Knebworth Parish Plan our village ~ our views ~ our vision First Edition - April 2007 Welcome to Knebworth OUR COMMUNITY: Knebworth Parish has a population of just over 4,300 people living in 1894 homes which together make up the villages of Knebworth OUR HISTORY: and Old Knebworth. The parish is also home to a thriving business community most of which is based around the village centre with There has been a settlement at Knebworth since at least numerous retail outlets along the ‘High Street’ (London Road). As a Saxon times. The name “Knebworth” originates from the rural parish, our community encompasses several farms, some Domesday spelling “Chenepeworde”, meaning “village on beautiful countryside, historic parkland and a significant wildlife the hill”. The original settlement grew around the present population. site of St. Mary’s. The church was built in 1120. In some respects, Knebworth suffers from being a ‘commuter town’ The Lytton family purchased the estate of Knebworth in but a glance at the Community Directory (available from the Library or the village website at www.knebworth.org.uk) soon tells you that 1490 and their Tudor home, Knebworth Place, remained there is a strong core of voluntary groups and sport & leisure clubs the centre of the community until the19th century, when providing social opportunities for all age groups. The village the railway arrived and a new settlement started to grow primary school is one of the largest in the county and, for many, the in an area previously known as the Datchworth Parish’s schools and the churches are at the heart of community life. “West End”. OUR AMENITIES: Selection of local shops and restaurants including Co-op food store, chemist, off licence and butcher. Post Office In 1887, when the first stone of the Congregational Library GP Surgery Church was laid, Station Road had five houses on one County Primary School side and eight on the other. There were no houses on 3 Nurseries/Pre-Schools Stevenage Road and two in London Road. 4 Churches Village Hall plus other Community/Church Halls The parish has had a council since Tudor times, but the 2 Public Houses Parish Council in the form we know it today first met on 3 Recreation Grounds 14th December 1894. Five councillors were elected by Knebworth House and Country Park forty-one parishioners. Builders’ Merchant Care and Sheltered Homes for Elderly 2 Dental Surgeries Frequent Bus Services (mainly north/south) Railway Station (fast service to London) Easy access by rail, road or bus to more comprehensive shopping facilities 1st Edition / April 2007 Knebworth Parish Plan Page 1 Welcome to Knebworth OUR ENVIRONMENT: The Parish of Knebworth lies to the south west of Stevenage and covers approx. 2,600 acres of Hertfordshire countryside stretching between Rye End in the west to Bragbury Lane in the east and Norton Green in the north. A few houses on the southern tip of the village are actually outside the parish boundary in the adjoining parish of Woolmer Green. The A1(M) passes through the parish with the original settlement of Old Knebworth to the west of the motorway and the newer (mainly 20th century) part of the village, known as Knebworth (but referred to as ‘Knebworth Village’ for the purposes of this document) to the east. Still rural in its character, much of the parish countryside is arable farmland and mixed woodland and is designated Green Belt. Knebworth Park and Estate covers a large area in the western part of the parish and Knebworth Golf Club nestles in the valley between Knebworth and Stevenage. One large field is now all that separates the north-east of the village from the neighbouring town of Stevenage. At the beginning of the 20th Century, the Lytton family promoted the development of “Knebworth Garden Village”, designed by the pre-eminent architect of the day, Edwin Lutyens, who was married to Emily Lytton. In 1908 Charles Lowe bought plots 198 and 199 for £75 and plots 202 and 203 for £139. The Garden Village scheme was interrupted by the First World War. In the 1940s Knebworth was considered as the site for a “New Town”, but with the two railway lines converging north of the village it transpired that Stevenage was chosen OUR ECONOMY: instead. With its fast rail services to London, Knebworth is a popular commuter base and also offers easy access to jobs in Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. Over 50 small and medium sized businesses operate from the parish and they attract inward bound commuters and provide employment for village residents. Employers include Chas Lowe Builder’s Merchants, the Co-op, Odyssey Health and Fitness, Hamilton Billiard and Games Company and Knebworth Park/Lytton Enterprises. Knebworth Park has an international reputation as a venue for rock concerts and the House is famed for its stunning gothic architecture and beautiful gardens. The venue attracts thousands of visitors to the area each year and offers casual work for local youngsters and retirees. Surprisingly there are few hotels and guest houses in the parish. In the 1970s, 80s and 90s Knebworth Park Despite its rural character, local farms employ very few staff but overall earned a worldwide reputation as the most unemployment in the parish is relatively low. prestigious rock music venue in Britain. In August 2003, it hosted the largest music OUR HERITAGE: event in British history when Robbie Williams played to 375,000 people over The parish boasts a rich heritage which includes the historic Knebworth House three days. and Country Park, numerous Lutyens designed buildings including St Martin’s Church, Homewood and Knebworth Golf Club House, countless listed buildings, three Conservation Areas, various Sites of Special Scientific Interest, an Area of Archaeological Significance, cultural links with Edward Bulwer Lytton and Charles Dickens and an important place in the history of pop music. 1st Edition / April 2007 Knebworth Parish Plan Page 2 Contents WELCOME TO KNEBWORTH…………………………………………………... 1 FOREWORD……………………………………………………………………….. 4 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………... 5 PRIORITIES & IDEAS…………………………………………………………….. 6 AIMS OF THE PARISH PLAN………………………………………………….... 7 THE PARISH PLAN PROCESS…………………………………………………. 9 RESULTS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY…………………………………… 10 SECTION 1 – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT………………………………… 14 1.1 COMMUNITY SPIRIT 16 1.2 COMMUNICATIONS 17 1.3 VOLUNTARY GROUPS & CHURCHES 17 1.4 SPORT & LEISURE 18 1.5 YOUNG PEOPLE 19 SECTION 2 – SCHOOLS AND LIBRARY……………………………………... 20 2.1 PRE-SCHOOLS AND NURSERIES 22 2.2 PRIMARY SCHOOL 22 2.3 SECONDARY SCHOOLS 23 2.4 LIBRARY 24 SECTION 3 – COMMUNITY CARE AND SAFETY…………………………… 26 3.1 CRIME AND POLICING 28 3.2 GP SERVICES 29 3.3 DISABLED AND ELDERLY 30 SECTION 4 – TRAFFIC, TRANSPORT AND PARKING…………………….. 32 4.0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 34 4.1 ACTION AREA 1 – “High Street”/London Road and Side Roads 40 4.2 ACTION AREA 2 – Railway Station, Station Rd Bridge & Surr. Areas 42 4.3 ACTION AREA 3 – Safety, Speeding and Rat Runs 44 4.4 ACTION AREA 4 – Public/Community Transport, Walking & Cycling 46 SECTION 5 – LOCAL ECONOMY……………………………………………… 48 5.1 LOCAL SERVICES 50 5.2 SHOPS AND BUSINESSES 50 5.3 TOURISM AND KNEBWORTH HOUSE 52 SECTION 6 – ENVIRONMENT AND HOUSING……………………………… 54 6.1 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 56 6.2 COUNTRYSIDE 59 6.3 HOUSING 61 6.4 CHARACTER AND HERITAGE 63 6.5 MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC AREAS 64 STREET MAPS AND AERIAL PHOTO………………………………………… 65 FINANCIAL REPORT………….……………….............................................. 68 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………….. 68 1st Edition / April 2007 Knebworth Parish Plan Page 3 Foreword The aim of the Parish Plan is to improve the social, economic and environmental well- being of the parish of Knebworth in line with the wishes of the parish community. A copy of this first edition of the Parish Plan is being delivered to all households, businesses and organisations based in the Parish of Knebworth to give everyone the opportunity to comment so that community views can be reflected in future updates. The 2004/5 community consultation exercise and subsequent research generated hundreds of comments, concerns and ideas. Of necessity, this edition is rather lengthy in order to do justice to the community’s input and to adequately explain some of the complex issues facing our parish. We sincerely hope that you will take the time to read those sections which may be of interest to you and then to tell us what you think. You can HAVE YOUR SAY by returning the COMMENTS FORM included inside the back cover of this booklet or by logging on to www.knebworthparishplan.org. Knebworth Parish Council intends to adopt the ‘Aims’ of the Knebworth Parish Plan as set out on pages 7 and 8. It will use its best endeavours to deliver these ‘Aims’ and to facilitate implementation of the ‘Suggested Action Plans’ with the support of the parish community and subject to feasibility and funding. It should be noted that there is no provision within the current Parish Council budget to cover Parish Plan expenditure and it is expected that fundraising activities and grant support will be needed to fund those projects which would not normally be covered by the Parish Precept. At this stage, funding sources have not been identified and with so many possible projects competing for financial support, it is inevitable that viability will be limited according to the availability of funds. During the three years it has taken to prepare the Parish Plan, some of the ideas and projects included in the Action Plans have already been initiated and the Parish Council has been progressing those matters which form part of its general remit. The Parish Council comprises 12 elected councillors (volunteers) and one paid part-time Clerk. Realistically, we do not have the resources or the powers to implement the whole Parish Plan single handed.