Hundreds of objections after plans for homes on Radlett green belt

The proposed outline development of up to 195 homes between Shenley Hill and Theobald Street in Radlett has been met with backlash from locals desperate to keep the land as it is.

Applicant Fairfax Properties is seeking to build homes as well as provide space for a new home for Red House GP surgery and expand Newberries Primary School.

Read more: Plans for nearly 200 homes on green belt land submitted

But in just over two weeks, the plans have been met with a barrage of criticism, driven largely by the Save Hertsmere campaign group, which strives to protect the borough's green belt.

The group’s website gives residents the ability to object to schemes without having to visit Hertsmere Borough Council’s planning portal themselves.

It has helped drive nearly 700 objections onto the planning portal.

An outline of the proposed development site. Image: Google Maps (Image: Google Maps)

Save Hertsmere co-founder Stephen Balsam said: “Objections are growing all the time and this is because the community does not want this [development] and won’t accept it.

“We want the best for our area and that means not overdeveloping it and building homes that aren’t necessary and destroying the green belt.

“Shenley Hill is a tiny little dangerous country lane and there could well be 400 more cars. It’s the best part of a 10% population increase in Radlett.”

Shenley Hill, adjacent to the site (left) (Image: Newsquest)

Read more: Objections fly in after plans to build houses at Harts Farm in Bushey submitted

Mr Balsam says infrastructure “cannot cope” but questioned the need for a primary school expansion and whether a surgery would actually be built.

Save Hertsmere co-founder Stephen Balsam. Image: Save Hertsmere (Image: Save Hertsmere)

Highlighting other applications that have come forward in Hertsmere, he said the council’s decision to “shelve” its local plan has “opened the floodgates” to proposals from developers.

Looking into the side proposed for development from Shenley Hill/Radlett Lane (Image: Newsquest)

Meanwhile, Radlett Conservative borough councillors John Graham and Lucy Selby have echoed concerns about the plans.

In a letter, they said they were “disappointed”, describing the land in question as an “important green lung” of Radlett.

“It must not be developed and we will fight to stop it,” they added.

Cllr Graham said he had “successfully resisted” development of the site when he was elected as a councillor in 1998.

A screenshot of a CGI showing how the development could be laid out. Image: Boyer/Fairfax (Image: Boyer/Fairfax)

Responding to the reaction from locals, a spokesperson for Fairfax Properties said: “We have worked extensively to design this attractive and welcoming scheme that delivers numerous benefits to the local community including much needed affordable homes for families, expansion of the local school and a new medical centre.”

The application can be found on the council's planning portal via reference 22/1539/OUT.