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Environment

Dacorum Local Plan

Background

Dacorum Borough Council (DBC) launched a consultation on its new draft Local Plan in October 2023. The new Plan entitled ‘Revised Strategy for Growth’ covers the period to 2040 and attracted more than 1,300 comments.  This new draft Local Plan followed DBC’s initial consultation on an ‘Emerging Strategy for Growth’ which was published in October 2020.

The new Local Plan takes into account the extensive feedback from the first consultation and has been updated to reflect changes in the housing requirements and proposed improvements to infrastructure across the borough.

The Plan

The plan proposes the building of 11,696 new homes up to 2040 which is 10% more than envisaged in 2020. A proportion of these houses will be built as part of the Hemel Garden Communities in conjunction with St Albans City and District Council (SADC). The plan includes proposals for at least 6 new primary schools and 2 new secondary schools as well as a revised hospital hub and new healthcare provision including extended and upgraded GP surgeries and health hubs.  The town centre will be regenerated and there will be sustainable transport improvements including the regeneration of Hemel Hempstead train station.  Full details of the proposed Local Plan are available on the DBC website at the following link. The consultation period closed on 11th December 2023.

NEW CONSULTATION ON THE DACORUM LOCAL PLAN (2024-2040) – REVISED STRATEGY FOR GROWTH

 

Map taken from above website link.
Dark Grey Site: Current St Margarets Way development
Dark Green Site: South of Green Lane proposed development

The only new housing development within the DBC boundary affecting Leverstock Green is a proposal to build 80 homes on land south of Green Lane adjacent to Westwick Row. This site is the remainder of the old Westwick Farm which was earmarked for housing many years ago.  LGVA has expressed a number of concerns about this development including the further loss of green space, the history of flooding in the Green Lane area, the proposed density of the housing and the need to ensure access to the development is not from Westwick Row.

Finally, the Centurion Club has submitted a planning application to SADC proposing an expansion of the golf course by a further 10 holes. The extension would be to the south of the course on land which is currently part of a conifer plantation. There has been some speculation that the application may be linked to a proposal to include a retirement village within the complex. Details of the application are on the SADC Planning Application portal under reference 5/2023/2112. The opportunity to comment on the application expired on 14th February 2024.