Land South Of Little Wymondley

Application no. 22/00956/OP

Outline planning application for the development of approximately 300 dwellings.

The site forms a significant part of the Green Belt buffer between Hitchin and Stevenage and ‘very special circumstances’ need to be demonstrated for its release from this protective designation. We believe that neither very special circumstances in respect of the planning application, nor exceptional circumstances in respect of the Submission Local Plan, have been demonstrated.

No mention is made of the agricultural status of the land proposed to be used for development. With the increasing significance of food security and related issues, CPRE Hertfordshire believes that such factors should be part of the consideration of planning applications which use agricultural land.