Yesterday councillors were briefed on the results of the local plan consultations. The details of all the responses will be published next Friday (31st March), along with the report that will go to the council meeting but we know the outlines of what people have said.
There were around 5,300 representations of which 94% objected to some part of the plan. There were more than 300 objections to the sites at Baldock and more than 100 objections to the GA2 site between Weston and Great Ashby. All the other sites in the area had fewer than 50 objections.
The county council has submitted objections saying that they have not been consulted properly on schools and that the proposals do not provide sufficient school places.
The proposals that claimed that the traffic impacts of building 16000 houses could be overcome by minor changes to junctions and traffic lights appear to have been withdrawn and replaced with a proposal that there should be a “sustainable transport plan” that will solve all the problems. Such as plan does not exist, but the council seems prepared to go ahead on the basis that one will be created. This seems optimistic to say the least.
It is clear that the council intends to press ahead with the local plan unchanged despite the serious shortcomings identified and the level of objections from local people. Whether this happens will depend on how councillors vote at the meeting on 11th April.
Last time Steve Jarvis was amongst six who voted against.
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