A FTSE 100 company wants to build up to 550 homes on the edge of a Hertfordshire town.
Legal and General has launched plans for a “suburban extension” in green belt to the north of Harpenden, straddling Cooters End Lane.
According to plans put forward by Legal and General’s team, the development is set to include 130 integrated retirement homes, 40 per cent affordable housing, an “early years setting for pre-school children” such as a nursery school, and public open space.
A developer document sets out six design principles for the proposal, which are “intergenerational living”, “home for life” which responds to housing shortfalls in the area, “a resilient Harpenden” which responds to an ageing society, “health and wellbeing”, “living in balance” which achieves biodiversity, and “beautiful places”.
The document additionally sets out 11 points which the developer believes are “very special circumstances” to justify green belt development.
These include “the position with the local plan” – which is 29 years old and considered “out of date” – new spaces for recreation and open space, and support for Harpenden’s status as a Dementia-Friendly town.
“The overall vision for the proposed development at North West Harpenden is to help tackle some of the critical issues that face Harpenden and the UK in general,” the document sets out.
“The recent global pandemic has highlighted how important our connections with neighbours are and access to quality green spaces.
“The pandemic reminds us how important health and wellbeing are, and not to take it for granted.
“This insight is alongside the backdrop of what we already recognise as national issues in relation to loneliness, obesity, an ageing population, declining biodiversity, climate change and a housing crisis.”
A Legal and General statement reads: “Our purpose is to build a better society, while improving lives of our customers and creating value for shareholders.”
It adds: “Our mission is to better people’s lives.
“Whether it’s a first-time buyer, young couple, a growing family or retired, it’s important everyone has a safe and secure place to call their own.
“For us, it is about more than just houses.
“It is about providing sustainable new communities and making a real difference to the quality of people’s lives.”
St Albans City and District Council is consulting on the proposals before it makes a decision on the application, with opportunities to comment on the authority’s planning website (reference 5/2023/0327).
Neighbours who have left comments already said the development will add to “endless queues” on the main road through Harpenden.
“At rush hour it can take over 20 minutes to travel less than a mile from the High Street to The Old Bell,” one said.
“How will local road and drainage (always flooding) infrastructure be increased in a sustainable manner to meet this additional and significant increase in traffic and footfall?”
Another said: “This will be a terrible burden on this side of Harpenden.”
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