Updated 20th October 2001
Hertfordshire Structure Plan:
Council Outlines New Plan

East Herts could see over 11,000 new homes following publication of a draft plan by the County Council.

Hertfordshire County Council is in the process of revising it's 20-year plan for housing in the county, extending it to 2016.

The revised draft includes 11,200 new homes in East Hertfordshire, many of them on existing brownfield sites in towns such as Hertford, Ware, Bishops Stortford and Stevenage.

The urban development plan is seen as an attempt by the County Council to thwart the development of 5000 new homes on farmland west of Stevenage.

Local District Councillors fear that such intense brownfield development will lead to cramming and destroy the character of many of the county's market towns.

A public consultation on the plan is expected sometime in 2002.

Background

The Hertfordshire Structure Plan covers the 20 year period from 1991-2011 and includes plans on housebuilding in the county. A public enquiry was held to discuss how many new homes need to be built in the South East and where. At present there is a draft figure for Hertfordshire of 69,900 for the years 1991-2011.

In October 2001, the County Council issued a new draft 15-year plan for 2001-2016. Local District Councillors have until the end of November to discuss the plans before a further meeting of the County Council in December.

Hertfordshire County Council is a member of SERPLAN - South East Regional Planning Conference. SERPLAN is an organisation that represents local authorites in the South East, including Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire.