Proposed Main Modifications

I wish to register my disbelief and anger that not a single site in North Herts has been withdrawn from the plan following consultation with local communities and a public Inspector's Hearing.
Local consultation has been revealed to be a farce - a pretence aimed at maintaining an appearance of democracy, while 'delivering' what the Government demands and enabling private landowners to take fields out of agricultural use for large personal profit. NHDC has failed to represent the taxpayers' concerns for the countryside as a valuable and unique resource, and has failed to stand up for North Hertfordshire's heritage.
NHDC have wasted years of people's lives as they sought to make a case for taking certain sites out of the Local Plan: good people who naively took the process to be a serious one.

I wish to register the following additional objections to the development of BK3 in Barkway, as an UNSOUND DEVELOPMENT within the Emerging Local Plan:

1. BK3 in Barkway was not visited by the Programme Officer in charge before being selected. How can a site be selected before being visited for assessment? It is irrelevant if a visit subsequently occurred: the process was begun without sight or inspection of the location.
This is completely contrary to all procedural norms and natural justice. Given that no site has been deselected since inclusion, it indicates that a foregone conclusion was part of the process.

In my view, this has to be taken up at the highest level, which would suggest a Judicial Review. Such proceedings are expensive for all parties concerned, but the level of unsound procedure here would appear to merit this action.

2. NPPF requirements have been ignored in terms of sustainability

a. Your report even points this out, most strangely, noting that 'facilities are limited and so residents would presently be likely to travel to either Royston to the north or Buntingford to the south for many day to day items'.
b. You have failed to take into account loss of farmland - a natural resource - when the population is expanding exponentially. Sustainable development is defined as 'Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources'. BK3 is grade 2 farmland.
c. You have failed to take into account loss of wildlife habitat. Insect life is critically endangered in the UK.
d. Not only have you ignored the complete absence of work in Barkway, but you have failed to consider the harm to or closure of local businesses:
My business (one example) will start to decline in Barkway when traffic volumes increase. It is already under pressure because of the volume of traffic and associated noise. An estimated 350 more cars can reasonably be expected to be associated with a development allowing 170 new homes.
My business brings business to other parts of the local economy, including pubs and visitor attractions. Newsells Stud will be severely threatened and could decide to close: your selection of this site clearly threatens local employment.

3. Dismissed appeal Application ref. 17/00700/1

It cannot reasonably be stated that BK3 differs from the land - which is adjacent - for which planning permission was refused on solid grounds. It is on the East Anglian Heights (same elevation) and at the entrance to the village. It is totally inconsistent that the dismissed appeal has been ignored in order to pass BK3 for development.

4. Your document contains errors, and therefore cannot be used to justify the inclusion of BK3 in the Emerging Local Plan. One example: the population of Barkway is not the largest of the 3 villages, and has been misrepresented in order to support BK3.
Basic errors that a proper study of the local area would have revealed.

In conclusion, the entire process and justification by which BK3 came to be included in the Emerging Local Plan in North Herts needs to be taken up with the Secretary of State for Housing, James Brokenshire MP, among others, and a Judicial Review sought.