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Dacorum Local Plan consultation
| This article is all about the Dacorum Local Plan – fundamentally how many houses are going to be built in the borough and where in the next 15 years; I’m certain its authors would shudder at that summary, but that’s what most of it is about, and what most of us are most interested in. If it feels like you’ve read about this before – then you’d be absolutely right. There were versions in 2020 and 2023, but whilst changes were made by Dacorum after those earlier versions, what we have now is almost certainly what will be submitted to the Government for approval. Anyone can comment on this version and those comments will be submitted to the Government, but it is highly unlikely that this document will be changed before the Government gets its teeth into it. The consultation process will run from 4 November to 17 December 2024. If you want the full monty, then go to New Dacorum Local Plan (to 2041) where you’ll find more reports than you would have thought possible and details of how to comment. In the meantime, here are some headlines (but please bear in mind that we’ve not had very long to look at it ourselves). 15,300 new houses will be built in the borough by 2041 – borough councillors were advised that any delay to the Plan risked this figure rising to 19,800 because of changes to planning policy being introduced by the government and that they would see more speculative proposals like the proposal for 350 houses at Marchmont Farm opposite Piccotts End (which isn’t in the Plan). Most of the development is in Hemel with some in Berkhamsted and Tring. Much of the housing growth proposed for Tring in the 2020 version of the plan which was removed in the 2023 version has re-appeared on the site which lies between Tring and the station. Most of the development in the Plan for Hemel is to the north and west of the town including: 750 houses at Polehanger Lane which weren’t in the previous two iterations of the Plan and is a significant encroachment on the gap between Hemel and Potten End. The Plan numbers only include the first 1,500 houses of what is referred to as North Hemel with another 3,500 to be built after 2041. It also excludes the 5,500 houses to be built in East Hemel which technically is part of St Albans (the term “Hemel Garden Communities” now generally seems to refer to broader developments across Hemel – but sometimes it’s specific to North and East Hemel, an ambiguity which doesn’t really help understand what’s going on!) Also of interest to the Parish but technically not forming part of the Local Plan proposals because it’s already been approved is the development of 1,150 houses at the bottom of Pouchen End Lane (known as West Hemel Hempstead LA3) It’s not easy to find a map that adequately conveys all of these developments but hopefully you’ll get some sense of what’s happening from the map below.  One of the oddities in the Plan is that under the section dealing with the measures to protect Ashridge there’s a detailed list of the SANGs (open spaces) necessary for the planned development – but no mention of the Potten End Hill SANG, despite the fact that so far as we can see it’s still being considered by Dacorum Planning. The Parish Council will discuss a response at its next meeting on 21 November and would very much welcome your views either before then or at the meeting. But if you do want to make a comment, either supporting or expressing concern, then it is important that you make it on the Dacorum website. |
PC Meeting 18th February 2016
Details of Meeting
Meeting held on Thursday 18th February 2016
In the Church Rooms, Potten End at 8pm
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PC Meeting 17th March 2016
Details of Meeting
Meeting held on Thursday 17th March 2016
In the Church Rooms, Potten End at 8pm
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PC Meeting 21st April 2016
Details Of Meeting
Meeting held on Thursday 21st April 2016
In the Church Rooms, Potten End at 8pm
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PC Meeting 19th May 2016
Details Of Meeting
Meeting held on Thursday 19th May 2016
In the Church Rooms, Potten End at 8pm
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