Frequently asked questions with answers by Councillor David Snowdon
Many of you will by now be aware that an area of woodland in Thorley is being put up for auction, sub-divided into 12 plots. This has caused a very high level of community anger, concern and worry.
Following on from posts on the Civic Federation page since Friday, a group of local residents has been coalescing to oppose the fragmentation of this site and oppose development upon it.
I thought it worthwhile answering below some of the questions which have been asked, and provide an update on what your local councillors have been doing:
Q1. Who owns the land and can they actually sell it?
The land is privately owned, and the owners are legally allowed to sell the land. Neither Bishop’s Stortford Town Council nor East Herts Council owns the land – and no public body has owned it as far back in history as I have been able to find. No local council can legally block the sale of the land – just as the council can’t stop an individual selling their home.
Q2. What are your local councillors doing?
On Sunday afternoon Cllr John Wyllie, Cllr Toby Garrett and Cllr Graham McAndrew (all South Ward Councillors) and Cllr David Snowdon (Deputy Leader of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council) met with a group of local residents to discuss how to deal with the sale of the land and how to oppose development of the site. After the meeting, your local councillors did a site visit to the wood.
Local councillors have provided information on planning policies to local residents, and already spoken to the Leader of East Herts District Council Cllr Linda Haysey, the East Herts Executive Member for Planning Cllr Jan Goodeve, as well as Hertford and Stortford MP Julie Marson. All have provided useful information to us.
We have written the Head of Planning at East Herts Council (see the letter below) seeking formal clarification of the planning restrictions on the land. We will also be discussing with council officers the best way ahead.
Cllr David Snowdon also spoke with the Chief Executive of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council as Chairman of the Finance Committee this morning. More to follow on this.
Q3. Hasn’t this happened before in Bishop’s Stortford?
Yes, many of you will remember that there was a similar sale of plots of land on Rye Street, south of Meadowlands in 2020-21. Cllr Wyllie and Cllr Snowdon together with local residents robustly engaged with the council and made it clear that they will oppose any attempt to build on this land. So far, no development has occurred on this land.
Q4. Could the government do anything?
Cllr David Snowdon has written to the Minister for Housing (see below) to ask him to take measures to stop Green Belt land being sold off in small plots. We are concerned that people buying Green Belt land will believe that it is easy to gain planning permission, and that the fragmentation of land ownership will make maintenance more difficult.
Q5. Would planning permission be granted to build on this land?
We believe that it is unlikely that planning permission would be granted on the land. According to the Green Belt maps, the land is within the protection of Green Belt where there is a presumption against development. We have asked for a full breakdown of the protections of the land from the East Herts Planning department – we will provide them when they are sent to us.
Q6. What can your local councillors do if planning permission is sought for housing?
We will be objecting to any planning application on this land as I struggle to see how any development on this land will be within the Council’s planning frameworks, and could meet the public’s expectations of how this land should be used.
We would be asking Bishop’s Stortford Town Council to object to any application for housing on this site. The Town Council can only make recommendations to the District Council, but it is a statutory consultee and its recommendations are a critical indication of local feeling on the matter.
We would also be asking the Chairman of the East Herts planning committee to bring the application before a full planning committee. We would also be asking for speaking time at the committee meeting to make the case against allowing housing development on this land.
Q7. What can the public do to help?
A local community group is forming to oppose any development on the land, and I am sure they will at a later date be providing more information on getting involved with them.
Perhaps the most important way people can help is if and when a planning application is lodged. Residents can lodge an objection to a planning application and can speak at the Committee Meeting at which it is being considered. Further details will be circulated by me closer to the time if this becomes necessary.