Plans to build almost 200 new homes between Hatfield and St Albans that would help ‘double the size’ of a village have been thrown out.
Villagers told the St Albans City and District Council planning committee on May 22 that two of the schemes put forward by separate developers in two different locations would significantly harm the Green Belt.
But developers claimed there is an acute need for housing in St Albans district, and urged the committee to approve their schemes in Colney Heath.
The larger of the two proposals was put forward by Vistry Homes – for up to 150 homes behind Tollgate Road between the village centre and North Mymms Park.
Lynn Skelt spoke against the application.
She said: “It’s imperative that we have your support in opposing this development of 150 houses on Green Belt land.
“The alternative is that all of your areas are going to be inundated with planning applications using this as their chain of precedent.
“Historically, the Green Belt has been respected as a shield against uncontrolled urban sprawl.
“The site has beautiful views from Coursers Road, Tollgate Road and North Mymms, and the river and surrounding areas are a haven for animals who use this as a wildlife refuge.
“Villagers are car-dependent with no reliable public transport, no cycle lanes, and there is no doctors’ surgery, dentist, pharmacy or supermarket.
“This is one of five speculative developments which would double the size of our village.”
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Ms Skelt warned of “chaos” at a junction in the village if all the proposed schemes go ahead as planned.
She also cited environmental implications for the River Colne, a rare chalk stream near the site.
The Environment Agency had objected to the proposal, but withdrew their opposition, if the developer were to include green buffer zones for a “riparian corridor” to support nearby ecology, submit sewage pipe plans to the authorities, and agree to stop works if they find any previously unidentified contamination.
A flood risk assessment concluded most of the site lies in flood zone one – areas with the lowest risk – but some areas lie in zone three – the highest risk.
The smaller application was a proposal for up to 45 homes behind 96 to 106 High Street in the village – put forward by Tarmac.
Corinne Doust spoke to oppose the application.
She told the committee: “Tarmac’s development encroaches into the Green Belt and would cause loss of openness. We cannot afford to lose the many benefits of this countryside.
“There are no ‘very special circumstances’ here that would outweigh that harm.
“The development is environmentally, socially and economically unsustainable.”
Ms Doust said the local farmland is “significant”, providing food security and a habitat for skylarks, swallows and bats.
Parish councillor John Clemow echoed the public speakers, warning of the sites were some of the “least sustainable” environmentally, socially and economically, with “oversubscribed” schools and “more bus stops than buses”.
He added: “The local need is mainly for realistically priced three-bedroom homes, not £1million four and five-bedroom properties.”
A planning agent on behalf of Vistry Group said he recognised how “contentious” new homes in the Green Belt can be.
He said: “It is inevitable if any meaningful level of housing need is to be met.
“There are simply not sufficient brownfield sites available to meet anything approaching a sensible housing target.
“The question then becomes ‘what sites, and where?’
“This is where the local plan comes in.
“It has been almost 30 years since the last local plan was adopted in St Albans.
“The lack of a strategic framework for development and a lack of new sites coming forward has caused major problems for the area, and is at least partly to blame for the shocking affordability issues currently faced by young people trying to access the housing market.
“A new local plan is still years away from adoption.
“Even if the proposed local plan consultation takes place this summer, as has been suggested, it would be a brave man who puts money on the timely adoption of a local plan in St Albans.”
A speaker representing Tarmac said: “Our application proposes a number of significant public benefits which we argue collectively, clearly outweigh any limited harm caused by the proposals.
“Members today can determine the application objectively and on its own merits, weighing the balance of considerable social, environmental and economic benefits against the lack of any statutory objections from, for example, the Environment Agency, highways, and so on, and against the very limited harm to the green belt.”
She added the proposal could provide new footpaths, high quality landscaping with the retention of trees, and additional planting for biodiversity net gain.
Across both applications, 40 per cent of the new homes would have been considered “affordable”.
Planning staff recommended that councillors refuse both applications, warning of harm to the Green Belt “by reason of inappropriateness”.
Councillors voted to refuse both applications unanimously.
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