Further Proposed Modifications to the North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011- 2031

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.

After much time and expense I thought that BK3 had been fully discussed and resolved: the Planning Officer at NHDC wrote to the Inspector requesting BK3 to be taken out of the Plan. Now I hear that it most certainly has not. BK3 is back on the agenda. Why?

1. Transparency of the Process
• There has been no public correspondence between the Inspector and NHDC on the Draft Schedule of Further Modifications, only NHDC's assertion that the Inspector has agreed the Schedule of Further Modifications
• The reasons for the Inspector's decision not to accept NHDC's request to exclude BK3 from the Local Plan has not been published.
• We have not had a FAIR or PROPORTIONATE opportunity to put our case against the inclusion of Site BK3. We support NHDC's request to remove site BK3 from their Local Plan.
2. ENLARGING BK3 to include Herts CC School site
• Examination Document ED17.This document says that including the school site in the housing allocation site BK3 is pragmatic. HCC has NOT requested this amendment. This decision may be practical for NHDC but if BK3 includes HCC's land, then there is a risk that more homes that the 140 allocated will be built on this site. The land is not required by HCC for a school and so it should NOT be part of housing site BK3.
3. Figures for Housing Allocations, Completions, and Permissions
• MM010/FM039 says the number of homes expected to be delivered in Barkway village in the Local Plan time span is 208. There is NO evidence given for this figure. The figure is critical because Barkway is identified as suitable to support higher levels of housing than Category A villages on the basis that the number of homes expected to be delivered is 'more than 200'. THE FIGURES NEED TO BE JUSTIFIED.
• MM217/FM113 is a table showing new homes for the parish . THE TABLE IS WRONG. Red shows the figures given in the modification. Blue shows a simple correction. HOWEVER the detail of HOW the figures were arrived at is not available so the figures need to be JUSTIFIED:
o Total allocated sites: 173 corrected to 160 homes
o completions and permissions: 31 changed to 57 homes
o Total allocated/completed/permitted: 204 changed to 230 changed to 217 homes
4. S106 Contributions to Provide School Transport
• The contribution from construction to new homes in Barkway is mentioned 3 times in the Schedule of Further Proposed Main Modifications. School transport is already provided and BPC have been consulted on how S106 money should be spent for the benefit of the parish. If this modification was to remain in the Local Plan for a bus service between Barkway and Barley schools, Barley would be benefiting from development in Barkway.
• MM215/FM111 (in relation to Policy BK2): "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM216/FM112 (in relation to Policy BK3: "Contribution towards travel by sustainable modes of transport between Barley and Barkway schools". Suggest this is deleted.
• MM219/FM114 (in relation to Paragraph 13.39): "Contribution to support sustainable travel between the two sites should be secured from new developments." There are NO developments proposed in Barley, only in Barkway. Suggest this is deleted.
It is very worrying that lack of TRANSPARENCY and lack of JUSTIFICATION are very much at the heart of BK3. It does not engender trust in North Herts and Hertfordshire County Councils' planning procedures.
I hope you will investigate this thoroughly and TRANSPARENTLY and ensure that we are dealt with fairly.
In addition to the above there are very real problems relating to an inadequate infrastructure (sewage etc) and inadequate country roads which would not be able to cope safely with the number of houses proposed.
Thank you for giving this your full attention.