AUGUST UPDATE

Parking in Knebworth: NHDC Councillor Julian Cunningham, the NHDC executive member with responsibility for parking policy, attended the Parish Council meeting in July. Cllr Cunningham ran through the Council’s current parking policy and confirmed that the underlying principles were unlikely to change in the new policy which is about to be developed.

Residents at the meeting raised a number of issues, including hazardous parking on the east of London Road, south of Knebworth School, around the Gun Road/Gun Lane junction and along Hornbeam Spring, to mention just three of a considerable number of places of concern around the village.

Gun Lane had been previously identified as likely to benefit from extending some of the existing double yellow lines. Our county councillor, Richard Thake was also present, which was useful as Herts CC and the Herts Constabulary are consultees in matters of road safety.

NHDC Draft Local Plan: As I write there is a week to go before an extraordinary meeting of the Council to consider a draft Local Plan. If that Council meeting endorses the plan, it will be taken forward the NHDC Cabinet meeting in September as, under the council’s constitution, Cabinet has the ultimate responsibility for approving the final draft for submission for examination by the government appointed Planning Inspectorate.

Assuming that Cabinet approve the plan, public consultation will commence shortly thereafter, with a statutory six-week period. At this stage of the process the Council collates responses and submits them for examination by the Inspector, together with all associated supporting information relating to the draft plan.

You can find detailed information on the NHDC website at this address: www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/planning/planning-policy/emerging-local-plan/proposed-submission-local-plan-2011-2031

Flooding in Knebworth Cemetery: Officers from Herts CC and NHDC, Stephen McPartland MP and I inspected Knebworth cemetery (off Wadnall Way), part of which has been subject to periodic flooding, to understand what practical solutions to improving the drainage can be found. Herts CC, who are the responsible body for flood plans, explained that it was important that any changes did not increase the possibility of flooding further into the village, and thereby put properties at risk, and undertook to provide a summary of the issues.

Comments !

links

social