‘Nobody wants this, but we have no choice’
7:30am Sunday 5th October 2008
Comments (8)
Council leader’s message as likely locations for 900 new homes are outlined
THE likely location of around 900 new homes has been announced by Three Rivers District Council, with many pencilled in for Green Belt land.
The council is responding to Government demands that some 4,000 new homes be built in the district by 2021.
Originally 3,600 new developments were demanded, but changes to the planners’ calculations announced last year pushed the number up to 4,000.
The majority of these full or outline planning permission or are in the process of being built. A shortfall of around 900 homes, however, must still be met.
Councillors, who must by the end of next year present to the Government its development strategy for the next 15 years, launched a public consultation in August last year highlighting eight possible locations for the extra homes.
Residents were asked to respond with their least favoured option(s) or suggest alternative locations.
The council, which has called the number excessive, will in the coming weeks issue five so called “preferred option sites” in which to plug the shortfall.
Details of these sites are:
- South East Abbots Langley: 300 to 400 homes.
- Green Belt area on the former aerodrome site now known as Leavesden Park.
- West of South Oxhey – 100 homes Green belt area around Little Furze Primary School, south of Gosforth Lane.
- East Kings Langley – 100 homes Potential flood zone in an area east of Kings Langley between the River Gade to the west, and the West Coast Main Line to the east.
- East Carpenders Park – 100 homes Green belt land and a potential flood zone on land to the south east of the built up area of Carpenders Park at the junction of Oxhey Lane and Little Oxhey Lane.
- East of Abbots Langley – 100 homes Green Belt area on the northern outskirts of Garston, east of Woodside Road.
If approved by the council’s ruling executive committee, the five options will be aired at a full six week public consultation throughout November and December, running into January 2009 if necessary.
This will include an exhibition at the council’s Rickmansworth offices, and a district-wide questionnaire before the sites are finalised.
Council leader Ann Shaw described the proposed sites as the “least worst option,” restating the council’s repeated opposition to the demands placed on it.
She said: “Nobody wants this and none of us have enjoyed this process.
“Unfortunately we have no choice but to do what the Government want. If we don’t then we will be punished.”
Councillor Shaw said the likely consequences of refusing to co-operate would be government planners forcing through developments on sites beyond the council’s influence or control.
Dates for the consultation will be announced by the council in the coming weeks.
For more information please see www.threerivers.gov.uk
Your Say YourWatford Observer
gangerman, Watford says...
11:36am Sun 5 Oct 08
crazyfrog, Rickmansworth says...
11:53am Sun 5 Oct 08
if the country is flooded with immigrants this puts pressure on all our resources fact! and this is happening, to think otherwise you must be living in cloud cuckoo land!
JonBoy, Watford says...
7:11pm Sun 5 Oct 08
Whenever bad numbers come out for housing, unemployment, health care etc the same old tired arguments are put out by the same people.
gangerman, Watford says...
8:31pm Sun 5 Oct 08
11:53am Sun 5 Oct 08
supply and demand gangerman !"agreed, I have two that would like to purchase affordable housing.I am not an immigrant.
Roy Stockdill, says...
10:46am Mon 6 Oct 08
JonBoy wrote:How trite and easy it is to automatically condemn anyone who questions uncontrolled immigration as racist or a xenophobe. This is the usual tactic of the PC brigade and Loony Left, thus effectively stifling any debate and denying freedom of speech to anyone who questions their stance. Many think-tanks and even government ministers are now questioning the value or otherwise of the open-door immigration policy.
It's funny how immigrants are always the first to be put on the blame list. I guess they're a soft target and are the choice of blame for many xenophobes. Whenever bad numbers come out for housing, unemployment, health care etc the same old tired arguments are put out by the same people.
Whilst many immigrants do undoubtedly enhance Britain, there are others who come here purely for the benefits of our over-generous welfare system and to ponce off society. This is a debate which should take place in a calm and reasoned atmosphere, without PC zealots like you dismissing anyone who raises it as a xenophobe.
JonBoy, Watford says...
10:51am Mon 6 Oct 08
Roy Stockdill wrote:I reckon we should repatriate you to Yorkshire Roy!
JonBoy wrote: It's funny how immigrants are always the first to be put on the blame list. I guess they're a soft target and are the choice of blame for many xenophobes. Whenever bad numbers come out for housing, unemployment, health care etc the same old tired arguments are put out by the same people.How trite and easy it is to automatically condemn anyone who questions uncontrolled immigration as racist or a xenophobe. This is the usual tactic of the PC brigade and Loony Left, thus effectively stifling any debate and denying freedom of speech to anyone who questions their stance. Many think-tanks and even government ministers are now questioning the value or otherwise of the open-door immigration policy. Whilst many immigrants do undoubtedly enhance Britain, there are others who come here purely for the benefits of our over-generous welfare system and to ponce off society. This is a debate which should take place in a calm and reasoned atmosphere, without PC zealots like you dismissing anyone who raises it as a xenophobe.
reality-bites, London says...
1:27pm Mon 6 Oct 08
With the current levels of unemployment shooting up, repossessions and an estimated 2 million Eastern Europeans may return home many houses will be freed up.
Yes immigration has put pressure on the housing stocks (only a dunce would deny that!) but also family breakdown contributes as well as some parts of society like to have big families.
And remember people are living longer!
Not that i give a stuff any more - i will soon be an immigrant too - in New Zealand! ha good luck to the rest of you - England seems to be in freefall.
The area around Little Furze Primary School is a “preferred option site”.
In this section
- Firefighters called to M25 pile-up
- Bushey Carnival returns
- Round Table volunteers take on abseil challenge
- Flytipping top of rural concerns
- Harry Potter star catches swine flu
- Flower show blooms despite heat wave
- Church and school celebrate with summer fair
- Robina takes 12,500 foot plunge for sister
- Police ball benefits charities
- Animal group urges circus boycott
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Andyb, oxhey says...
8:44am Sun 5 Oct 08