A disputed piece of land in Borehamwood has once again come under the spotlight with a new house proposed for the site.

Residents in Hackney Close are facing another threat to an overgrown and disused playground owned by Hertsmere Borough Council.

In August, the council’s Elstree and Borehamwood planning committee gave permission to a Borehamwood business to expand its building onto the land, which is owned by the borough council.

But at the same meeting councillor John Graham, property portfolio holder, told the panel the council would only sell the land for housing and not to a business.

After receiving a letter outlining the plan for a new two-storey, four-bedroom house on the site, neighbouring resident Brian Kaye and his wife Jill wrote to the council to object.

Mr Kaye said: “We don’t want anything on that piece of land. It isn’t our fault it has become overgrown, the land has just been forgotten. But if the parks department had maintained it like it should have, this wouldn’t have been an option.

“By brushing it under the carpet we will now lose trees and our green space which I thought the council was trying to support.”

He added: “We will also lose two parking spaces if this plan is agreed.

“It will take at least a year to 18 months for the house to be built and in that time where will the lorries and other machinery park?

“There is no way you can fit a four-bed house there, which means the footpath will be lost as well.”

Planning officers recommended councillors approve the proposal because it would not have a negative impact on the road and it supports Hertsmere’s Local Plan for housing.

In the officers’ report it states: “This land was formerly a childrens’ play area, which would have been created to serve the residents of the nearby dwellings. However there are larger areas of public open space close by.

“Therefore the parks and amenities section of the council has confirmed it has no objections to the loss of land as a play area.”

Councillors were due to decide on the application at a meeting of the planning committee last night.

Under planning guidelines, permission can be granted even without the guarantee of obtaining the land.