Compass Park

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Dear Sir/Madam, I wish to object to planning application 25/0972/FULEI for the reasons below. This objection should be taken as my separate and individual representation in accordance with your agreed policy and procedures. 1. Inappropriate development on the Green Belt Harm with Loss of Openness and Bushey–Watford Coalescence The application site forms a vital part of the Green Belt that separates Bushey from the expanding urban area of Watford. Its role is strategic: it maintains a clear and essential buffer between two distinct settlements and is urban sprawl and near-merging of Bushey and Watford constituting significant strategic harm that must be afforded substantial weight in the decision-making process. The proposal attempt to justify the sites Green Belt status by focusing on the Councils Green Belt Assessment (Stage 2). However Stage 1 of the same Green Belt Assessment at section 6.2 makes clear that its role was to identify “weakly performing (parcels that) warrant further consideration in future work”. It was in that context that parcel 6 was rejected as a whole for future consideration. This finding materially undermines any Grey Belt claims and given the scale of the development and its wider impacts fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt across the plan area. 2. Significant Traffic Impacts & National Highways' Non-Approval Recommendation The National Highways Planning Response identifies major, unresolved concerns affecting the Strategic Road Network (SRN), especially M1 Junction 5 such as to not approve this proposal at this time. In addition to the unresolved concerns raised by National Highways regarding the Strategic Road Network, the development would have a significant and unacceptable impact on Little Bushey Lane, which is already heavily constrained and operating at or near capacity during peak periods and at this time there is no independent traffic report from the Highways Authority (NPPF 115 and 116) 3. Flooding, Drainage and Surface Water Risk The proposed development sits on land that plays a crucial role in natural surface-water drainage, being part of the Green Belt. Replacing this with hundreds of dwellings, roads and hardstanding and a school, care home, and commercial infrastructure will significantly increase impermeable surfaces and lead to higher surface-water run-off. The Council's own Assessment and Comparison of Green Belt Housing and Employment Sites (March 2024) scores the flood risk as 3.75/5 4. Landscape Harm to openness and Loss of Rural Character A development of the size proposed (up to 700 homes, school, care home, community and retail uses) represents a dramatic urbanisation of open countryside, causing Loss of long-established rural character, Visual intrusion from significant built form, Domination of the landscape by suburban infrastructure, Harm to public views enjoyed from surrounding areas. This harm to its openness the context of the proposal being inappropriate development on the Green Belt as in Stage 1 of the Green Belt Assessment makes it impossible to approve this development. 5. Biodiversity and Environmental Impact This Green Belt site currently serves as a wildlife corridor. The scale of development proposed would, destroy habitats, fragment wildlife movement routes, increase noise and light pollution, and reduce ecological connectivity. The ecological assessments submitted are insufficient to demonstrate biodiversity protection or net gain, in particular there is no Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan that can be scrutinised for effects, particularly on wildlife. 6. Unsustainable Development and Climate Impact National Highways highlights national policy and the Climate Change Committee's guidance that significant development must reduce car dependency. Yet this proposal is car-dominated, introduces thousands of additional vehicle movements, requires residents to use the Strategic Road Network for commuting. The proposal conflicts with the NPPF requirements for genuinely sustainable transport choices and the application complete fails to address the Council's Climate Change and Sustainability Interim Planning Policy Position Statement Conclusion This application is fundamentally flawed. Its harms are substantial, permanent, and unavoidable, particularly with Green Belt loss, flooding and drainage risks, severe unresolved highways impacts, the failure to demonstrate sustainable transport and meet climate change polices and landscape and biodiversity harm. I respectfully request that Hertsmere Borough Council REFUSE planning application 25/0972/FULEI. Thank you for considering my objection. Yours faithfully,

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