There are more than two weeks remaining for people to have their say on the Draft Local Plan for Hertsmere.
Seven public engagement events have been held across the borough during April and earlier this month, with more than 1,000 people attending in total.
Councillor Nik Oakley, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Infrastructure and Transport, was at each of these events, along with members of our Planning team, to answer questions from those attending.
An eight-week-long consultation is open until midday on Wednesday 29 May 2024, and people can take part by visiting www.hertsmere.gov.uk/newlocalplan. Alternatively, they can also give their views by post, by writing to Planning Policy, Hertsmere Borough Council, Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, WD6 1WA or by emailing local.plan@hertsmere.gov.uk.
For those who were unable to make it to one of our seven events, the Draft Local Plan displays are in place in reception at the Civic Offices, Borehamwood, until 29 May and, if people have any questions while at that location, a member of the Planning department will be available from 10am to midday on every weekday (excluding Bank Holiday on Monday 27 May) up to and including Wednesday 29 May.
The consultation is an opportunity to have a say on the future of Hertsmere, with the Local Plan important to all of the borough’s communities as it maps out the strategy and vision until 2040.
It focuses on a number of key areas, notably housing and employment site allocations, and the revisions that have been made since the previous consultation in 2021 – these include a 40 per cent reduction in the amount of Green Belt being lost and 9,400 new homes to meet Hertsmere’s housing need - a fall of 22 per cent from the previous Draft Local Plan.
Cllr Oakley said: “I was very pleased to attend each of the seven engagement events, as it was extremely valuable to be able to speak to people, face to face, about our Draft Local Plan which sets out our ambitions for green, sustainable growth, showing how and where new homes, jobs, crucial infrastructure and essential investment can be delivered.
“It’s so important that residents are able to respond to the consultation with all of the correct information clearly available, so I’d like to thank everyone who came along to talk to us. The displays on view in the Civic Offices’ reception, as well as the chance to ask any other questions to the Planning team, provide another opportunity to find out more.”
Hard copies of the Draft Local Plan, along with the Interim Sustainability Appraisal and comment forms, are available at a number of locations until the consultation ends.
Posted on Tuesday 14th May 2024