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Updated Wednesday 6th February 2008
Housing Development In Hertford
The number of households in Hertford in 2002 was 10960, an increase of 1533 or 15% since the 1991 census (source: EHDC). Only one in five of new homes is built on a greenfield site. Anecdotal evidence suggests that significant numbers of Londoners are leaving the capital's suburbs and moving to towns such as Hertford. Government policy is highly controversial as it advocates a large increase in housebuilding. Recent Developments The largest recent development in the town is Riviere in Mill Road, a Higgins Homes development of 112 flats. Nearby is Mead Lane, a large area featuring significant amounts of disused brownfield land. This area was the subject of a public consultation in 2003, following the publication of a development strategy by a private company. This consultation raised a number of issues and as a result the authority decided not to pursue the matter further. One of the principle concerns was that of access, with Mill Road being the only road serving the site. Whilst much of the land is disused, there are still a considerable number of employers located in Mead lane and as such Mill Road can become congested during peak times. However, piecemeal development of the area has taken place with 300 homes planned for the riverside, joining the adjacent Riviere development. Both of these projects feature modern blocks or four and five storeys, which some argue are out of keeping with the characters of the town.
Future Development The government has recently unveiled new plans for housebuilding in England, with specific focus on the South-East, with East Herts being asked to provide over 32,000 new homes. It is unclear how this might effect Hertford, but proposals for the region are being strongly resisted by both the District and County Councils. Studies have also highlighted the need for a multibillion pound commitment from the government for new roads, rail links, schools, health centres and other community facilities. This was highlighted in April 2003 when a committee of MPs criticised the plans as ill thought out and not fully assessed. The East of England Regional Assembly initially adopted the government proposals but in late 2004 suspended their support due to inadequate funding from national government for associated infrastructure improvements. A press release from the EERA in March 2006 quoted the chair of the Regional Planning Panel as saying "The predictions for household growth in the East of England over the next twenty years are surprisingly high and if translated into new homes would result in a massive increase in housebuilding and development that is simply not sustainable". more...
From The Archive: Housing Development in Hertford
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