Campaigners are demanding an end to development which they say is spiralling out of control around Bushey Arches, warning local that infrastructure will crumble if plans for some 500 more homes are approved.

The Oxhey Village Environmental Group (OVEG) has joined residents in Bushey voicing concern at a series of “huge” development proposals members say will overburden a notorious traffic black spot, schools, doctors and dentists.

Three Valleys Water has announced it plans to build around 200 homes off Aldenham Road near the arches. This comes weeks after a developer applied to build 176 flats in Chalk Hill and while a controversial flats development on the former JR Tagger site by Bushey Railway Station is set to be revived later this month.

OVEG's newly-elected chairman, John Drummond, confirmed meetings had already been held to discuss the proposals.

He said: “The problem is very simple: within a very short period of time there have already been a number of large developments along the Aldenham Road and London Road, including the International University, Hartspring sports centre, and Brent Timber yard, etc."

"In addition, there are now plans to build a further 71 units on the Taggers site, 176 in Chalk Hill, and 200 on the Three Valleys land. In total, this adds up to an extra 1,300 new homes crammed into an area within one mile of Bushey Station and the arches junction."

"The local infrastructure is already close to breaking point with packed commuter trains and gridlocked roads. There are also serious concerns how the local schools, doctors' surgeries, and other services will cope with the pressures of this level of high density development."

Former chairman Andrew Filer added: "The Government is saying build so it can be difficult but sometimes it is unacceptable and you have to say no, it has to stop.

“You can't keep shoehorning people in, otherwise the local schools, dentists and hospitals will not be able to cope.”

Donald Fisher of Malden Fields at the bottom of Three Valleys Way, where part of the Three Valleys Water development is set to be based, said traffic controlling measures were essential if a nightmare for residents and commuters was to be avoided.

He said: “I am not against the proposal if reasonable traffic provision is put in as we were warned that this was in the pipeline. Will there be reasonable traffic provision? I doubt it. If that's so, I think it is a nonsense.”

He added: “It will probably be aimed at people who are going to work and there will probably be two of them so that's 400 more people trying to get out of the road at 8am.”

Responding to claims that the developments would add hundreds more cars to the estimated 100,000 that use the Bushey Arches junction daily, Hertfordshire Highways spokesperson Jo Brown said: “As part of the planning process, the borough council will contact us to ask for our perspective on the proposals, the impact they will have on the existing roads and what might need to be done to accommodate an anticipated increase in traffic. We will report our findings back to the borough council's planning committee.”

Mr Filer voiced frustration at councils' failure to fix Bushey Arches' traffic problem. He said: “They keep talking about Bushey Arches traffic modelling but no one is actually taking it between the teeth and doing anything. The powers that be need to do a review of Bushey Arches. If anything, we need to start diverting people away from Bushey Arches and onto places like the A41.”

The East of England Regional Authority has told Watford Borough Council and Hertsmere Borough Council to each approve at least 5,000 new homes by 2021.

Admitting that development was inevitable, Mr Filer urged developers to work with local residents, giving the example of the JR Tagger site he said was finally winning favour with residents after a lengthy dispute.

He said: “Developers need to talk to people if they want to get somewhere. People have a right to an opinion. If Dukelease (developers of the JR Tagger site), had done this first of all instead of being arrogant and thinking 'we don't give a damn what people think' they might be building there now. They were gobsmacked at the amount of opposition from OVEG and residents.”

Prior to putting in a planning application, Three Valleys Water is holding a consultation in the Three Valleys Water offices, in Three Valleys Way, Bushey, on Thursday, May 21 between 5pm and 9pm. A presentation will also be on display on Friday, May 22, between 10am and 4pm and on Saturday, May 22, between 10am to 1pm.

People who cannot attend the meeting or have issues they would like to put in writing can send them to the company secretary, Three Valleys Water PLC, Tamblin Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9EZ.