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St Albans District Council's housing target slammed (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)
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St Albans District Council's housing target slammed
2:41pm Monday 20th July 2009
PLANS to build thousands of homes on the Green Belt in St Albans have been slammed by residents who will be affected by the proposed developments.
St Albans District Council has launched a consultation seeking the views of local people on its plans to meet housing targets.
One of the sites earmarked for some 1,000 houses is behind Watford Road in Chiswell Green, bordering the M10 motorway.
Homeowners in Corder Close would be looking out of their back gardens to a development of homes, if the plans take shape.
However, speaking to the Review today, one resident said she and her neighbours would do everything they could to make sure the district council's plans were rejected.
The 74-year-old has lived in Corder Close for 34 years and commented on the beautiful scenery she looks out onto from the back of her house which would be ruined and the pressure it would have on local services.
She said: “You only have to look at the roads now, they are congested in the morning and afternoon rush hours. It would be chaos if they build these homes, and there wouldn't be enough school places.
“When your own children cannot get a local school place, what will happen if more families move in? It's a ridiculous idea, we are definitely against it.”
A neighbour said: “There is no way that this will just happen with out us making a massive fuss. This has happened in the past. The last time a planning application was submitted f or this land we were assured that it would be the last.
“There is one junior school and one senior school. That is not enough for 1,000 more homes. They have to take into account St Albans is a city and its identity.
“There are also environmental factors to take into account, surely there must be some protection there?
It's really worrying. I cannot think there is anybody who would want this.”
To read more about the district council's plans. Click the related link on the story.
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Your Say YourSt Albans
BCF, says...
3:43pm Mon 20 Jul 09
FatBob, St Albans says...
5:41pm Mon 20 Jul 09
For the sake of accuracy, it's you nitpicking my comments, not the other way around, since my blog was the first to be posted and preceded yours.
I didn't say or infer anything about benefit scroungers; that's a conclusion derived from your own
imagination and prejudice.
In case you don't know, in planning law no one is entitled to a view (from their property, that is, not on a blogsite). Some views and outlooks are more protected than others. I think the minimum distance between glazed windows in habitable rooms in adjoining or facing properties is 27 metres, but that may now be even lower. Even so, 27 metres doesn't guarantee much of a view.
little bear, garston says...
7:03pm Mon 20 Jul 09
BCF wrote:There is people out there that do work and cant afford to buy their own homes, people in rented, council or what ever are not all on benefits!
FatBob, do you exist for any purpose other than to nitpick at other readers' comments? Obviously you have a lot of time on your hands. I should think the St Albans Review gets sick of seeing your name. I know I do. FYI., I too have a family and having worked hard for our FULLY OCCUPIED HOME (not that it's anyone's business other than ours how occupied it is) AND THE VIEWS IT LOOKS OUT ON I think we are entitled to keep them. Why should we lose our countryside to a load of scroungers who can't be bothered to get off their backsides and off their benefits to buy their own homes.
And im not sick of seeing fatbob's name, what he says makes sense.
Disgusted of St Albans, says...
9:57am Fri 24 Jul 09
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FatBob, St Albans says...
3:34pm Mon 20 Jul 09
If they're under-occupying large houses maybe this is the time to sell and free up their residences to families who would be grateful for the chance to live in St Albans and wouldn't over-react to a strategic development plan, and that's all it is at this stage - a large glossy document full of proposals.