Buntingford Civic Society Buntingford Civic Voice
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
Apr 2014
Mar 2014
Feb 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
Apr 2013
Mar 2013
Feb 2013
Dec 2012
Nov 2012
Sep 2012
May 2012
June 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
Art Competition 2011
November 2010
October 2010
July 2010
June 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
December 2009
November 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
Essay Competition
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
December
November
October
September
July
May
March
February
November
October
September
July
June
March synopsis
April
November synopsis
September synopsis
August synopsis
July synopsis
Topics big & small
Journal assessment
AGM
Planning
Licensing
High St. Planning
River Rib
Quality of Life
Journal
Web site
Civic trust
AGMs
East of England Plan
Licensing
Anniversary
Christmas lights
LATEST EVENTS MEMBERSHIP ARCHIVE JOURNALS SERVICES ABOUT

56 New Houses Proposed on Land Off Aspenden Road

In early September, Buntingford Civic Society wrote to East Herts Council to object to the proposals to build 56 houses off Aspenden Road. The letter is reproduced here.

“On behalf of Buntingford Civic Society, we ask that East Herts Council rejects this planning application for the reasons set out below:

1. The proposed development is, to a large extent, on land that is designated by the Environmental Agency as being in Flood Zone 2.

2. Aspenden Road is too narrow to be a suitable road from which to provide access to a development of 56 dwellings. This fact was recognised in the adopted Local Plan to 2011 in Policy BUN7 which states that ‘No further planning permission for significant traffic generating developments will be granted on the Watermill Industrial Estate until improvement works have been carried out on Aspenden Road’. In addition, recent new developments at the junction of Aspenden Road with London Road have made that junction more hazardous; this situation will only be made worse by the introduction of yet further traffic using Aspenden Road. There is also the possibility of even more London Road traffic if either of the planning applications for Land North or South of Hare Street Road proves successful, and this will only further compound the dangers.

3. The proposed development removes a green buffer between Buntingford and Aspenden whose value was recognised by East Herts Council in their preparatory papers for the forthcoming Local Plan to 2031. Green space is an issue in Buntingford with more and more infill development having been approved and no or very limited green space being provided in recently approved developments.

4. In recent times, planning permission has been given for the building of approximately 200 houses in Buntingford over and above those planned for in the adopted Local Plan covering the period to 2011. Further large scale development in the town should be the result of proper technical study and consultation regarding the nine development sites that have been proposed. Ill-considered piecemeal development that serves only to partially satisfy the local authority’s requirement for a five year building land supply and purely commercial interests will put Buntingford in danger of becoming a ‘planning disaster’ in which the overall effect of such development is neither socially or environmentally sustainable nor will such development be something of which the planning authority will be proud."

It is also worth bearing in mind that there may be a planning application put in by the same people for the land between the Bovis Estate/Monks Walk and the by-pass; this will also result in more traffic using the junction between Aspenden and London Roads.

Derek K Cooper,

Chairman, Buntingford Civic Society


The Woodman Inn

Touch Of Glamour

Wood Bros Ltd

Attend2health

Kate Bennett Legal

Buntingford Dancing School

Buntingford Heating

Buntingford Karate Club

Collins Roofing

Country Maids

The Humbleline

Jacqui Smith

John D Kilby

Judkins Solicitors

Layston Nursery

Mark Addison Ceramic Tiler