Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

My main objection to the building of houses up the Bygrave road is the traffic. It will grid lock into and out of Stevenage, where I work, in the Old Town, I also feel there has been enough development, outside of towns, locally, that we have a duty to keep places of outstanding natural beauty. Bygrave needs to stay separate from Baldock, what's to stop the houses going all the way to Ashwell, other than a will to take care of our countryside for future generations? I feel very deeply that this is a wrong move. Also that there is land between Letchworth and Baldock, as well as within both towns, better suited to development.
I have always worked locally. Traveling in all directions, never more than a half hour drive from Bygrave. From here it is a twenty minute drive, that can take three quarters of an hour, to an hour, between 7.30 and 9, into Stevenage Old Town, in the morning, at the moment. Now, this week, last week. That's with taking the white farm road from here to there 505, not the conventional journey through Baldock. The return journey can be as bad, however, like many who are retired or do not work, I usually drive home out of 'rush hours' time. Please make a decision based on working people's experience, as we are the folk living here. Whatever road development is done, cars will fill it. It is impossible to alter the bottle neck into Baldock, from Stotfold.

I have lived in Bygrave most of my adult life[...].
I came here because this was the most beautiful place I knew, to live and bring up a family, we moved my pony here. I still ride these lanes, with much less safety, constant traffic.
Like many others, I make the most of the bridle ways, that will become unusable, the cyclists and walkers too, will struggle against the surge of buildings and traffic. The very people invited here to live will not be able to enjoy the countryside for fear of being run off the road by inconsiderate drivers.
As a lifelong painter, the gentle slopes out of Baldock are inspirational. I have ridden through this landscape for over 40 years, can remember, long before that, seeing the view from the seat beside my parents, in the sidecar on dads motor bike. The back of my mums bicycle as a baby in the 1950s. We all feel the same sense of awe as we leave Baldock.

If you build up to Lower Bygrave from Baldock you will be responsible for putting an impossible strain on the roads. Letchworth, Baldock, Stotfold, Royston and Stevenage commuters will increase, accidents will go up, Baldock Station will be unable to cope, along side all other recourses, schools, water, refuse collection...it has happened already in Great Ashby in Stevenage.

That's without the drainage problems, caused by building on the clay. My pony field has flooded, the last few years, as a result of a garage, one garage, being built.
Please look to other infill possibilities and leave our beautiful down land alone.

Thank you for your time, I hope you can be impartial and have no personal gain to be made out of developing our countryside, as this is a decision to change an historic landscape for ever, as well as making our lives, and our children's lives, more difficult.