Developers looking to create up to 650 new homes on Green Belt land in Great Ashby have submitted a planning application known as 'scoping opinion'.
The site, which was earmarked for development in the Local Plan, is located off Great Ashby Way - close to Tilekiln Ancient Woodland.
Plans would see a residential development of up to 650 homes, an access road off Mendip Way, up to 500sqm of retail, food and beverage and medical and social floorspace, up to four hectares of non-Green Belt land allocated to make provision for a primary and possibly a secondary school, parking infrastructure and associated works.
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In a report included with the application, developers Picture Estates Ltd confirm that "proposals are being developed for an outline planning application for the residential-led redevelopment of the site", and it estimates construction time of five years, with developments commencing in 2025, subject to planning permission.
The scoping opinion application is a request to North Herts Council to provide an Environmental Impact Assessment of the site, gauging the thoughts of council officers.
The report by Picture Estates Ltd "sets out the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment scoping study undertaken by the project team and accompanies a request for a Scoping Opinion submitted to NHDC".
It identifies a number of ecological designations which are close to the site, including Tilekiln Wood Ancient Woodland, Claypithills Spring Local Wildlife Site and Walkern and Weston Conservation areas.
A consultation is not applicable for the scoping opinion application, however residents and interested parties will have the opportunity to comment if a submission is made for outline planning permission.
Following a lengthy inspection process, North Herts Council's Local Plan for 2011 to 2033 was approved by Planning Inspector Simon Berkeley in November 2022.
As part of the plans, the site - known as GA2 - was earmarked for development of around 600 homes.
Ahead of the second round of planning hearings in October 2020, a petition was launched by campaigner group ‘Saving North Herts Green Belt’ to have the site removed from the Local Plan.
Over 1,100 people signed the petition.
On adopting the plan, Mr Berkeley stated in his report that the development size and "extent to which it protrudes into the Green Belt... would result in significant harm to the Green Belt", however "that either existing vegetation or proposed landscaping will ensure that the Green Belt impacts are reduced to the lowest reasonably practical extent".
To view the scoping opinion application, go to north-herts.gov.uk/view-or-comment-planning-application and search 23/00806/SCOP.
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