01 Nov 2024
The Harpenden Society has issued a tirade of objections to plans for housing on Green Belt land to the north-west of the town.
Developers Legal and General want to build 550 new homes on land at Cooters End Lane and Ambrose Lane, on arable fields close to King’s School, Spire Hospital and The Oval, in excess of the 300 deemed suitable for the site in SADC’s draft Local Plan.
They recently submitted revised plans to the district council which aim to correct the flaws highlighted in their original March 2023 proposals.
The Harpenden Society said the development is meant to include a range of measures to promote the use of sustainable methods of transport by the residents, but argue the latest proposals will bring chaos and congestion to the town, as a significant number of additional vehicles join the A1081 from these new homes.
The Society stressed how the proposed shared cycle path/footpath from the site towards the town along the A1081 is ill-conceived due to the pinch point at the Nicky Line bridge as there is no pavement on the north-east side. The applicant’s suggestion that cyclists will have to join the main carriageway has not been fully considered and offers no information on the impact it will have on traffic flows or safety.
A Society spokesperson said: “There is no proven need for a development of the size planned by L & G although there will, no doubt, be demand from those wishing to relocate here. The town just cannot cope with the explosive growth in demand that will be the consequence of this scheme.
“All the junior and senior schools are beyond reasonable walking distance of the site and cannot be reached by safe continuous cycling routes. This will result in additional car journeys at the peak travelling time.
“The junior and senior schools nearest the site are already running at capacity. The recently opened Katherine Warington School at Batford may have spare capacity but this is located over two miles distant and will involve cross town car journeys as it is not served by any safe cycling routes or bus service.
“Rather than providing a range of measures to promote sustainable methods of transport, this development will add to an already over-crowded infrastructure and offers no realistic and achievable options to reduce the reliance on cars for transport to local amenities, adding to additional congestion and pollution.
“L & G claim that this development will help alleviate some of the critical issues facing Harpenden and make a difference to the quality of life for the residents. It is our belief that this development is wholly out of scale for the town. The imposition of such a large scheme on a town that is already struggling with many pressures will make things significantly worse, creating more critical issues to the detriment of all who work and live here.”
