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Shafford Knoll Farm at Nash Mills, 2026
In 2024 a speculative planning application was submitted for a site in the Green Belt at Nash Mills in Dacorum Borough. The application proposed 30 dwellings and a 70 bed care home on farm land adjacent to the Grand Union Canal.
CPRE Hertfordshire along with many local residents and the Nash Mills Parish Council objected to this proposal for inappropriate development. The site forms a crucial part of the green gap preventing coalescence of Hemel Hempstead and Kings Langley. In July 2025 Dacorum Borough Council refused permission. The developer appealed the refusal and submitted additional documentation arguing that the site constituted ‘grey belt’. The appeal was heard via written representations. We participated and submitted our Interested Party Statement refuting the applicant’s assertions regarding ‘grey belt’.
In early March 2026 the Planning Inspector issued his decision dismissing the appeal. Among his findings, he concluded that this site makes a strong contribution to purpose a.) of national policy regarding the Green Belt, namely, to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas. Thus, the site is not ‘grey belt’ and development cannot be justified on that basis.
We are delighted with this appeal decision. We hope it it will act as a deterrent to other applicants attempting to justify inappropriate speculative development on the basis of the government’s misguided ‘grey belt’ policy.
