A non-technical summary of the resulting Environmental Statement (ES) is shown below.

The key findings of the ES and consultations are:

• The application proposals accord with planning policy guidance
• The level of facilities proposed in the West Stevenage development will meet the demands of the incoming population
• The development will contribute to the regeneration of Stevenage town centre
• The high quality bus system proposed, together with the design of the development, will help to maximise non-car travel and, therefore, minimise adverse environmental effects
• The public rights of way network and access to open areas will be improved without compromising other environmental interests
• The development will alter the landscape for a limited number of existing properties but structural landscaping and open space will help to mitigate visual impacts
• There will be environmental and ecological benefits on those parts of the site that will not be built on
• No nationally important archaeology or listed buildings will be affected by the development while mitigation measures will reduce the residual impact on archaeology.
• There will be some short-lived impacts on wildlife habitat during construction but most will be low. Longer term impacts will either be negligible or low.
• New areas of woodland planting, the creation of ponds and grassland areas will improve wildlife linkages and create new habitats
• No objection from the [former] Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food (MAFF) to the loss of agricultural land
• A sustainable urban drainage system will help to maintain water quality and balance across the site and will assist with the recharge of the underlying aquifer
• The Environment Agency has confirmed that there is a sustainable supply of water for this development
• Noise mitigation measures will be introduced to protect new residents from traffic on the A1(M) in particular
• The site is outside of the noise contour from Luton airport that restricts residential development
• Waste disposal, provision of water and water treatment can all be dealt with satisfactorily with appropriate mitigation measures
• None of the air quality objectives of the National Air Quality Strategy will be compromised by the development
• Impacts from construction will be short-term or minimal and will not give rise to residual effects.