Plans for hundreds of homes would cause “significant detriment” to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a parish council has warned.

Chorleywood Parish Council has objected to the application by the Chiltern Hills Golf Club for 675 homes and a two-form entry primary school on the 55.8-acre site east of Green Street.

It comes as the number of objections rose to 555 on the Three Rivers District Council website, with just one supporting comment.

In the parish council letter, it said no exceptional circumstances exist to allow the “major development” within the Green Belt and Chiltern’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which are afforded extra protection in national planning guidelines.

It argued the development would cause “decisive” harm to the area around the village, which currently offers “spectacular views” of the surrounding landscape.

In the plans currently pending consideration by Three Rivers District Council, the area’s housing density would rise from 18 homes per hectares to 31, a 72 per cent increase which would be “wholly out of character”.

Councillors added the traffic assessments did not properly consider the “highly sensitive” single track country lanes. The plan would also result in around 147 new secondary school students, while there are only 64 spare places at the nearby Reach Free School.

The land is owned by the Chiltern Hills Golf Club which operates a partially completed 18-hole course on the west side of Green Street and previous plans for 800 homes on the same site were rejected in March 2023.

Planning agents Savills previously withdrew its appeal on behalf of the golf club with the planning inspectorate last November and the club has now has defended the plans stating that it had addressed the previous reasons for refusal.

It said the plan would provide numerous benefits, including up to 50 per cent affordable housing, a new primary school and public play facilities for children.

It argued that residents would also benefit from new football pitches, a clubhouse and sports hub under plans for the golf club site opposite, although the parish council has said these were not guaranteed nor “truly public” benefits as they would be provided by a private company. 

Watford Observer: A masterplan of the proposed 675-home development near Chorleywood.A masterplan of the proposed 675-home development near Chorleywood. (Image: Savills / Three Rivers District Council)A Chiltern Hills Golf Club spokesperson added: “The proposals provide an unrivalled opportunity to deliver housing in a highly accessible and sustainable location in close proximity to Chorleywood station, that will bring new life to the local town centre, sports and community facilities.”