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Enormous speculative mass housebuilding proposal at Tring
Along with hundreds of local residents, we are urging Dacorum Borough Council to refuse permission for 1,400 dwellings on farmland (the so-called Marshcroft site) in the Green Belt east of Tring.
It’s not too late to add your voice to the growing number of local people who are concerned about this speculative development proposal.
What’s the issue?
Dacorum planning application 22/01187/MOA is seeking permission for a gigantic new development of 1,400 dwellings and associated facilities on the east side of Tring. If built, it will have many damaging and irreversible consequences for the small market town as well as for the Green Belt and the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
We encourage everyone to submit their comments and ensure their voice is heard. Details on how to do this are included below.
What are our concerns?
We have already submitted our objection which is available for reference. We believe this is the wrong location for development. Our concerns include:
Harm to the Green Belt. The site is in the Green Belt which is protected from inappropriate development in both national and local planning policy. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) says “The Government attaches great importance to Green Belts. The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence.” In addition, successive Government Ministers have frequently and repeatedly pledged to protect the Green Belt from development and this proposal is contrary to those pledges.
Harm to the Chilterns AONB. The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is immediately adjacent to the northern, eastern and southern boundaries of the proposed development site. AONBs have strong protections from development and these protections are applied to a 500 metre buffer zone around the boundaries of the AONB. This development proposal would harm the landscape of the AONB and damage the outstanding long views into and out of the AONB.
Harm to the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Areas of Conservation. The Chilterns Beechwoods Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) is also very near. The special habitats of the SAC are under such immense pressure from high visitor numbers that there is a legally-imposed moratorium on planning permissions that would result in additional residents within 12.6 km of the Ashridge estate. The moratorium is in force until existing pressures on the SAC are mitigated. This proposed development at Marshcroft with its 1,400 additional dwellings and thousands of additional residents would exacerbate, not mitigate, these existing pressures.
The development proposal is of a huge and inappropriate scale. If built, this development would nearly double the built-up footprint of Tring.
Too much pressure on infrastructure, including cumulative impact of nearby development. Tring has recently seen significant expansion with the new 226 dwelling ‘Roman Park’ residential development on the western edge of the town. There are also several large urban extensions on the edge of Aylesbury nearest to Tring. All of this development is putting pressure on Tring’s infrastructure. For example, Dacorum borough already has more sewer overflows than anywhere else in Hertfordshire and this development would make the problem even worse with even more wastewater to be handled.
Harm to the character of Tring. Tring is a historic small market town with a distinct character and recognised heritage importance. There are over 80 listed buildings and other structures. The character of the town is jeopardised by such significant growth.
What can be done?
It’s not too late to submit comments. The planning application was filed in April 2022 and has not yet been decided. The Council must take on board every comment received up until the time a decision on the application is made.
It’s easy to submit your comments. Each individual submittal matters, and you should use your own words.
You can also contact your elected representatives on the Tring Town Council and Dacorum Borough Council and make sure they know you oppose this development.
How to submit comments
Please join the hundreds of other local residents who have already objected to this damaging development proposal by submitting your own comments.
To submit your comments online, click on this button to go to Dacorum Borough Council’s planning portal, then enter 22/01187/MOA in the search bar.
Alternatively, you can email your comments to planning@dacorum.gov.uk
Or you can post your comments to: Planning Dept, The Forum, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1DN
Be sure to cite planning application number 22/01187/MOA.
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