Additional flats to be built on gas works site

Developers have been given planning permission to build an additional 66 homes on the former gas works site in Marshgate Drive.

The site already has planning permission for 380 homes following the addition of 5 homes to the original scheme in 2023.

The District Plan of 2018 allocated the land for 200 homes and a subsequent planning application for 375 homes was refused by East Herts Disrict Council. However, this decision was later overruled by the government's Planning Inspectorate and construction began in 2021. The following year all work on the project stopped and the site has since been mothballed.

The proposed amendments will increase the total housing delivery on the site to 446 dwellings.

Affordable housing will make up just 13% of the development

Hertford Town Council objected to the planning application, raising concerns regarding traffic and insufficient parking. Similar objections were made by Hertford Civic Society and Kingsmead Residents Association. The full scheme will provide 367 parking spaces for the 446 homes, a figure that falls short of the council's Vehicle Parking sandards.

HCC declared a climate emergency in 2019 and EHDC agreed a climate emergency in 2023. In light of this, it is considered that proposals in sustainable locations should be seeking to limit parking provision, so to discourage car use and minimise carbon emissions.

:: East Herts Planning Officer

East Herts Council have limited powers to refuse planning permission for new residential schemes due to the lack of new homes being built in the area. Local planning authorities need to be able to demonstrate a 5 year supply f new homes. East Herts can only demonstrate a 3.4-3.7 year supply.

Conditions attached the planning approval include financial contributions of £3.8m for infrastructure and community services such as education, health and transport.

Commenting on sustainable travel, Kingsmead Ward councillor Vicky Glover-Ward (East Herts Green Party) said: "To meet the housing targets set by government, densification of housing on sustainable, brown field sites like HERT2 is preferable to increased building on green field sites. However while such development needs to maximize sustainable travel this cannot be effected simply by having parking standards but needs to be supported by reliable, affordable and frequent public transport with affordable car clubs. I am hoping that the new administration at the County Council will view buses as a necessary public service rather than an arms length business."