Plans to build over 10,000 houses in the Three Rivers district are under consultation by the local council.
The Government requires that local authorities put forward a 15-year proposal for housing plans in line with population growth.
Three Rivers District Council has calculated that 630 dwellings will need to be built annually in the district until the year 2038, and more than 10,000 could be built in that time, according to the Local Plan
Meanwhile, the population is expected to rise from 92,641 people, according to 2017 statistics, to 105,200 by 2036.
Much of the Three Rivers district is ‘green belt’ land, making up 76 per cent of the area. This refers to areas of countryside land protected from most forms of development.
The Liberal Democrats have already decided against building on certain green belt land, such as the areas between Abbots Langley and Kings Langley where plans to build more than 2,000 homes were proposed.
Yet other housing plans are still going ahead, causing controversy among residents. One of the largest areas affected is nearby Maple Cross, where the council is proposing to build 1,547 dwellings.
Other areas include the west of the Kings Langley estate where 893 homes could be built, and at the golf course in Batchworth. The council hopes to construct 618 dwellings on the course.
Hertfordshire residents are concerned about the impact it might have on their local areas.
One petition started in Abbots Langley has received 500 signatures, with organisers commenting that the proposed development “would mean the irreversible loss of valuable countryside and green space”.
Another petition based in Maple Cross, with more than 250 signatures, claims that the plans are “unnecessary”.
Sarah Nelmes, the council leader for the Three Rivers district council, said in a statement: “Many of the sites put forward in this consultation will be controversial to some, but the Council has to seek to allocate sufficient sites to meet our needs. This will involve difficult decisions but is necessary.”
Over the consultation period, which lasts until July 23, residents of the Three Rivers district are invited to put forward comments on the proposed plans through the council’s online portal or via email.
Ms Nelmes added: “We would welcome your thoughts on our approach which provides a balanced approach for new homes and local facilities which should benefit new and existing residents alike, while at the same time doing what we can to preserve our most valuable open spaces for the benefit of all of us.”
Article originally appeared on Herts Live.
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