Hertsmere Borough Council has put out another call for potential new employment sites across the borough.

Letters will be sent out by the council's planning team to landowners and other key stakeholders inviting them to submit for consideration any further sites they know of with potential for development for employment uses.

The letters have been issued after the council says its officers became "informally aware" of several new potential employment sites in the borough, which have not been submitted previously as part of Hertsmere’s new local plan.

The council hopes the latest call will help elicit information on these potential sites as part of ongoing efforts to map out options for Hertsmere's future economic development.

The local plan, set to be published in draft form in later this year followed by a six-week public consultation, will guide development and influence how the borough changes through the after-effects of the pandemic and over the next 15 years.

More than 100 sites, many of which are on green belt land, have previously been submitted for housing and employment uses, with the council considering every site for its appropriateness for development.

Councillor Dr Harvey Cohen, portfolio holder for planning in Hertsmere, said: "The importance of Hertsmere's new local plan is greater now than it has ever been, as it will help support the borough's economic recovery following the devastation wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Our plan will help us ensure that the local economy grows and develops in a way that is sustainable, achievable and desirable for everyone - so it's vital we get it right.

"We must therefore take the time now to scrutinise as many potential employment sites as possible, before any final decisions are made.

"Not all sites will be suitable, and we will need to ensure that the infrastructure is in place where any significant growth occurs. However, we are keen to hear from anyone who knows of or owns a potential employment site, so we can at least assess its suitability for development."

To be eligible for consideration, sites should have the potential to accommodate 500m2 of floorspace or 0.25ha available for development in the form of offices, industrial, storage, distribution and a number of other employment generating activities.

Respondents are asked to complete a questionnaire and return it with a map showing the site boundary and other supporting information to the council on or before 18 March.

Further details are available on the council’s website here