Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

TRAFFIC

Two of the three routes converging directly on Hitchin from the north pass through Ickleford.

Both already become congested at peak periods, so that without a major upgrading of the road system the proposed housing development at sites IC1, IC2, IC3 and LS1 would inevitably increase that congestion.
Contributing further to such an effect would be traffic coming from similar developments already proposed for Mid-Bedfordshire.

From the Local Plan Technical Review 2.4 we learn that there is currently no COMET run that illustrates the impact of the scale of growth from the local plan housing requirements for any of the 10 District Councils in Hertfordshire. 5.4 draws attention to the required evidence also being dependent on growth in adjacent authorities (e.g. Bedfordshire in this case) which appears to be as uncertain as that of NHDC and the other Hertfordshire Districts. 5.17 states that the county wide model will show the key corridors and linkages between the urban areas where public transport and sustainable modes should be promoted, but in no part of the subsequent summary is any estimate given as to the likely time it will take to pull all this work together to form a plan for Ickleford that is worthy of public consultation.

If a consultation is nevertheless imminent our response must be that the grounds for this are Not Sound as Ickleford cannot be expected to suffer the consequences of a decision that would ignore the mass of facts already evident locally or likely to form part of the planners'
broader vision.

TRAFFIC

Two of the three routes converging directly on Hitchin from the north pass through Ickleford.

Both already become congested at peak periods, so that without a major upgrading of the road system the proposed housing development at sites IC1, IC2, IC3 and LS1 would inevitably increase that congestion.
Contributing further to such an effect would be traffic coming from similar developments already proposed for Mid-Bedfordshire.

From the Local Plan Technical Review 2.4 we learn that there is currently no COMET run that illustrates the impact of the scale of growth from the local plan housing requirements for any of the 10 District Councils in Hertfordshire. 5.4 draws attention to the required evidence also being dependent on growth in adjacent authorities (e.g. Bedfordshire in this case) which appears to be as uncertain as that of NHDC and the other Hertfordshire Districts. 5.17 states that the county wide model will show the key corridors and linkages between the urban areas where public transport and sustainable modes should be promoted, but in no part of the subsequent summary is any estimate given as to the likely time it will take to pull all this work together to form a plan for Ickleford that is worthy of public consultation.

If a consultation is nevertheless imminent our response must be that the grounds for this are Not Sound as Ickleford cannot be expected to suffer the consequences of a decision that would ignore the mass of facts already evident locally or likely to form part of the planners'
broader vision.

TRAFFIC

Two of the three routes converging directly on Hitchin from the north pass through Ickleford.

Both already become congested at peak periods, so that without a major upgrading of the road system the proposed housing development at sites IC1, IC2, IC3 and LS1 would inevitably increase that congestion.
Contributing further to such an effect would be traffic coming from similar developments already proposed for Mid-Bedfordshire.

From the Local Plan Technical Review 2.4 we learn that there is currently no COMET run that illustrates the impact of the scale of growth from the local plan housing requirements for any of the 10 District Councils in Hertfordshire. 5.4 draws attention to the required evidence also being dependent on growth in adjacent authorities (e.g. Bedfordshire in this case) which appears to be as uncertain as that of NHDC and the other Hertfordshire Districts. 5.17 states that the county wide model will show the key corridors and linkages between the urban areas where public transport and sustainable modes should be promoted, but in no part of the subsequent summary is any estimate given as to the likely time it will take to pull all this work together to form a plan for Ickleford that is worthy of public consultation.

If a consultation is nevertheless imminent our response must be that the grounds for this are Not Sound as Ickleford cannot be expected to suffer the consequences of a decision that would ignore the mass of facts already evident locally or likely to form part of the planners'
broader vision.

TRAFFIC

Two of the three routes converging directly on Hitchin from the north pass through Ickleford.

Both already become congested at peak periods, so that without a major upgrading of the road system the proposed housing development at sites IC1, IC2, IC3 and LS1 would inevitably increase that congestion.
Contributing further to such an effect would be traffic coming from similar developments already proposed for Mid-Bedfordshire.

From the Local Plan Technical Review 2.4 we learn that there is currently no COMET run that illustrates the impact of the scale of growth from the local plan housing requirements for any of the 10 District Councils in Hertfordshire. 5.4 draws attention to the required evidence also being dependent on growth in adjacent authorities (e.g. Bedfordshire in this case) which appears to be as uncertain as that of NHDC and the other Hertfordshire Districts. 5.17 states that the county wide model will show the key corridors and linkages between the urban areas where public transport and sustainable modes should be promoted, but in no part of the subsequent summary is any estimate given as to the likely time it will take to pull all this work together to form a plan for Ickleford that is worthy of public consultation.

If a consultation is nevertheless imminent our response must be that the grounds for this are Not Sound as Ickleford cannot be expected to suffer the consequences of a decision that would ignore the mass of facts already evident locally or likely to form part of the planners'
broader vision.