Updated Friday 30th December 2005
Local Plan

East Herts District Council has re-published the second draft of it's local plan for the area and are inviting the public to comment on the proposals.

The plan will be used to make planning decisions and guide developments up to the year 2011 in areas such as housing, the environment, economy and transport.

The aims of the plan are to maintain and enhance the character of the town, to provide for the population in a sustainble way, to address traffic problems, and to prevent sprawl.

According to the council's website "the theme of the Plan is to make provision for modest growth in housing and employment in our towns and some villages, whilst retaining their quality and market town feel".

The plan for Hertford is divided into 13 sections:

• Settlement Limits
• Housing
• Mixed Use Sites
• Economic development and employment
• Hertford's Green Fingers
• Town Centre
• Transport
• Public Transport
• Cycling
• Pedestrian Priority
• Town Centre Environmental Issues
• Leisure and Community Facilities
• Balls Park

This new version of the plan follows a public consultation that took place between 28th June and 8th August 2001.

The will now be a public inquiry into the plan, headed by an independent inspector Ava Wood, and running from October 2005 until February 2006. The results of the enquiry are expected to be published in February 2007.

Online information about the council's plans, including those for Hertford, can be found at http://www.eastherts.gov.uk/local%20plans/Contents/index.htm.