We have issued a new ‘call for sites’ following the adoption of an updated Local Plan timetable earlier this month – with a survey now open.
Around 400 landowners, developers, agents and organisations have been contacted, by our planning policy team, to invite the submission for consideration of any sites which may have potential for housing and employment development, and environmental uses including energy and bio-diversity.
This is the next critical step to ensure that the future development of Hertsmere is managed in the most appropriate way, with the council keen to identify all potential brownfield sites within urban areas to support regeneration opportunities within the borough’s key settlements.
In December last year, the Government published a revised version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which aims to simplify the planning process, enable new development opportunities and make the delivery of housing, including social and affordable housing, a priority.
The changes mean that, across an 18-year period, the housing target in the borough has increased from just over 13,000 new homes to 18,612, which equates to 1,034 new homes per year – an increase of 43 per cent.
The Local Plan matters to all of the borough’s communities as it maps out the strategy and vision for Hertsmere until at least 2043.
Peter Geraghty, the council’s Executive Director, said: “This is a significant opportunity for landowners, developers and agents to review potential development options. Our survey provides communities and organisations with an easy way to put forward possible sites for consideration for development and other uses including, vitally, sites which can potentially facilitate bio-diversity improvements.
“We are committed to ensuring a balanced approach to growth, and that means meeting housing and employment needs for our borough but also investing to continually improve our approach on sustainability and tackling climate change.”
To be eligible for consideration, housing sites should have the potential to accommodate five or more homes or have 500 square metres of floorspace, or 0.25 hectares available for economic development.
The ‘call for sites’ ends on Thursday 24 April 2025 at 5pm, and the survey can also be accessed via the council’s website.
