More than 50 local residents turned out to hear the outline planning application for the green belt site at Harts Farm refused by the Hertsmere planning committee.

Although a refusal was expected - and the officer recommendations published last week offered reasons for refusal, Little Bushey Community regarded them as weak and potentially useless at the up and coming planning appeal.

Calling for the committee for refuse the application on robust grounds, the reasons for refusal finally brought to the committee will put the Hertsmere and Little Bushey Community on a stronger footing at the planning appeal lodged by Redrow developers.

• Inappropriate development in the green belt
• Harm to the character and appearance of the landscape
• Failure to demonstrate that it would not result in increased flood risk to the surrounding areas

In presenting Little Bushey Community's case, Chair, Daren Nathan said: "We love our community and we are asking you for strong and robust reasons to refuse this application - to protect the green belt, to protect the character and appearance of this part of Little Bushey Lane and to protect the wildlife which the green belt on Little Bushey Lane gives a natural home."

Continued Daren: "The applicant uses spurious examples as to why it says its application represents such very special circumstances, but there is nothing very special about them whatsoever."

Hertsmere Conservatives will have faced the loss of seats in the forthcoming elections had they approved the application and refusing it on weak grounds would have meant that the Planning Inspectorate could have easily upheld Redrow's planning appeal.

After the meeting, Little Bushey Community's spokesperson, Nik Oakley, said: "We were pleased that more robust reasons for refusal were brought to committee and that there was unanimous agreement that the application was completely unsuitable for Harts Farm."

 

 

Redrow developers have submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate over the proposed Harts Farm development.

Although the appeal is for 'non determination' of the outline application by Hertsmere within the statutory eight week timeframe, it is likely that this was triggered by a belief that the application would be refused by the planning committee on 19 January.

In reality, this allows Redrow's planning case in full to be examined by Inspectorate in the hope it is upheld.

The determination of the application was withdrawn from the January meeting after Redrow failed to submit an archaeological report requested by planning officers. Hertsmere now intend to determine the application at the February meeting following a site visit last week by some of th committee.

Said Little Bushey Community spokesperson, Nik Oakley: "We have local elections in May and Conservative councillors have no hope of holding onto their seats if they approve the application. Whilst that might sound like a win for us, the real danger is that they refuse it on weak grounds."

Continued, Nik Oakley: "By doing this, it will allow Redrow to argue against those reasons and for the Inspectorate to uphold the appeal. The reasons for refusal must be robust."

The Little Bushey Community campaign team believe that refusing the application on weak grounds will allow Conservative councillors to blame the Inspectorate should they allow the appeal.

The date for the appeal has not yet been set, but Redrow have asked that 10 days be set aside for the hearing.

Little Bushey Community can be party to the appeal by applying for rule 6 status. That means they can appear alongside Hertsmere in presenting the case against development and cross examining Redrow's witnesses. Organisations are permitted to represent themselves, but it is far better to appoint a specialist planning barrister who could cost some £35,000.

Last minute dirty tricks by developer, Redrow, mean that the planning application for hundreds of houses and a school will no longer be heard at the Hertsmere planning committee on 19 January.

The additional archaeological report requested by Hertsmere has failed to materialise, despite the fields being excavated at the end of November.

As a result, the application's determination has been postponed at the last minute. At the same time, Redrow have submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate for non determination of the application within the statutory eight week period.

Said Little Bushey Community spokesperson, Nik Oakley: "Unscrupulous developers have a range of tactics open to them if they suspect their application will be refused. This is one of them."

Despite the appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, the application will be heard by the committee and Little Bushey Community expects to be party to that appeal with planning consultants Chroma.

After four years of campaigning against the development of Harts Farm for a massive housing scheme in the green belt, the planning application goes before Hertsmere's Planning Committee on Thursday 19 January.

Nearly 3,000 objections to the development have been submitted, including ones from Little Bushey Community's planning consultants, Chroma Planning and Development.

Now we need you to join us at Hertsmere Civic Centre in Borehamwood before and during the Planning Committee for a real show of strength against this huge development of hundreds of houses and a school.

Residents are being asked to join the camapign team on the steps of the Civic Centre in Borehamwood at 5.30pm and in the Council chamber at 6pm.

Chroma - together with input from pur ransport and environmental consultants - have submitted a 26 page letter of objection to Hertsmere. You can download it here.

The government has set out new measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which they claim will place local communities at the heart of the planning system.
 
Housing targets remain, but are a 'starting point' with new flexibilities to reflect local circumstances. To reinforce this, Michael Gove, Minister for Levelling Up,  has asked the competition watchdog for a study on the housebuilding market.

Local authorities are to be given power to promote brownfield development with a wider review to promote brownfield development.

New penalties are also proposed for slow developers failing to build already-approved homes

The measures are designed to strengthen the government’s commitment to building enough of the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure, ensuring the environment is protected and giving local people a greater say on where and where not to place new development.

Housing targets remain an important part of the planning system say the government and they will consult on how these can better take account of local density.