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Dear Sir/Madam I strongly object to the Draft Local Plan for Hertsmere, which would do harm to the borough. I object to building on the greenbelt in ANY location in Hertsmere and on ALL sites named in this Draft Plan (in no particular order) namely: - HEL222, HEL218, HEL152, HEL1005, HEL1006, HEL388, HEL1100, HEL1101, HEL1102, HEL1103, HEL1104, HEL197, HEL209, HEL212, HEL1011, HEL274, HEL219, HEL179, HEL509, HEL337C, HEL337B, HEL215, HEL1107, HEL176, HEL175, HEL502, HEL505, HEL386, HEL251, HEL375, HEL1023, HEL216, HEL910, HEL1106, HEL318, HEL162, HEL177, HEL180, HEL231, HEL1027, HEL1029, HEL214, HEL222, HEL349, HEL320, HEL199, HEL345, HEL219, HEL179, HEL509, HEL382, HEL387, HEL394, HEL1041, HEL171, HEL816. Background The previous version of the Draft Local Plan received almost 20,000 objections from across the borough. 2500 acres of Greenbelt was as stake with 12,000 houses proposed. Broadly the objections were against loss of protected Greenbelt land, and/or over development of towns and lack of suitable supporting infrastructure. Strategy for the new Draft Local Plan Despite the huge public mandate, this new proposal is for the loss of1800 acres of Greenbelt and much over-development. It is deeply concerning that Residents have not been listened to following the last consultation. Furthermore the detail of the plan does not convey the ‘Green’ aims set out by the Council or show evidence of how they are demonstrated. Radlett Strategy This proposed plan would have devastating effects on Radlett, changing the fundamental rural characteristics of the village as we know it, and increasing air pollution and climate change through desecrating the natural environment. The road arteries out of Radlett are already highly congested at peak times. The current situation is untenable and anything more would grind the area to a halt. Radlett is highly affected by the limited road access it has – hence why when Harper Lane, Shenley Hill, Shenleybury or Theobald Street have any routine road works the whole of the area is shut down. Buses cannot get through and children have difficulty getting to school. There is a lack of provision for secondary school places. SITE 130 Theobald Street: This is protected greenbelt land. A site just a stone’s throw away has just been rejected for development by the Appeals Inspectorate, a site of Hertfordshire pudding stone. A location of an already congested junction, at rush hour this is at a standstill, this would cause increased traffic problems, pollution and congestion. This would put increased strain on a road artery into Radlett from Borehamwood already at its limit. SITE HEL 231 Starveacres: we oppose this site of 75 houses as extremely unsuitable due to very difficult road access at this site and a danger to road users and pedestrians. Furthermore Watford Road has undergone a huge amount of residential development which has brought Radlett to s standstill and destroyed local roads with potholes. This is overdevelopment of a residential location of a single house. SITE HEL 1029 Porters Park; we oppose the overdevelopment of this land with 20 houses at an unsuitable access location on Shenley Hill right on a blind bend, a main thoroughfare out of Radlett with significant traffic problems. SITES HEL222,1027 are over development in already congested areas in Radlett with existing traffic problems and access difficulties. HEL180 is a rural setting on Radlett road that faced significant objection in the last plan. Aldenham Villages –HEL 199, 345, 219, 199, 509 - Inappropriate development in conservation areas and rural areas, loss of hedgerows, lack of suitable road access, over-development in rural areas, change to characteristics of the rural environment, harm to wildlife. HEL 509 This is a rural site of trees and hedgerows within a conservation area, it is unsuitable for development of this kind. Common lane is a single lane narrow windy country lane, making the road access extremely precarious in this location. Hedgerows are part of site description. The government have just announced plans that English hedgerows will be protected in law, with them providing important ecological benefits including wildlife habitats,, slowing soil erosion, supporting crop pollinators and absorbing carbon. HEL345 Rural setting, site of existing local businesses notably the Roundbush Nursery -a family has been situated for over 100 years on this site. The Nursery provide services to Edge Grove School and children use the Nursery for outdoor learning, all of which would be lost. Round bush Lane as a country lane is not suitable for a development of this size, the character of the area would be harmed by this proposal. HEL 219 Rural setting, very difficult access on single lane roads, damage to wildlife, hedgerows and changing the characteristics of the landscape. HEL179 This strip of land adjacent to the M1 is in an area prone to flooding. The main access roads Sandy Lane and Hillfield have significant flood problems which mean they are often completely cut off at times of heavy rain, resulting in significant access problems. The Letchmore Heath side of the site has very small single lane country lane making access limited. It is a rural setting rich in hedgerows, trees and wildlife. HEL199 this site would completely change the visual appearance of the landscape in this rural location, an area of dense hedgerows and rural wildlife. It would block views to a heritage site, Aldenham Church, mentioned in the Domesday Book, causing harm. It is a site of Hertfordshire puddingstone. Hedgerows with the ecological benefits discussed above. There are uninterrupted countryside views on both sides of Radlett Road from Hillfield to Fairfield School, and this would be an incongruous housing development in the middle of it. Current traffic problems exist due to congestion on Radlett road heading to the M1 via the Hartspring Roundabout, an area of frequent flooding and daily disruption. Road access out of this proposed location will be dangerous at this location, which is not residential, it is a throughfare out of Radlett. There are no pedestrian crossing in the area, Radlett Road has no footpaths and no street lighting. Recently there was a RTA where a cyclist was killed at this location. Shenley: Site HEL 349 Under these proposals, the village of Shenley becomes a drive-thru for the traffic generated by Sky North and Borehamwood, Bowman’s Cross, Radlett, Harper Lane, Colney and more. We oppose this development on greenbelt land in terms of over-development and congestion, with a small and unsuitable road network with lack of infrastructure. 180 houses opposite the entrance to Harris Lane would cause a huge strain in the centre of the village with hundreds of new cars on the road and a loss of greenbelt land. The following comments apply to ALL sites in the proposed draft plan (as listed above) :- Loss of Greenbelt: The Greenbelt has a unique role to play in capturing and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere long-term. We cannot fight Climate Change without it. In our battle for clean air, the Metropolitan Greenbelt is our most valuable asset and must be preserved without question. Air pollution has been definitively linked to cancer and disease. If we destroy the greenbelt, its benefits will be lost forever. Inherent to the concept of the Greenbelt is its PERMENANCE and its visual and spatial openness. The Greenbelt has a crucial role to play in separating settlements, which otherwise would result in an urban sprawl of Radlett, Elstree, Bushey, Borehamwood, Shenley and Potters Bar, taking from those areas their unique local character and countryside atmosphere. These draft plan proposals do NOT constitute special circumstances for building on the greenbelt. Size and scale: the sheer size and scale of the proposal to rob Hertsmere of 1800 acres of greenbelt is what we object to fully. Air Pollution: clean air must be our priority in our battle against climate change and with Hertsmere declaring a climate change emergency we must not destroy the very greenbelt that is fundamental in sequestering carbon. We must plan for clean air to be a priority for our children in the borough. Noise pollution: local communities surrounding with be blighted by noise with years of building traffic. Lack of local infrastructure: small roads already busy with traffic at a standstill can take no more. The road network is limited and already over capacity, and the suggestion that people walk and cycle instead, extremely long distances is untenable. Amenity space: these proposed sites are covered with numerous public rights of way and bridleways - used for hundreds of years by local residents enjoying the countryside, and these would be lost. Overdevelopment: Radlett does not need or want overdevelopment of housing on greenbelt sites that would fundamentally change its nature. Character of the Village of Radlett: People live in Radlett for its character and village feel. It is a countryside village with close links to London, however it has small streets, limited infrastructure and is identified by its rural and tranquil atmosphere. Harm to local wildlife: the greenbelt in Hertsmere is the natural habitat for many forms of wildlife and birds, including grey Herons, thrushes, gulls, peregrines, badgers, muntjac deer and rare tree sparrows. Owls, Red Kites, Kestrels, Buzzards, Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Necked Woodpeckers, bats, moles, snakes are amongst some of the species whose habitats would be destroyed. Out of date data and assumptions The data used is now out of date and is an exaggeration of what would be required. Housing targets are not mandatory. In addition to my comments above regarding ALL sites in the proposed draft plan, I note ADDITIONAL and FURTHER comments to specific sites as detailed below, namely:- HEL382 Bowman’s Cross New settlement A devastating proposal which would DECIMATE the character of the borough, connecting the settlements of London Colney, Shenley and Potters Bar creating urban sprawl. In size, this huge new settlement would be on existing road infrastructure which is already over capacity, and a huge loss of 1800 acres of greenbelt land and associated wildlife. Greenbelt permanence, visual openness and spatial openness would all be harmed in this scenario. Bordering councils have warned this area would grind to a halt with the current proposal, with the lack of rail transport links and supporting facilities. A further 10,000 cars on the roads in restricted road arteries such as Harper Lane, Shenley Hill and Shenleybury would be chaotic. Further proposed developments in St Albans and Park Street would concrete the borough. There is serious concern about road access with the council having confirmed there would be no special junction to the M25, and that an extra 10,000 cars would use he already congested Bell roundabout. The details of this proposed settlement are severely lacking. Potter Bar HEL 1023,251,910,375,216,318,162,177,1106 These proposed sites would constitute over development and greenbelt loss in Potters Bar which does not have the space or infrastructure to cope. There are not enough GPs to cope currently. More building would lead to potential flooding issues. Traffic and congestion are overbearing as it is now. HEL318 Sunnybank there would not be enough space on this space unless it was high rises. The noise and pollution from the M25 would be unbearable at this site. The land adjoining Sunnybank at the back of Pope School regularly floods, so concreting over Sunnybank would exacerbate the problem. The proposed school is dedicated to special needs. Where would children who don’t have such needs attend school? Pope Paul is an oversubscribed one-form-entry faith school which has a wide catchment as Catholic children have admissions priority. There is no regular bus service running along Baker Street. Narrow roads leading to the site are unsuitable for any more traffic. HEL 251 Loss of greenbelt and loss of green space. It is a recognised flood zone by the environment agency. This site contains fixtures of significant historic interest. There are rare birds such as kingfishers on the site, and endangered wildlife. The area of the golf course is already very congested at peak times and reaches gridlock. It is unclear what is being done to ease this problem or provide sufficient parking for these proposed new homes. Parking on the high street in the area of this site is already in short supply. HEL265There would not be enough space here unless it was high-rises which would have a detrimental effect on the visual landscape. Borehamwood Borehamwood has become an urban sprawl. Development expanding the current boundaries of Borehamwood are not only changing the size of the town but setting a president to expand it further in the future, ultimately merging with surrounding neighbourhoods. Borehamwood is rapidly becoming London. According to CPREHerts, 2023, “building on greenbelt land will not solve the housing crisis”. HEL152 is greenbelt land which should be protected and well as allotment land which produces food and should not be lost. The site is used by residents for country walks, cycling, dog walking and children playing, this amenity space would be lost. Stapleton road is serviced by a school bus and should not have increased vehicle numbers on an already congested road that is used as a cut-thru between Shenley and Borehamwood. The site falls under Cowley Hill ward, which ranks in the top 10% of deprived areas in the country. It should not be subjected to further stretched services and also loss of amenity space. We cannot accommodate 120 homes and a 75-Bed Care Home on Organ Hall Farm Greenbelt (HEL218) (which separates Borehamwood and Radlett). The same also for HEL209 with the proposed 209 houses. HEL 152 with 200 houses. HEL197 with 75 houses. These sites support a rich biodiversity of wildlife, both mammals, amphibians and birds as well as vital open spaces essential for the mental and physical wellbeing of all that use them. It is intended that sites HEL1005, HEL1006, HEL1100, HEL1101, HEL1102, HEL1103, HEL1104, HEL388 will have 1010 new homes in total. Although brown-belt land, multi-storey buildings will constitute an overdevelopment of Borehamwood with a further significant lack of infrastructure adding strain on services and overcrowding of people. Increased vehicles will increase pollution levels/high-carbon and traffic/congestion at a time where there is a well-documented climate emergency. HEL 388 will dominate the middle of the high street and would have a negative impact. Thank you for receiving my comments.

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