Major housing development on St Albans Green Belt (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Major housing development on St Albans Green Belt

3:50pm Friday 17th July 2009 in

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THE district council has revealed how it proposes to meet its tough targets for new houses in and around St Albans, including developments on playing fields and open Green Belt farmland on the edge of the city.

The authority, which has to plan for 7,200 new homes in the district, has drawn up a blueprint and launched a consultation to seek the views of the public.

Included in the draft strategic planning document, known as the local development framework core strategy, are proposed extensions of St Albans south-west from the Mayne Avenue/Westfields area towards the A414 (the former M10), and south of Sandpit Lane towards Smallford.

Council leader Robert Donald said: “We attach great importance to protecting the Green Belt and will continue strongly to resist any Government requirement to encroach upon it.

“But we have to prepare for the likelihood that we may need to consider building in the Green Belt. So this strategy invites views about some of the difficult choices we might need to make in future.”

The south-west extension would be served by a new road between the A414 and the A4147 to divert traffic the city centre and the congested King Harry junction.

Although the 7,200-home target has already been nearly half met by recently-built developments and others with planning permission, the council still has to find room for about 3,000 homes, some of which it will squeeze in to urban areas.

These include the former Eversheds printing works near Alma Road, the former Oaklands city centre campus, St Albans City train station, King Harry Lane playing fields and the Building Research Establishment in Bricket Wood.

Other areas of open Green Belt land which will be consumed by bricks and mortar include Harper Lane south of the M25 and Beaumont School's playing fields, as the council says the school has plans to use other sports facilities.

The core strategy is likely to be adopted as formal planning guidance in 2011, after a public enquiry, governing future planning applications until 2026.

In the longer term the council fears yet more Green Belt areas will have to be yielded, including the Thrales End area to the north of Harpenden.

The strategy includes proposals for new industrial estates at Porters Wood, Roe Hyde near Colney Heath, the London Road cemetery and Rothamsted, Harpenden.

In a bid to reduce traffic in the city centre, the council envisages a park-and-ride scheme, with four 200-space car parks at locations to the south of the city.

The strategy includes long-term proposals for the city centre such as possible locations for a new supermarket, a hotel and a mixed cinema/housing development, together with a realignment of shopping areas.

Readers can see further details on the district council website, where they can make comments before the final version of the strategy is submitted to the Government.