Archived press release

10,000 houses get go-ahead in hertfordshire green belt

16 October 1997

800 hectares of Greenbelt land could disappear as a result of the decision of Hertfordshire County Council on Tuesday night to give the go-ahead to one of the most controversial and damaging new settlements in the country - the 'West of Stevenage expansion' - for 10,000 new houses [1].

The new settlement would be two thirds the size of Hitchin, and bigger than Hertford itself.It would create almost continuous urban sprawl between Stevenage and Hitchin.

The scheme is highly unpopular locally. Over 4,000 people objected to it at the public examination. The decision was made in the face of concerted opposition from the Conservative group, which is the largest group on the council [2].

If it went ahead, the expansion of Stevenage would:

* Irreversibly damage Hertfordshire countryside designated as special landscape area and Green Belt [3];
* Generate huge volumes of commuter traffic, adding to congestion and leading to destructive road-building schemes;
* Encourage people to move into the area;
* Destroy the rural character of local villages, including Langley and St. Ippollyts;
* Undermine Hertfordshire County Council's original plans for urban regeneration.

Simon Festing, Housing Campaigner for Friends of the Earth said:

“Labour has consistently said it would protect the countryside. Ministers must overturn this disastrous decision and review their housing policies to stop urban sprawl and allow house-builders to use derelict land in towns and cities.” [4]

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The resolution was passed on 14/10/97 after 3 hours heated debate to agree the modifications to the structure plan by 14 votes to 13 against, with 1 abstention. The structure plan can now be adopted early next year with a few technical formalities to go through first.

This means that the West of Stevenage expansion has now been agreed as a major strategic allocation of housing in the county structure plan. The modifications to the plan now state that under “Policy 7 Strategic Locations for Supplementary Housing Development... In the case of development west of Stevenage, the master plan will provide for an initial phase of 5,000 dwellings, some of which to be completed after 2011, and provide for a possible second phase of 5,000 dwellings thereafter.”

According to the comprehensive 'New Settlements Directory 1996' (by John Herrington Consultants), the West of Stevenage expansion would be the second largest new settlement in the country.

[2] Labour and the Liberal Democrats have formed a coalition party with 39 seats on the county council. The conservatives have 38 seats.

[3] The Herts structure plan now states that “Greenbelt boundaries will be reviewed to allow for the strategic and other major housing developments... In the case of development west of Stevenage the review will take account of the long-term possibility of a total development of 10,000 dwellings”.

According to According to Planning Policy Guidance 2: Green Belt: “The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the most important attribute of Green Belts is their openness... They help to protect the countryside...
There are five purposes of including land in Green Belts:
- to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
- to prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another;
- to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
- to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
- to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict urban land.”

[4] Hertfordshire County must find 65,000 new dwellings in its structure plan period under regional planning guidance issued by the Government. This figure takes no account of the local environment, but is based on mathematical projections of how many new households are likely to form.

Labour is currently considering the 700 responses received from the 'Housing Debate'initiated by the previous Government in November 1996, but has made no firm commitments to give greater protection to the countryside from housing developments.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust