Hertfordshire Gardens Trust - Researching Historic Parks and Gardens

83,200 Houses to be built in Herfordshire by 2021

 

All our Local Authorities have been looking at where their particular allocation can be sited and some of them have come to the conclusion that to satisfy the government's demands Green Belt land will have to be sacrificed. Our local authorities have some very robust policies in place to protect the Green Belt and prevent us becoming part of the outer London Suburbs but these can be overturned if the Planning Inspectorate feel that the houses are of greater importance. Sadly, even councils with good Green Belt Policies find that other considerations take priority as with the Oaklands Campus development on the little bit of Green Belt between Hatfield and St Albans.

The first of these monsters has already hit us. Bloor Homes want to build on land in Lilley Bottom and around Mangrove Green and Breachwood Green in North Herts for the expansion of Luton. This is despite the need for houses in the area being to the west and north of Luton with growth in Luton itself not even warranting it. The plan by Luton and South Beds Council Consortium, put together without consultation with North Herts District Council - the local authority to which any planning applications would need to be submitted - would see 3000 houses plus ancillary development. But that is not all. A northern bypass for Luton, which has been on the cards for some time, is also suggested and this would entail yet more house building, up to 6000 homes in total, in order to pay for it.

Suggestions that part of Putteridge Bury Park, a Grade II park on the English Heritage Register could be used for this have been put forward. Further ideas for playing fields in the Park for a school in Luton have just come to light. We have been working with the Garden History Society to oppose this unnecessary intrusion on a Registered Park. The English Heritage Register defines it as a Park of National Importance and should not therefore be seen as a Brownfield Opportunity. We are also supporting the local community and CPRE in their attempt to keep this valuable landscape. This proposal and subsequent planning application has however hit a snag and has been withdrawn for the time being - but make no mistake, it will be back.

Harlow's expansion will take in all the valuable historic landscapes round Hunsdon, Gilston, and maybe as far as Ware and Bishop's Stortford. Most of these are not on the English Heritage Register. We have been trying for some time to put Briggens on the Register and English Heritage is very slowly processing our recommendation. What this lack of Registration means is that HGT will have to be the prime champions of these landscapes here in the East and elsewhere in the county, including the areas around St Albans and Hemel Hempstead where there are also proposals for major developments. We must fight for them to be retained - as well as their views and their vistas.

Our historic gardens are the story of Hertfordshire and its men and women who designed, laid out, lived and worked in the landscape. It is as valuable a historic document as any lodged in Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies but with much less care and attention given to its conservation and protection for our children and grandchildren to enjoy and understand. Each and every local authority will have similar problems and we need to know when our historic gardens are under development threat.