A man cried “shame on you” as plans to build temporary homes in "containers" was approved last night.

Members of Hertsmere Borough Council agreed to build the 28 modular homes in Crown Road, Borehawmood.

The homes will allow the council to bring Hertsmere residents back into the borough.

Borehamwood Times:

Grant Kramer, joint chairman of pressure group Borehamwood Under Threat (BUT), shouted “shame on you all” as the decision was made in front of a full public gallery.

Committee members did raise concerns over parking space, overlooking, and in particular the proximity of powerlines which run over the council owned Crown Road site.

National Grid have yet to respond to the council’s consultation. Statutory guidance states a safety clearance of 5.3m between a powerline and any object in which a person may stand; in this case a modular home.

Borehamwood Times:

If safety clearance cannot be achieved, plots three and four will not go ahead, as stated in condition 24 of the planning report, but it will not affect the rest of the development.

The application was given the go ahead due to it being “policy compliant”, despite a number of conditions attached.

The council are still unable to confirm how long people will stay in the homes but the structures will be "permanent" and are thought to have a 50 year life span.

Borehamwood Times:

Picture: Michelle Vince, with Richard Butler behind her, addresses campaigners after the meeting

Labour councillor Michelle Vince accused Councillor Farida Turner of “pre-determining” her vote.

However, Cllr Turner “vehemently denied” the accusation, saying she had written notes and based her short speech on what she had heard during the meeting.

Mr Kramer said the council “betrayed the trust and confidence of its residents”.

He added: “Many salient challenges to the planning proposal were raised, yet were either weakly excused or not addressed at all.

“I hope the council will be more forthcoming in explaining how it will address conditions attached to the decision.”

Fellow campaigner Kristine Wilson said she was “hugely disappointed” at the decision, which she described as a “shambles”.

Borehamwood Times:

BUT maintain they acknowledge the need for housing but feel that this particular application was “unsuitable” for the location.

Labour councillor Richard Butler said: “I can’t see how this application can be passed without a response from a senior body like National Grid. We should have done what Cllr Newmark suggested and deferred until we had all reports back.”

Harvey Cohen, Hertsmere Borough Council’s portfolio holder for planning said: “The application to develop two blocks of garages in Crown Road was open to public consultation, beyond the 21 days required by law, and has been thoroughly scrutinised by members.

“We met with Borehamwood Under Threat to discuss their objections and have endeavoured to address as many of these as possible.”

Borehamwood Times:

Cllr Jean Heywood, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “This modular build is a more sustainable way of helping to meet the council’s housing requirements.

She added: “We’re using our land to provide safe, comfortable and secure homes for local families in urgent housing need.”

Councillors Kelly, Lambert, Lyon, Quilty, Spencer, Turner, and Worster voted in favour of the council’s proposal. Cllr Newmark voted against while Cllr West abstained.