Sixty new homes could fill the gap between a village near Stevenage and its bypass.

Designers have handed their plans to East Herts Council after villagers in Watton-at-Stone voted to adopt a new parish Neighbourhood Plan 609 votes to 30 on Thursday, October 12.

The supported document includes a policy with the code WAS 3 – for 60 homes west of Walkern Road.

The October referendum indicated villagers support a mix of house types which do not break the horizon line, a new pedestrian and cycle crossing over the River Beane and public amenity green space which will remain in the green belt.

In planning documents published in November, the developer has promised “distinctive placemaking to establish a strong sense of ownership” and a development “inspired by Watton-at-Stone’s characteristics with natural amenity and social spaces”.

The developer has also set out plans for a “defensible new village boundary” and “places designed for naturalistic play, socialising and community activities for all”.

Of the 60 new homes, 42 would be built as houses and 18 apartments, with 40 per cent of them meeting an “affordable” definition.

One document reads: “The majority of the site north of the River Beane has been removed from the Green Belt by allocation WAS 3 for residential development in the Watton-at-Stone Neighbourhood Plan.

“The rest of the site is within Green Belt.”

It notes the plans include a “new landscape buffer between the proposed development and the Green Belt” to create a “clearly recognisable and permanent new boundary”.

The developer wrote: “All houses and maisonette are two storeys, which is consistent with existing dwellings in the surrounding area and complies with the requirements of the Neighbourhood Plan.

“The maisonette blocks have been designed to appear as short rows of terraced houses with each property having its own front door.”

The homes would sit between Beane Road and the A602, with access from Walkern Road.

The Watton-at-Stone Neighbourhood Plan notes releasing land from the Green Belt is “in line with the housing needs of the parish”.

Suggested reading

It reads: “Through paths and green corridors are to be provided. Connectivity should flow both to the village centre and up to the station.

“A new pedestrian/cycle bridge will be required to connect this site to the High Street/Stevenage Road, via a pedestrian/cycle path across the River Beane and the neighbouring field.”

The policies demand developers mitigate a potential increase in traffic resulting from housing growth and carry out a flood risk assessment.