St Ippolyts housing development approved by council

Ten of the homes - built on land between Stevenage Road and Sperberry Hill that is currently overgrown and unused - will be offered at a market rate, while four will be 'affordable' homes, according to the government definition of the term.

The four affordable homes will be accessed from Stevenage Road, with the other ten accessible only for Sperberry Hill.

Before North Herts Council's planning committee granted permission, Cllr Amy Allen said she had a "big problem" with the lack of direct pedestrian access between the two sections.

Residents of the affordable homes would instead have to take a lengthier route to reach an area of open public space planned next to the market rate homes.

Cllr Allen feared this would create "almost segregated communities", and her intervention led to an understanding that the plans will adjusted to create an "informal link" between the two areas of housing.

The applicant's agent confirmed they "don't see it being an issue" to create direct pedestrian access.

All ten councillors present at last week's meeting voted in favour of granting planning permission.

The site was allocated for residential development in the North Herts Local Plan 2011-31.

Among the market rate properties will be nine four-bedroom houses and one five-bedroom house, all with detached double garages.

The affordable homes will include two two-bedroom houses, one three-bedroom house and one two-bedroom bungalow.

Twenty objections had been received to the proposal from members of the public, with many concerns focusing on the increase in traffic that would be caused by the new homes.