St Albans
Anger as Green Belt abandoned
THE wholesale destruction of rural land around St Albans looks inevitable with the confirmation of controversial housing targets.
In the final version of planning guidance announced today, massive developments will be built in neighbouring Welwyn Hatfield and Hemel Hempstead.
While the exact locations have not been decided, the planning guidance document admits both are likely to spill over into the St Albans district and "strategic adjustments" of the Green Belt are inevitable.
Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Sandy Walkington said: "The Government is going to drown our historic cathedral and market city in a sea of new suburbia charmingly called London Arc West'.
"They are blowing apart the Green Belt around St Albans."
St Albans itself will have to find space for 5,370 homes, which district council planning officers believe can be done without major intrusions onto rural land, but
22,000 are proposed for Welwyn Hatfield and Dacorum.
The most likely areas are the former British Aerospace airfield, which would affect the Smallford area, and agricultural land between Hemel Hempstead and the A5183 Redbourn Road.
St Albans will receive an extra £600,000 for the cost of dealing with the extra population, which Mr Walkington described as "absolutely laughable."
And he warned the figures were considered the minimum needed to address the national housing shortage, so the true scale of development could be much larger.
1:31pm Monday 12th May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Trish, St Albans on 4:30pm Mon 12 May 08
What is your policy on dealing with the pressures of a growing population and an expanding economy Mr Walkington? Should we all just live on top of one another in a “Skyscraper St Albans” surrounded by lush green fields?
What is your policy on dealing with the pressures of a growing population and an expanding economy Mr Walkington? Should we all just live on top of one another in a “Skyscraper St Albans” surrounded by lush green fields?
Posted by: An Albanian, St Albans on 5:46pm Mon 12 May 08
Whilst accepting we need affordable housing especially for those raised in the area and want to stay here. However, as yet I have not heard a convincing argument as to why this area of the country needs to keep on growing. Once this area is full up where next? We need to think of the long term consequences of this housing blitz. St Albans has been in existence getting on for 2,000 years, do we really want that to end and we become part of London? It is in my view this soviet style dictate is unsustainable.
Whilst accepting we need affordable housing especially for those raised in the area and want to stay here. However, as yet I have not heard a convincing argument as to why this area of the country needs to keep on growing. Once this area is full up where next? We need to think of the long term consequences of this housing blitz. St Albans has been in existence getting on for 2,000 years, do we really want that to end and we become part of London? It is in my view this soviet style dictate is unsustainable.
Posted by: Bob, St Albans on 6:19pm Mon 12 May 08
Here we go again, the Review recycling a wannabee politician's press release as objective journalism.
Who writes the scare-mongering headlines? Whose anger? Mr Walkington and his Lib/Dem mates? Where does the article or indeed the planning document actually say the Green Belt is to be abandoned?
Then Alex Lewis gets really carried away -"wholesale destruction of rural land", "massive developments", fortified with standard Walkington hyperbole "drown...ourhistoric city...in a sea of new suburbia", "blowing apart the Green Belt", "true scale...could be much larger".
Can we have a sensible measured SWOT debate please, concentrating on facts and figures instead of assumptions and prejudice?
Here we go again, the Review recycling a wannabee politician's press release as objective journalism.
Who writes the scare-mongering headlines? Whose anger? Mr Walkington and his Lib/Dem mates? Where does the article or indeed the planning document actually say the Green Belt is to be abandoned?
Then Alex Lewis gets really carried away -"wholesale destruction of rural land", "massive developments", fortified with standard Walkington hyperbole "drown...ourhistoric city...in a sea of new suburbia", "blowing apart the Green Belt", "true scale...could be much larger".
Can we have a sensible measured SWOT debate please, concentrating on facts and figures instead of assumptions and prejudice?
Posted by: Simon, St Albans on 10:47pm Mon 12 May 08
Another reason why building a Tesco supermarket on the brownfield former Eversheds site in London Road is a totally mad idea! Only 3 days left to object - see www.stoptesco.com for full details of how to object!
Another reason why building a Tesco supermarket on the brownfield former Eversheds site in London Road is a totally mad idea! Only 3 days left to object - see www.stoptesco.com for full details of how to object!
Posted by: Chris Oxley, Wheathampstead on 9:09am Tue 13 May 08
Is the Government hell bent on destroying the green belt and general environment in the St Albans area? The answer appears to be yes.
However I write regarding the provision of school places both at junior and senior schools
Initially the problems of lack of places was in the outlying villages such as Wheathampstead. It gradually spread to the 100 places short at junior schools in central St Albans 2 years ago and will undoubtedly get worse as more and more houses are built.
Many of your readers will feel comforted that they have not suffered. I regret to say that all families other than those in very close proximity to a secondary school will increasingly suffer the problems we have in Wheathampstead with more any more children from as young as 5 being bussed (or too often cared)to junior and/or secondary schools outside our District.
I invite the County Council to communicate via your newspaper to assure parents that County will provide places at local acceptable junior and secondary schools in St Albans City & District now and in the future and not make the roads even worse by forcing parents and children out of the District and giving them little alternative but to pay a backdoor tax to do so.
Cllr Chris Oxley
Wheathampstead
Is the Government hell bent on destroying the green belt and general environment in the St Albans area? The answer appears to be yes.
However I write regarding the provision of school places both at junior and senior schools
Initially the problems of lack of places was in the outlying villages such as Wheathampstead. It gradually spread to the 100 places short at junior schools in central St Albans 2 years ago and will undoubtedly get worse as more and more houses are built.
Many of your readers will feel comforted that they have not suffered. I regret to say that all families other than those in very close proximity to a secondary school will increasingly suffer the problems we have in Wheathampstead with more any more children from as young as 5 being bussed (or too often cared)to junior and/or secondary schools outside our District.
I invite the County Council to communicate via your newspaper to assure parents that County will provide places at local acceptable junior and secondary schools in St Albans City & District now and in the future and not make the roads even worse by forcing parents and children out of the District and giving them little alternative but to pay a backdoor tax to do so.
Cllr Chris Oxley
Wheathampstead
Posted by: An Albanian, St Albans on 9:26am Tue 13 May 08
Councillor – why don’t you ask your 5 fellow district councillors in your group who also happen to be county councillors as well, to articulate the very serious concerns of local residents about schools directly at County Hall?
Why use the megaphone of this newspaper to speak to the county council when you have democratic means at your disposal. Unless of course you just want a bit of cheap publicity using parents genuine concerns on the matter.
Councillor – why don’t you ask your 5 fellow district councillors in your group who also happen to be county councillors as well, to articulate the very serious concerns of local residents about schools directly at County Hall?
Why use the megaphone of this newspaper to speak to the county council when you have democratic means at your disposal. Unless of course you just want a bit of cheap publicity using parents genuine concerns on the matter.
Posted by: BoB S, St Albans on 11:30am Tue 13 May 08
Of course the Lib Dems are seeking publicity....
The St Albans Review is always keen to quote this odd PR man and his merry-band of chums but never seem to ask what either he or his Lib Dem colleagues are going to do about it!
This does seem odd as the Review was so keen to trumpet that "lib Dems have 'strong' hold on St Albans".
(regrading the copy and pasting of Press Releases i have said this before and am glad to see others in the commenst have finally commented too!!)
Of course the Lib Dems are seeking publicity....
The St Albans Review is always keen to quote this odd PR man and his merry-band of chums but never seem to ask what either he or his Lib Dem colleagues are going to do about it!
This does seem odd as the Review was so keen to trumpet that "lib Dems have 'strong' hold on St Albans".
(regrading the copy and pasting of Press Releases i have said this before and am glad to see others in the commenst have finally commented too!!)
Posted by: Archie, St Albans on 12:42pm Tue 13 May 08
Bob S, why don't you ask Roma what her Government is going to do about it. Also you seem to be happy to point out that you believe this is a press release, but are the facts correct? If they are and 29,000 homes are due for our green belt surely the Government should be attacked? Bob, what do you think of the Government's plans for the green belt?
Bob S, why don't you ask Roma what her Government is going to do about it. Also you seem to be happy to point out that you believe this is a press release, but are the facts correct? If they are and 29,000 homes are due for our green belt surely the Government should be attacked? Bob, what do you think of the Government's plans for the green belt?
Posted by: Bob S, St Albans on 2:01pm Tue 13 May 08
.... dunno Sandy. What are they?
.... dunno Sandy. What are they?
Posted by: Trish, St Albans on 11:20pm Tue 13 May 08
It's one thing to be angry but what about producing an alternative policy? Does Mr Walkington want to reduce the population growth? Does he want to stop the economy growing in the south east? I'd like to know what he plans to do!
It's one thing to be angry but what about producing an alternative policy? Does Mr Walkington want to reduce the population growth? Does he want to stop the economy growing in the south east? I'd like to know what he plans to do!
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
