Object
Preferred Site Allocations 2018
Representation ID: 19229
Received: 12/03/2018
Respondent: Mr John and Maureen Murrell
More housing would certainly take away our status as a Hamlet. Blackmore floods at times of heavy rain, it's surrounded by ditches to take excess water away, therefre more concrete/houses would make it hazardous. The local school is at capacity. The local surgery is at capacity. The village roads are extremely narrow and parking is another serious problem. The main roads out of Blackmore would become extremely dangerous at peak times, especially the school run when the very young can be very vulnerable. There are many, many brown field sites available nearer to London.
My wife and I would like to object to the proposals for the following reasons.
Firstly, more housing would certainly take away our status as a Hamlet but more importantly our village does flood at times of heavy rain and 90-plus more houses would add to this corncern. Blackmore is surrounded by ditches to take excess water away and more concrete would make it a lot more hazardous.
Furthermore, the village school is busting at the seams and any newcomers would find it extremely difficult to place their children anywhere in the vicinity of Blackmore, especially as a lot more development is proposed in the area.
Another worrying concern is sickness. Our local surgery has, we are informed, well over 9,000 patients at present and it already takes a week or more to book an appointment. How would it manage another roughly 300 to 400 people in the village plus others from the surrounding area.
The village roads are extremely narrow and parking is another serious problem. Add another few hundred cars and .... The main roads out of Blackmore, we are afraid, would become extremely dangerous at peak times, especially the school run when the very young can be very vulnerable.
I could add more objections to the proposals. We not so long ago lived in a very quiet country lane surrounded by corn fields etc. Housing turned that lane into a race track for cars and also a very busy bus route.
Please, please bear these worries in mind when you make your final decision. After all, there are many, many brown field sites available nearer to London.