There are many detailed points below, including policy references to evidence the reason for objections related to your streets. Remember in your letter to include the council planning reference number and to state that you OBJECT to the planning proposal, otherwise your letter won’t be counted. You can use our template to help you to compose your letter (link).
The types of things that have been highlighted as material objections for your streets include:
- More congestion to Higham Road, as this is the only way in and out of the estate for the extra 330 cars, service vehicles and trades people. Previous planning policies state John Clarke Way as the access point, (i.e. East Northamptonshire District Local Plan 1996 – Rushden Strategy Statement Policy RU3 (page 140); and Three Towns Plan (ENC), 2011); and Rushden Traffic Survey (2014).
- The Rushden Traffic Survey (2014) advises against plans that make these recognised congestion problems worse, especially at the Washbrook Road signal point and near Asda.
- The new estate has very poor provision for older and disabled people and children – i.e. no play areas, lack of footpaths -all of which need to be brought into line with local policies and improved.
- The environmental impact is massive and impacts protected species, but some things could be done to reduce the impact and there are already local policies which recommend things like wildlife shelter belts (green corridor).
- The new estate is proposed to be 100% social housing and very dense. These kinds of estates have been associated with higher crime rates and Central Government recommends a mix of housing now.
For more detailed material objections to include, see the sections in ‘News: Material Objection’ labelled ‘Highway Safety’, ‘Children’, ‘Disability and Older Person’s Access’, ‘Ecology and Biodiversity’ and ‘Safety and Crime’ (link). You can download the template letter to insert your objections using link above.
