Massive housing increases planned for Hatfield and St Albans, despite massive local campaigns and petitions

4.09.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 12th May 2008

St Albans Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Sandy Walkington has condemned the Government decision to ignore local representations and blow apart the Green Belt around St Albans, announced today in the final version of the Government's 'East of England Regional Spatial Strategy'.

Sandy says: "The 'listening Prime Minister' has not listened. All the campaigning and representations have been ignored. Thousands of local residents signed the Hands Off Herts e-petition and paper petitions too - and for what? The Government waits till after the local elections and then announces concrete not cows for St Albans as Hemel and Hatfield are both extended onto St Albans Green Belt land.

"We have warned all along that the Government was going to drown our historic cathedral and market city in a sea of new suburbia charmingly called 'London Arc West'. Welcome to the 'London Borough of Hertfordshire'.

There is a target set of 5370 more houses for St Albans by 2021 (page 31), and St Albans is designated a major town centre (page 24). But the real damage comes from the planned increases for Hatfield and Hemel - a combined total of 22,000 houses, which are all additional to the St Albans target yet potentially built in St Albans District.

"Even worse, these figures are "floors" not "ceilings" - so there could be more. And they have also today announced that this plan is to be further reviewed with immediate effect. It is madness."

Sandy continued: "St Albans is now specifically identified as a 'growth town'. You might think that would mean massive investment to try and get our creaking transport and other infrastructures to cope with the damage which these policies will bring.

"But what does the Government announce? A simply laughable £600,000 extra for St Albans for the whole period up to 2021 - £20,000 extra per year, barely the cost of a couple of roundabouts in total. This after the Government confiscates £9 million of revenue from local council house rents each year! Meanwhile Hemel will get £6.5 million and Chelmsford £11 million.

"It's two fingers to St Albans and two fingers to Hertfordshire from a Government which has lost the plot," Sandy concluded.

ENDS

For more information please contact Sandy Walkington on 07802 177317

Note to Editors

Key references in report:

Page 93:

'Overall housing growth of 12,000 in Dacorum by 2021…extension of Hemel Hempstead into St Albans District will probably be required…identification of the urban extensions will require a strategic review of the green belt that allows scope for continued growth of Hemel Hempstead until at least 2031.

Page 94, dealing with Welwyn Garden City:

'Overall housing growth of 10,000 by 2021…part of the 10,000 may be in St Albans District if extension of Hatfield to the west emerges as a preferred option.'

The £600,000 extra money for St Albans District is announced in the Government's press release.