Woolmer Green response to EERA spatial strategy plan

Response from Woolmer Green Parish Council

Summary

Woolmer Green Parish Councillors have attended a number of meetings regarding the proposed East of England Plan and have discussed its implications.

The main objection to the Plan is in the effect it will have on the environment in this part of the region, situated as we are between two motorways, two rail-lines and two airports.

The green belt is already under threat in this area of Hertfordshire and in this village we have had two large housing developments in the last 15 years putting a great strain on community relations (population doubled – interaction between old villagers and incomers).

We would abhor coalescence between villages that such a plan would make a possibility.

The infrastructure is stretched to breaking point already:

- driest part of the UK - water supply is insufficient for the present built environment and this will be exacerbated by the reduced absorption due to the decrease in free land

- roads and railways already insufficient for demand (note amount of through traffic in this area)

- energy supply difficult – this area is not a producer of energy

- disposing of road run-off water and increased amounts of solid and liquid waste will present a possibly insurmountable problem.

Note that the amount of energy required to build this number of houses will have a distinct effect on carbon emissions.

Due to the increase in housing provision and the resulting decrease in local industry and retail facilities, 87% of the employed persons in Woolmer Green already use mechanised transport to reach their place of work. There is no recommendation in this plan for an increase in local employment.

Detailed response:

Policy	Title	Response	Comments
SS1	Achieving sustainable development	Object	There is no evidence that a coherent approach has been taken to ensuring that infrastructure investment is appropriate to the development plans. Many of the jobs created will be in construction and associated trades, necessarily dependent on yet more further future development. Green belt will be under threat in areas that it was designed to protect, undermining its purpose and operation. Any further pressure on the infrastructure around Woolmer Green is unacceptable.
SS4	Use of previously developed land and buildings	Support	We support this and suggest that the target is already being achieved in this area.
SS7	Green belt	Object	The review of green belt in areas previously identified as requiring green belt protection is not consistent with the aims of the strategy in enhancing the assets of the region or improving the quality of life for people who live in the area. It is not sustainable to constantly move boundaries outwards. The enhancement of town centres which lose their environmental context when faced with dominating development, not supported by appropriate social, educational and economic supporting development is not achievable. In particular, the quality of life for the parishioners of Woolmer Green will not be enhanced by the inappropriate over development of Stevenage.
SS9	Development in rural areas	Object	The strategy has failed to define what constitutes a rural area. The consultation process must therefore be void.
SS10	The regional economy	Object	Employment in the region will only be high during the construction phase; beyond that date the probability will be for unemployment rather than increased prosperity leading to a greater burden on existing residents.
SS13	Overall housing provision	Object	There is no justification for the increase in overall housing, much of which is likely to provide more commuter traffic to feed the dominating demands of London. Woolmer Green is badly situated for such an increase in through traffic here or for increased capacity links for other regional points such as the two main airports. With the over crowded B197 taking overflow vehicle traffic from the A1(M), this will have a significant negative impact on the quality of life in the village and the coherence of this rural community.
SS16	Quality in the built environment	Object	Policy is contradictory. On one hand it seeks to improve and enhance attractiveness and character, as well as addressing social issues such as crime. On the other it insists on minimum density of 30 dwellings per hectare which will negatively impact the environmental aims of the policy.
SV1	Regeneration of Stevenage	Object	Stevenage is a good example of poor planning. To allow it to spill over into green belt land indicates that this is likely to continue. It is not sustainable and will have a far reaching impact on the local towns such as Hitchin and surrounding villages, including Woolmer Green. No policies have been put forward relating to social and physical infrastructure provision; neither have links been made between the proposed development west of Stevenage and the regeneration of the town. A significant increase in commuter traffic to London should be expected with the consequent impact on the areas to the south of Stevenage like Woolmer green. This will have a detrimental impact on the local environment. Development west of Stevenage is subject to a public enquiry.
E2	Job growth	Object	The employment target is high and according to Welwyn Hatfield District Council,” the evidence to support the increase in jobs is less than clear ….. likely to produce significant negative effects on the environment”.
H1	Housing distribution	Object	The housing requirement is excessive and unsustainable. It also requires significant use of green belt land yet policy LA1 states that “.. release of land from the green belt only where exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated and the proposed release achieves a sustainable form of development”. Not only will this not be achieved but neither is there a justified requirement driving such a dramatic policy failure. No caution seems to be evident based on the historic problems in this area with water supply, aquifer levels and flood plains. There is no evidence that the Herts C.C. consultation on renewable energy has been approached in the Plan and, in fact, this consultation was not encouraging. The inpact of such a housing influx on the sewage and water treatment in this area will make further demands on green belt land. There is no evidence that the plan has considered the ecological balance of energy inputs when considering housing growth.
T1	Regional Transport Strategy	Object	Funds are not available form government to make the policy aims achievable. New commuter centres for London workers will place further demands on the existing infrastructure. Note that Woolmer Green is sandwiched between two motorways, two rail lines and two airports!!
T5	Airports	Object	Insufficient consideration given to the full external environmental costs of significant airport expansion on environment, economy, quality of life, surrounding infrastructure, sustainability.
ENV4	Woodlands	Comment	Hertfordshire is renowned as the County with the greatest number of trees per capita in the U.K. To change that balance would be to take away the very attractivemess of the County. The importance of hedgerows to the environment has not been addressed.
ENV7	Air quality	Object	No evidence is shown of existing consultations on air quality indicating that air quality levels will decrease from an already low standard in many parts of the county.
IMP3	Delivering the plan	Object	The plan has been produced by an unelected body which has given a distressingly low priority to adequate public consultation. The questionable objectives are based on arbitrary movement of the community from Greater London where it naturally sits to the East of England