Borough Councillor J Heywood

Aldenham Parish Council The Radlett Centre 1 Aldenham Avenue Radlett WD7 8HL Tel: 01923 856433 E-mail: [email protected] www.aldenham.gov.uk ------Christine Symes Planning Casework Dept for Local Communities & Local Government 1/H1, Eland House Bressenden Place LONDON SW1E 5DU

26th October 2012 Your Ref: APP/B1930/A/09/2109433

Dear Christine,

Re: Town & Country Planning Act 1990 – Section 78 Appeal by Helioslough Ltd Land in and around former aerodrome, North Orbital Road, Upper Colne Valley, Hertfordshire (Radlett) – Application Ref: 5/09/07/08

Further to your letter dated 12th October I am asked to provide you a further response from Aldenham Parish Council who are strongly opposed to the above application for the following reasons.

Green Belt

We believe that the proposal is not genuinely a rail freight interchange, but a large-scale industrial site, which under normal circumstances would never get planning approval in the Green Belt. The access to the site from the railway in both directions is not without its problems and it will become a road-to- road industrial site putting tremendous pressure on the local roads and infrastructure.

Loss of the Green Belt would have a detrimental visual effect on the neighbourhood. The loss of this part of the Green Belt would contribute to urban sprawl by joining the village of Radlett to Park Street and consequently the city of St. Albans Other areas of Green Belt surrounding Radlett are already under threat. The proposed development is an inappropriate use of the Green Belt contrary to Policy 5, Hertfordshire County Plan.

Traffic Currently 13,643 vehicles travel on the A5183 through Radlett per 24 hours already resulting in traffic jams and over congestion during peak periods. Our local road network is already at full capacity and will be unable to cope with the extra 3197 HGV and 8652 light vehicle movements generated over a 24 hour period. Not enough thought has gone into the effect on the local transport infrastructure beyond creating access onto existing roads. The effect upon Radlett has been completely ignored by the proposal.

Parish of Aldenham twinned with Gemeinde Lauteral and Louveciennes S:\PARISH COUNCIL DOCUMENTS\COUNCIL\Rail Freight Aldenham Parish Council The Radlett Centre 1 Aldenham Avenue Radlett WD7 8HL Tel: 01923 856433 E-mail: [email protected] www.aldenham.gov.uk ------Local schools are already unable to introduce cycling policies and have difficulty increasing the number of children walking to school due to the dangers of crossing roads and walking on narrow pavements. This results in most children being driven to school contributing to congestion and lack of independence and exercise. There are currently traffic jams on the trunk roads resulting in ‘rat running’ through local villages. This can only increase if the above proposal goes ahead as there is no contingency plan, for example, for the A414, in the event of a problem. The lack of direct access to the M25 will exacerbate the congestion on the local road network. The proposed development appears to be more of a road-to-road interchange. Many of the3385 employees are predicted to come from Hertsmere, North and West London and will inevitably travel up the A5183 through Radlett thereby increasing our traffic congestion. As our unemployment level is very low most employees will travel considerable distances thereby increasing congestion. Public transport to the site is negligible. There will be a negative impact on existing rail users who are already demanding more capacity. The proposed scheme is contrary to the Road Traffic Reduction Act (1997) and the Traffic Managentment Act (2004)

Enviromental Frogmore is already an area of Air Quality Management with areas surrounding the Radlett Road predicted to exceed Government Standards in this decade. The number of increased road and rail vehicles can only further pollute our atmosphere with consequential health concerns. The proposal does not have a positive impact on the environment and offers no benefits to our Parish whatsoever. We are an area of virtually no unemployment.

Noise Noise levels from road and rail traffic and the manufacturing taking place on site will increase leading to sleep deprivation contrary to Basic Human Rights. Residents living adjacent to the railway line and the A5183 will be doubly affected.

Light Light emanating from the proposed development will lead to sleep deprivation contrary to basic Human Rights.

Other environmental effects The proposed development will have a detrimental effect on local flora and fauna. The loss of the flood plain could cause flooding of local rivers such as the Ver and the Colne and may impinge upon the Tykeswater. Pollution could occur from spillage from the site.

Infrastructure The water supply is under extreme pressure. New properties at Wall Hall, the former Quadrant site, Shenley Hospital site, Napsbury Hospital site and proposed developments at Harperbury Hospital and

Yours Sincerely

Peter Evans Parish Council Manager

Parish of Aldenham twinned with Gemeinde Lauteral and Louveciennes S:\PARISH COUNCIL DOCUMENTS\COUNCIL\Rail Freight