3:20pm Saturday 6th September 2008
An Abbots Langley man feels forced out of his “dream home” after plans were submitted to build a development next to his house.
Gareth Squance and his wife Lucy, 29, bought their house in School Mead last year, after a lot of hard work and “years of saving up”.
But now North Hertfordshire Homes plans to demolish and re-build Hillside Hall and alongside it build a block of ten affordable flats with parking, 13.7 metres from their bedroom window, he may be forced to sell-up or sacrifice his privacy.
The decision, which has raised a number of concerns from nearby residents, was made by Three Rivers District Council’s (TRDC) Development Control Committee last week.
The plans have not yet been approved, but are “on hold” until the end of September, while residents’ letters are reviewed.
Gareth, 29, who has started a petition, said: “We are absolutely gutted. I wake up at night worrying about the fact this will decrease the value of our home that we have worked so hard to buy.
“The flats will overlook our bedroom window.
“They will also tower over one side of the house - we will be plunged into darkness in our bedroom, in my wife’s office and in the kitchen.”
Hillside Residents Association is concerned the three-storey development, which will comprise a hall and four one-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom flats, will cause chaos in the area.
Edwin Josephs, who lives next door to Gareth, said: “People do not realise the shops would be so tall when they were built, this building will be the same height and will affect the whole area.
“We will also lose the green area where children play, to make room for the residents’ car park and the pathway schoolchildren use.”
Gareth said: “Anti-social behaviour has already gone up due to the shops, which were recently built here, and with more people, who knows what will happen.
“We have a two-and-a-half-year-old son, and this would have been the perfect place to bring him up.
“I do not think residents here realise the scale of the building, it will have much more of an impact than people first think.
“I feel like no-one is helping us. The development will completely destroy this area, it is quiet now but with ten parking bays underneath our bedroom window, it will be noisy.
“We already get blocked in out own driveway when the community hall is in use, but with only ten spaces for residents, it will get worse.”
Sally Bailey, representative for North Hertfordshire Homes, said: “This development will provide ten much-needed affordable homes to rent or part own.
“We have carried out several consultation events, and, although we understand that some residents still have minor reservations, the majority were fully behind the scheme.”
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