large number of children expected to be educated. Sites KB1 and KB2 will both have an impact on the villages two conservation areas. Site KB3 makes no allowance for the loss of both jobs and local trade by not having a mixed use development. All the sites are on green belt land the size on the proposed developments will have a huge impact on the village way of life.