Plans for 220 new homes in Borehamwood have been refused after the development was deemed to be "inappropriate for the Green Belt".

The planning application, submitted by BDW Trading Ltd, would have seen the homes built on land off Barnet Lane and Furzehill Road, but the proposal was turned down by Hertsmere Borough Council on March 13.

"The proposed development comprises inappropriate development in the Green Belt," the council stated in their reason for refusal.

"Inappropriate development should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

"There would be several benefits of the development, including the delivery of market, affordable and custom/self-build housing. However, the council consider that these benefits, when considered collectively, are insufficient to clearly outweigh the harm arising to the Green Belt, as well as the harm arising to landscape, character and appearance.

"Accordingly, very special circumstances do not arise here and permission is refused in accordance with policy CS13 and paragraph 152 of the NPPF.

"Consequently, the proposed development is considered to be contrary to the requirements of policies SP1 and CS13 of the Hertsmere Core Strategy (2013), policies SADM11 and SADM26 of the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies Plan (2016) and the NPPF 2023."

The plans were certainly controversial, with 1,996 objections to the development submitted during the consultation period, while there were just two in support.