Plans to build 129 homes on a previously developed Green Belt site will be decided by a public inquiry.

Proposals for the new homes to be built in Hanstead Park in Smug Oak Lane, Bricket Wood were submitted by landowner St Congar Land at the beginning of 2015.

But in April, the application was refused by St Albans District Council because the plans did not show enough affordable housing and the development would impact on the openness of Green Belt land.

Director of St Congar Land, Steve Taylor, says he will tell the inquiry that development on brownfield sites should be maximised in order to save Green Belt land.

The Hanstead Park site has already been built on.

He said: “When we bought the site in 2012, it was identified by the council as suitable for 180 homes.

“We worked with local planning officers and came up with a scheme that was reasonable from a design point of view.

“But despite the fact it’s a brownfield site – land which already has development on it – the council decided we were asking for too many houses.

Mr Taylor added that the company revised the number of houses it wished to build, which is now below the volume of current buildings on the site, but this meant it had to reduce the number of affordable homes it could provide.

The council then refused the application on these grounds.

Mr Taylor added: “St Albans is a desirable place to live, it’s a location close to central London.

“We need more housing and St Albans has to take its share.

“Brownfield sites are not being maximised and Green Belt suffers – it seems the council prefers to build new development on Green Belt sites.

“Hundreds and thousands of pounds is being spent fighting these appeals.”

St Albans MP Anne Main was among those concerned about the plans.

She said at the time that while she recognised some of the land has been previously developed, there was insufficient infrastructure to support the development, particularly through Smug Oak Lane.

She added: “Many residents have complained about their concerns around potential areas of social disturbance around the car park.

“We must remember that the site itself is Green Belt.”

The inquiry will begin at 10am on Tuesday, February 9 in district council offices at the Civic Centre in St Peter’s Street, St Albans. It is scheduled to sir for five days, although this may be subject to change as the inquiry proceeds.

The start times of the inquiry each day may also change, but members of the public are invited to attend to give their views.