A project including 186 homes and 59-unit retirement accommodation has been given the planning go-ahead.

In August last year, a planning application for the Grange Farm site in Green Lane, Bovingdon, was submitted to Dacorum Borough Council.

The proposal sought full permission for 57 dwellings and the extra care building but only provided the details for outline permission to build a further 129 homes.

At its last meeting, the borough council’s development management committee voted to approve the plan, with nine votes for, none against, and two abstentions.

During the meeting an additional informative was proposed and added to the draft permission, calling for due attention to be paid to access and traffic flow in the area.

Formal approval is still subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement, formalising the developer’s obligations such as affordable housing provision.

Of the 186 homes, 74 will be designated as affordable housing, 23 of which are included in phase one of the plan - which is covered by the full planning permission.

Watford Observer: Rough boundaries of the application site (land for access roads also formally included.Rough boundaries of the application site (land for access roads also formally included. (Image: Google Maps/Canva)

Phase one includes eight three-bedroom homes, 16 four-bedroom homes, and 10 five-bedroom homes for private housing. Its affordable housing includes three one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom apartments as well as 11 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom houses.

According to planning documents, the mix of housing types would be reflected in the wider masterplan.

The extra care housing would provide 33 one-bed units and 26 two-bed units.

Access roads, community land for outdoor sport, a scout’s hut, orchard, gardens, green space, are also included in the development. Homes have been assigned allocated parking and on-street visitor parking is also spread through the design.

The land is within the green belt, but application documents had highlighted that it was proposed as a suitable site for new homes in drafts of the emerging local plan and so may have been taken out of the green belt anyway upon formal adoption of the local plan.

A proposal for full planning permission will still need to be proposed and approved before further phases of the development can go ahead.