National Planning Policy Framework – Changes
You may have seen in the news that the new National Planning Policy Framework has come into effect. Here are some of the key points that affect the Castle Fields and our town:
1. The newly revised government National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) officially introduces a default "yes" presumption for new housing within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected train stations. The Fields sits well within this boundary if we don’t fully secure them.
2. Dacorum Borough Council is officially now under ‘special measures’ and so major planning applications may be determined directly by the Planning Inspectorate, meaning there is an added danger if any application were to be submitted for the fields.
3. Let’s not forget the site has been put forward in the past as a potential housing site AND came within weeks of being auctioned off in smaller parcels.
4. Although there is an existing s106 agreement on the land (dating from when Castle Village was built), the restrictive covenants on fencing and usage can still be revoked, so these are not binding arrangements in the long term.
The Castle Trust is saving the Fields with huge community support, not ‘just' to save them from development, but also to create a new accessible open space (see the Neighbourhood Plan Consultation), protect and enhance their ecology as well as their vital historical importance and links to the Castle.
Berkhamsted is currently inundated with potential development applications - our campaign is urgently seeking to ensure this vital, sensitive and threatened green space can be appreciated and used by the town, protecting its potential for health and wellbeing and educational purposes for future generations to come. With all this in mind, we still have a way to go, and are doing extremely well, but please do continue to support us and spread the word!
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