Highways

It looks as though the worst of the road closures are behind us at least for the next three months, although Cadent are returning for their third attempt to sort out the gas mains along Church Rd in the May half term. 

The parish council has submitted a grant application to the Police and Crimes Commissioner to trial new technology that will make speed monitoring much easier and will be replacing the batteries in the speed monitoring device along Water End Rd to see if that can be re-commissioned.

Open Spaces

The Council will be considering a proposal to commission the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to produce a pond management plan to form the basis of future maintenance activity. It will also be considering a proposal to clear approximately 5m of the undergrowth on the Conservation Green (that part of the Green to the west of Hempstead Lane – the Martins Pond side) where it has encroached over recent years and to repair the sleepers that protect the edge of the Green along its boundary with The Green (the road), along with installing wooden posts at the corner of The Green with The Common and Hempstead Lane.

The new village sign has now been delivered and will be installed shortly on the Conservation Green, i.e. the opposite side of Hempstead Lane than it was previously because that location is prone to vehicles missing the turning and hitting it.

For many years the village has benefitted from a series of committed residents who have run football clubs for varying ages on the sports field; we are extremely grateful to everyone who has been involved. Unfortunately no-one has stepped forward to run a team for the 2026/27 season. If this is something you think you might be able to help us with, please get in tocuh.

Planning

Our thanks to Cllr Eamonn Brennan who missed the last parish council meeting because a planning application for Four Acres Farm on Nettleden Rd was scheduled to be discussed by the Dacorum Planning Committee. Unfortunately the entire meeting was taken up discussing a major development at Tring and the discussion about Four Acres was deferred to this coming Thursday – which means that Cllr Brennan will miss another meeting so he can argue the case for why the Parish Council objected to this proposal.

There have been a number of references in recent news letters about the risk of the government’s definition of grey belt to Potten End. The Parish Council would like to thank Borough Councillor Terry Douris for co-sponsoring a debate at Dacorum which has led to Dacorum writing to the government on this subject.

At the meeting on Thursday the Council will consider:

i. 26/00944/FHA – Cleft Oak Cottage, Hollybush Close, Potten End, HP4 2SN – Demolition of existing side garage and rear extension and construction of single storey side and rear extensions and two storey front and rear extensions and associated works.

ii 26/00979/FUL – Bakery Flat, 21 Water End Road, Potten End, HP4 2SH – Extensions to and conversion of existing dwelling and ground floor disused shop to create 1 x 2 bed and 1 X 3 bed self-contained dwellings with private amenity space.

iii 26/01034/LDP– Roseheath Wood, Bullbeggars Lane, Potten End, HP4 2RS – Construction of timber vehicular gates, brick piers, and a pedestrian side door to a maximum height of 2.0 metres, situated 17.5 metres from the site boundary and 24.0 metres from the edge of the adopted highway. Installation of 1.0-metre high brick flanking walls at the property entrance and the creation of permeable gravel driveway and visitor parking bay.

iv 26/01095/TPO– Williams Wood, Vicarage Road, Potten End, HP4 2RA – works to trees

Finance

The Council will consider a grant request from the Potten End Pre-school for £250 to support it’s summer fete.

May is the start of the Council’s year and as a result there is a lot of administration to get through, signing off the accounts for 2025/26 and agreeing the core elements of the council for 2026/27 – we’ll aim to get through these important but frankly slightly tedious processes as quickly as possible.