Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I do not believe that this proposed development is sustainable.

The existing road infrastructure is inadequate for construction traffic and would impose greatly on existing residents. Roads around Great Ashby are congested with on-street parking due to the flawed car-reduction measures from earlier planning regulations. Whichever access route from Stevenage was chosen for this site would be affected by this.

The existing primary school for Great Ashby, Round Diamond, is massively oversubscribed - it is extremely unlikely that any children from this site would be able to enter Round Diamond. The plan envisages a new 2FE primary school for this site but some existing Great Ashby residents would likely apply for children unable to get into Round Diamond for this new school. Accordingly, I do not believe that one 2FE primary school would be sufficient for this development. The plan offers few details on secondary school provision. Existing secondary school students from Great Ashby travel several miles to the secondary schools in Stevenage. Travel from this new development, being further from the centre of Stevenage, will be longer. There had previously been plans to relocate Thomas Alleyne school to land near Tilekiln farm, under the last Labour government, which were cancelled under the Coalition government. Nothing in the draft plan, other than a few vague references, gives a firm indication that plans to relocate a (or create a new) secondary school in the Great Ashby area is on the cards.

The plan is also insensitive to the natural environment, destroying valuable habitat and impinging on existing woodland. The current Great Ashby development has shown that euphemistic 'green corridors' are no substitute at all for open countryside. This will also adversely affect Great Ashby residents, who will have further to go to reach open countryside. This countryside is a valuable amenity used by many residents.

Public transport links for Stevenage are already stretched. Bus provision is sparse and inadequate. Trains from Stevenage at peak hours are packed. A number of residents at the planned sites would undoubtedly be commuters to London (or possibly Cambridge) putting still further pressure on this link.

I do not believe that this proposed development is sustainable.

The existing road infrastructure is inadequate for construction traffic and would impose greatly on existing residents. Roads around Greatt Ashby are congested with on-street parking due to the flawed car-reduction measures from earlier planning regulations. Whichever access route from Stevenage was chosen for this site would be affected by this. Back Lane is already a 'rat run' for car commuters wishing to avoid the A1(M) - this proposed development would worsen this practice, given the greater number of drivers with access to it.

The existing primary school for Great Ashby, Round Diamond, is massively oversubscribed - it is extremely unlikely that any children from this site would be able to enter Round Diamond. The plan envisages a new 2FE primary school for this site but some existing Great Ashby residents would likely apply for children unable to get into Round Diamond for this new school. Accordingly, I do not believe that one 2FE primary school would be sufficient for this development. The plan offers few details on secondary school provision. Existing secondary school students from Great Ashby travel several miles to the secondary schools in Stevenage. Travel from this new development, being further from the centre of Stevenage, will be longer. There had previously been plans to relocate Thomas Alleyne school to land near Tilekiln farm, under the last Labour government, which were cancelled under the Coalition government. Nothing in the draft plan, other than a few vague references, gives a firm indication that plans to relocate a (or create a new) secondary school in the Great Ashby area is on the cards.

The plan is also insensitive to the natural environment, destroying valuable habitat and impinging on existing woodland. The current Great Ashby development has shown that euphemistic 'green corridors' are no substitute at all for open countryside. This will also adversely affect Great Ashby residents, who will have further to go to reach open countryside. This countryside is a valuable amenity used by many residents. This site would also adversely affect the landscape surrounding the abandoned church of St Ethelreda

Public transport links for Stevenage are already stretched. Bus provision is sparse and inadequate. Trains from Stevenage at peak hours are packed. A number of residents at the planned sites would undoubtedly be commuters to London (or possibly Cambridge) putting still further pressure on this link.