An application has been submitted for a housing development on former playing field land near Letchworth.

The site is located on between Croft Lane and Norton Road.

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At this time, the application is "all matters reserved", meaning that aspects of the application are yet to be released, with only outline planning permission sought.

Further details will need to be agreed at a later stage.

The plans follow a number of previous applications for the land, which have been unsuccessful.

According to the application, both North Hertfordshire District Council and
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation have been consulted, in preparation for the design proposals.

The Comet: Only an Outline Planning Application has been submitted.Only an Outline Planning Application has been submitted. (Image: Vincent and Gorbing Ltd / North Herts Council)

The application was passed at a North Herts County Council planning meeting on Thursday night (February 9).

However, Kevin Hinton of the Norton Action Group, believes that the 'All Matters Reserved' aspect of the application has meant that the application had to be passed, as there were no details to object to.

He told the Comet: "At Thursday's meeting, there was debate from the members expressing their discomfort that this precedent of All Matters Reserved by HCC could become a way to counter the Planning Committee and the planning process on future applications...

                                                                                                                                

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"...The application was passed as expected as there was nothing they could object to.

"The discomfort and annoyance of committee members was tangible.

"They knew they had been outfoxed."

One objection to the plans, written by David Burridge, states: "I have previously set out my absolute objection to the proposed development of the former Norton School Playing Field in Letchworth Garden City in numerous letters dating from 27 November 2016 to Herts County Council, North Herts County Council, and The Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation...

"...Over the last five years there has been no substantive changes to the planning application, which was correctly originally rejected by the North Herts County Council."