Excessive Housing Numbers Proposed for Dacorum – Dacorum Local Plan

The Chiltern Society has submitted a detailed response to the recent consultation on the Dacorum Emerging Strategy for Growth (2020 – 2038). This Plan sets out proposals for over 16,000 new homes across Dacorum in the period up to 2038. The Society considers that the numbers proposed are excessive and would lead to a significant loss of Green Belt around Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring, as well as impacting on the setting of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Read the Society’s full response to the consultation here.

Members can still submit their own responses on the consultation until 28^th February 2021.

Visit the Council consultation page here.

We have been working with other local organisations in an alliance called ‘One Voice’ to agree a shared approach to opposing the Dacorum Local Plan. We have agreed, and now endorse, the following 3 statements in relation to the Emerging Strategy for Growth as a whole –

We the Chiltern Society, Chiltern Countryside Group, Grove Fields Residents Association (GFRA), Berkhamsted Residents Action Group (BRAG), Kings Langley & District Residents Association (KL&DRA), Berkhamsted Citizens and Tring in Transition as the ‘One Voice’ alliance, oppose the ‘Dacorum Local Plan – Emerging Strategy for Growth’ because:

1. Whilst the policy on biodiversity is clear, the emerging plan is not explicit enough in terms of how Dacorum Council will work with developers and other stakeholders to mitigate Green Belt loss, increase biodiversity and meet National and Hertfordshire’s goals for climate change and carbon reduction.
2. The proposed number of houses to be built should be significantly lower than the target to reflect actual demonstrable need for housing and the high proportion of Green Belt and AONB land in Dacorum, with a primary focus on affordable starter homes.
3. A higher proportion of the houses should be built on brownfield land, or established through conversions, in the existing urban areas of Hemel Hempstead, Tring, Berkhamsted and Kings Langley, and away from areas located in the Green Belt (which should only be used in exceptional circumstances) and the Chilterns AONB and its setting.

While not members of the Alliance, the Chilterns Conservation Board and CPRE Hertfordshire are working closely as advisors to the One Voice alliance.