A new planning application has been put forward for up to 400 new homes on green belt land in Chorleywood.
An initial application for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening for land which is currently occupied by Catlips Farm was submitted in November 2023.
Now, the applicants Clovercourt Ltd have asked for a second EIA screening of the land, eyeing a proposal to build up to 400 homes on the 85.2-acre site. This marks an increase from the 300 homes proposed in the original EIA screening application.
District councillor Steve Drury (pictured) is among those objecting to the proposal alongside Leader of Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who told CHORLEYWOODnews: “We have made it clear that building on high valuable green belt and agricultural land is just not acceptable.
“Whilst it will be for the Planning Committee to determine the application, I hope and expect due weight will be given to our evaluation of and rejection of these sites.”
Cllr Giles-Medhurst explained that access to Catlips Farm consists of one single-track path, which has raised concerns over traffic. He added that the route to Chorleywood station, although stated in the transport statement as 14 minutes, is actually 29 minutes, and the route is hilly, unlit and uneven, which cllr Giles-Medhurst says makes its location “unsuitable and unsustainable”.
He continued: “This site that the landowners are now pushing forward it seems for housing development – based on the new Labour government’s statement that ‘green belt is open for development’ – was rejected not once but three times by the Liberal Democrat council for allocation as possible sites.
“The rural views from Chorleywood Common – an area of outstanding beauty – would be badly affected. The fields can hardly be described as low-importance green belt or grey belt.”
A spokesperson for Clovercourt Ltd told CHORLEYWOODnews: “TRDC again does not consider the scheme as one that requires an EIA.
“A new access is proposed on Shepherds Lane (not Berry Lane) with a floodlit cycle and pedestrian path connecting Chorleywood and Rickmansworth amongst many other special circumstances with 50 per cent per cent affordable housing.
“We have contacted Chorleywood Residents’ Association and will let them have some proposed plans when they are ready for their comments, once we have been through a pre-app with TRDC.”
No.
I lived at Catlips Farm and believe it is rich agricultural land and an area of natural beauty. The access is poor for large development – not easy even when we were there.