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

I am emailing this objection letter following the final consultation on the North Herts District Council Local Plan which proposes the development of 2,100 homes on the Green Belt surrounding Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green, Tea Green and Wandon End.

The Evidence Document, reference ED224, defends the need for this development based on historically calculated dwelling numbers. My objection is as follows;
• Due to significantly increased grants of planning permission and public announcements, Luton will be building around 14,700 houses through to 2031, compared to the 8,500 stated in the LBC Local Plan.
• An updated analysis of Luton’s housing needs, carried out by the Opinion Research Services in Aug 2020 at the request of the NHDC Inspector, shows that the previous housing requirement of 17,800 through to 2031 would now be reduced to 16,700.
• The above means the “unmet housing need” decreases to 2,000 (16,700-14,700) compared to the 9,300 stated in the Local Plan.
• The Luton Inspector approving the Local Plan in 2017 stated the best fit for unmet housing need was Central Beds which has committed to providing 7,350 dwellings. In fact it has allocated 20 sites with capacity for at least 8,850 dwellings, many of which are already built or under construction.
• Had LBC carried out its Review, these figures would have been highlighted meaning that NHDC does not need to allow development at east of Luton (EOL).
• Despite this available information, NHDC signed a Statement of Common Ground in December 2020 (ED224) sticking with the out-of-date numbers to justify EOL plans. Central Beds Council- the most important neighbouring local authority to Luton- was not party to this statement, despite being identified as the ‘best fit’ for the unmet housing need by the Luton Inspector in 2017.
• There is no evidence that NHDC officials have carried out adequate due diligence on Luton’s housing figures which is of extreme concern considering the development will cause a significant loss of valuable Green Belt land. The proposed development will cause irreversible damage to the local community and environment.

There are the obvious issues with the proposed development, namely the loss of habitat for many protected species including Red kite, Great crested newts, Redwing and many more which are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended. This green hub of the community is threatened by the proposed development which thus threatens the wellbeing of the community. The coronavirus pandemic has shown us that is more important than ever to ensure communities have access to green space, not only for the obvious physical health but also for mental health.

The fundamental point I make, is that NHDC has included the EOL development in its Local Plan threatening the ever-so-important Green Belt land with no adequate exceptional circumstances, based on out-of-date information concerning Luton’s unmet housing needs.