Is there space for 900 new homes in Berkhamsted?

By LaraKing | Friday, August 28, 2009, 14:24

Dacorum Borough Council plans to build almost 900 new homes in Berkhamsted, but is there enough space?

The main sites earmarked for development include New Road in Northchurch and the S hootersway area. The council intends to build 868 new properties in the town as part of a long-term development plan.

Speaking on behalf of local residents, David Tossell of Coppins Close warned a town council planning meeting that the plans would put a "huge" strain on the town's infrastructure.

He added that research by himself and a team of neighbours had revealed that the proposals lacked local support.

"In such a short time we, as a small group, have canvassed opinion from between five and 10 per cent of the town's residents, and without exception all responses have been against the proposed development," he said.

The plans form part of Dacorum Borough Council's strategy to find space for at least 9,000 new homes in the borough by 2031.

What do you think about the proposals? Can Berkhamsted take almost 900 new homes?

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Comments

It's very simple really 'a pint wont fit in a half pint pot'
I wouldn't mind so much if the provision of housing was for our 'home grown' community to enable our children and future generations to have the choice of settling near their parents or other family members but we all know this isn't the case!
Berkhamsted has been seen as an ideal development area with opportunities for developers to create 'high-end' houses far out of the reach of most working class families within the town!
Of course other factors are the lack of school places, parking, hospitals....need I say more!

By National Film Archive at 17:54 on 12/09/09
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Don't blame the planners or our local politicians. This housing allocation is being driven by central government through the (unelected) regional quango, the East of Engalnd Assembly. Dacorum have been fighting this in the High Court and have managed to get even higher numbers of houses thrown out, but even so they've had to accept that some development is inevitable. Ditto the debate about gyspies and traveller provision - all thanks to the policies of Fatty Two Jags. Give Dacorum your feedback by all means, but I suggest you also write to our MP David Gauke and press for a commitment to a change of policy (on both issues) if there is a different government after the coming election. It's unlikely that anything will actually happen before next May.

By Car14 at 20:16 on 05/09/09
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It should be obvious to anyone with half a brain that the scale of this kind of proposal will place a tremendous burden on services.
If there is further development to accommodate these homes it will fundamentally alter the character of Berkhamsted. The market town that we love so much will cease to exist.
It would be interesting to know if anyone on the council involved in making this decision lives in Berkhamsted!

By coys1 at 19:11 on 30/08/09
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Berkhamsted is a town of national historic interest and should not be viewed as a "new town" to keep extending. I really think the planners need to look at the infrastructure of sewerage, roads, schools and health provision before providing 900 new homes. Rather than expanding the boundaries and destroying the green belt, the planners should perhaps consider building new homes in the centre of town - possibly on the site of the sorting office of the Post Office, which could be moved to the town's industrial area in Northbridge Road. If they did this, people wouldn't be getting into their cars to drive to town, causing more parking problems and pollution. I also wonder what employment opportunities there would be in the town for the people moving to these 900 new homes. The capacity just does not exist unless Berkhamsted is changed forever and I am certain nobody in the town would want this to happen.

By Karen1011 at 15:00 on 30/08/09
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In a similar vein to Aussie_KC, my concern isn't the 900 new homes as such, it's the danger that it won't be matched by similar expansion of infrastructure - be it schools, doctors, dentists or parking spaces in the town centre. There isn't really space to "expand" Berko as a town (at least, not without totally destroying the soul and character of the current High Street, which is what draws many people to us in the first place), so just tacking hundreds of new homes on the edges will merely choke the heart of the town. Will they be building on Green Belt land and taking away our open spaces? Will the developments fit the existing architectural character of the town or will they be horrible soulless new builds? Will they be provided with enough parking or will more cars be squeezed onto our already crowded streets? These are all things which have a major bearing on how these developments will affect those of us who live in Berko.

Aussie_KC also raises a good point about pushing the traffic problems outwards. I don't really want traffic fumes in my own garden as more and more cars use my narrow little road as a cut-through to get to the town centre.

By AmandaCarter at 19:05 on 29/08/09
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