Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I wish to make you aware of the following serious flaws in the Local Plan in respect of the housing allocation for Baldock and the failure of the council to consider the environmental factors using up to date, valid information. The 80% increase in dwellings within Baldock will undoubtedly have far reaching health implications because of the following:

* Information from the Baldock Surgery confirms that asthma related diseases amongst young children (5-16 yrs) was running at a dangerous15% prior to opening of the Baldock Bypass in 2006. This was a major factor in Baldock being granted a bypass at the time.

* A more recent survey by the Baldock Surgery revealed that the figure as above had dropped to 6% which is in line with the national average.

* NO INFORMATION ON THIS HAS BEEN SOUGHT FROM BALDOCK SURGERY BY NHDC TO HELP FORMULATE A WORKABLE LOCAL PLAN.

* Adoption of the local plan in it's current format will mean an additional 6-7000 homeowners cars and will inevitably lead to a rapid rise in asthma and other related conditions to similar or greater levels than pre-bypass. This will be exacerbated by an approx 80% increase in delivery vehicles to service the growing trend in online shopping.

* Traffic flow through Baldock cannot be increased to any great extent as the 2 pinch points (A505/A507 and High St/Hitchin St/Whitehorse St) are abounded by historic listed buildings.

* Baldock sits in a valley/bowl thus the polluted air will sit and not easily disperse as was proven during the case for the aforementioned bypass.

*Whatever relief roads and other measures are put in to deter motorists from entering the town the unique culture and facilities will draw them in and gridlock will occur as the town simply cannot physically take these increased volumes of traffic.

* Unfortunately it seems that the Portfolio Holder-Councillor Levett is unfairly biased against Baldock. At a public meeting in 2015 I asked him directly how he could justify such a disproportionate allocation of housing for Baldock and his reply was "Maybe Baldock hasn't taken it's fair proportion in the past".

In short given the above facts and considering that the smallest town in North Herts has been allocated the largest (23%) housing allocation for seemingly no good reason I believe this plan to be unfit for purpose and hope you will take this into account in making your decisions.