Herts council finds enough green belt for 907 new homes

Three Rivers District Council has named 12 plots where new homes could cause just “low to moderate green belt harm” if they are included in the area’s next local plan.

Among the sites is a suggestion for 144 homes on the derelict Penfold Park Golf Club, sandwiched between the A405 North Orbital Road and the M1.

Up to 303 homes have been suggested on the corner of Woodside Road and High Elms Lane, Abbots Langley.

These sites could help authority reach its 12,624-home target for the period 2018 to 2038.

Taking account completions and existing planning permissions, and a “windfall” allowance, the authority must now find room for 10,678 homes.

A previous draft plan fell more than 1,700 short.

In addition to the 907 homes which could cause low to moderate harm to the green belt, Three Rivers District Council will meet on Thursday, August 3 to discuss 33 brownfield sites for homes.

A report which councillors will debate at their policy meeting sets out the authority will only consider using sites with a higher green belt harm if they are “strategic and the benefits of the site are considered to outweigh the harm”.

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It reads: “The sites recommended in this report contribute to an approach that would result in a moderate level of growth.

“Through … consultations in 2021 and 2023 the council has already consulted on a high-growth option based on the standard method of housing need.

“The low-growth option would be no green belt land being released at all.”

The report continues: “Overall, the amount of growth without going into the green belt would be far too low as we would be unable to meet the needs of the district as required by national policy including affordable housing, housing for the elderly and delivering much needed infrastructure, whereas if we were to meet the standard method housing need in full, it would result in unacceptable harm to the green belt.”

Suggestions include 190 homes at Chorleywood Station (Image: Google Street View)

The meeting is the first of two Local Plan Sub-Committees in August to explore potential sites.

A consultation on these allocations would be held before they are put into local planning policy.

By setting aside land in the plan, the council would make it easier for developers to build on the plots, and for the authority to demand infrastructure for existing and new residents.

According to Three Rivers District Council, the former golf course is suitable and available for 144 homes.

Suggestions include 163 homes along the Met Line at Croxley (Image: Google Street View)

It is 520m from the nearest primary school and 305m from the nearest secondary, but it is almost a mile (1,560m) from the nearest open space so is “outside threshold”.

Directly south of Waterdale Recycling Centre, a future developer would need to provide a 100m buffer between the depot and any houses or flats.

The site off Woodside Road is “outside threshold” for primary schools, but is in the lower threshold for secondary schools – 605m away – and local shops.

Suggestions include 112 homes in Park Road, Rickmansworth (Image: Google Street View)

Although 303 sites would not be enough to secure a new primary school, with a suggestion for 26 more homes in Warren Court, “the totality of development proposed in this area means that the county council would want to plan to deliver more than a two form-entry if required in Abbots Langley”.

Other suggestions include 133 homes at Mansion House Equestrian Centre and 133 more at Cinnamond House in Cassiobridge.

In towns and villages, suggestions include 190 homes at Chorleywood Station, 163 homes along the Met Line at Croxley, 112 homes in Park Road, Rickmansworth and 24 at the former police station in Rickmansworth’s Rectory Road.

Sites where around 500 or more homes are proposed will be discussed at the second meeting, on August 24.