East Herts District Council adopted the Local Plan (Second Review) on 18th April 2007, following a public consultation and Inspectors Report.

The plan is 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 10 sections:

• Housing Allocations
• Reserve Housing Land
• County Hospital Site - North Road
• Former Mill Road Depot
• Mead Lane Area west of Marshgate Drive
• University Land west of Mangrove Road
• Riverside Yards
• Employment Areas
• Lea Valley Area Plan
• Balls Park

The formulation of the Local Plan included a public consultation that took place between 28th June and 8th August 2001, reveiving around 10,000 responses.

There was then a public inquiry into the plan, headed by an independent inspector Ava Wood, which ran October 2005 until April 2006. The results of the enquiry were published in February 2007.

Online information about the council's plans, including those for Hertford, can be found at www.eastherts.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=1941.

The District Council are also formulating plans for beyond 2011. Provisions in The Government's Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 require that local councils create "Local Development Frameworks" to replace Local Plans with "Regional Spacial Strategies".

Online information about how the council is preparing for LDFs can be found at www.eastherts.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=1950.