Tring man encourages residents to have their say on Dacorum's Local Plan

The consultation has been extended by three weeks
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A man from Tring is encouraging residents to have their say on Dacorum's Local Plan.

Dacorum Borough Council launched its consultation on the Emerging Strategy for Growth – the next step to creating the new Dacorum Local Plan 2020 – 2038 in November.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The consultation will now run until Sunday, February 28, and the council has encouraged residents to share their views with them.

Have your day on the council's Local Plan 2020 – 2038Have your day on the council's Local Plan 2020 – 2038
Have your day on the council's Local Plan 2020 – 2038

The Local Plan looks to provide 16,899 new homes in the borough by 2038, allocate 20 hectares of new office and industrial development land within Employment Growth Areas and plans to provide additional retail floorspace in Dacorum’s towns - focussing on Hemel Hempstead and Tring town centres.

Tim Amsden, of Longfield Road, wants to make people aware of the public consultation and is encouraging them to view it and have their say.

He said: "This plan envisages radical changes to the local area, such as the building of 2,731 houses in Tring - an increase of 50% in the town's size.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The housing would go on Dunsley Farm and across a great swathe to the north, from Bulbourne to Pendley.

"It would change the character of the town beyond all recognition, as well as creating huge infrastructure problems.

"One proposal (TR06) is to build a supermarket on the Cattle Market/Auction Rooms/Forge car park site.

"It suggests that the Local History Museum 'can be relocated', but it does not say how or where.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"This runs the risk that after ten years' existence the museum might have to close for good, and all of the goodwill and effort that went into creating it, not to mention the building's heritage value, and the large investment the Lottery made in it, would be swept aside.

"Clearly these matters are of no importance to Dacorum Borough Council.

"You could call this a good time to bury bad news, and Dacorum is not going out of its way to draw attention to it.

"I would urge anyone who cares about Tring and the local area to look at this consultation and make their views known."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

All information and documents relating to the consultation are available via the council’s consultation portal on the council’s website.

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the council will be undertaking more online engagement, including hosting a virtual exhibition throughout the duration of the consultation. The exhibition can be accessed online.

As a part of the virtual exhibition, visitors will be able to ask questions to the council’s planning officers via the ‘leave a message’ function.

A spokesperson for Dacorum Borough Council said: "We would like to encourage as many residents as possible to take part in the consultation on our new Local Plan, Emerging Strategy for Growth.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"At last night’s Council meeting it was agreed that, in light of the current lockdown restrictions, the consultation period for the Local Plan will be extended until 11.59pm on 28 February 2021.

"We will be distributing a summary document on the Local Plan to all Dacorum households, which gives an overview of the Local Plan and how to get involved in the consultation."

How to make comments during the consultation

The council is requesting that comments are submitted electronically using the council’s online consultation portal.

If this is not possible, the comments form can also be submitted:

- by email to: [email protected]; or

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

- by post addressed to: Strategic Planning, Dacorum Borough Council, The Forum, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1DN.

The comments form is available to download from www.dacorum.gov.uk/localplan.

Comments received cannot be treated as confidential and will be available to view publicly.

However, published comments will exclude your personal contact details and include only your name.

Read: Residents urged to have their say and help shape Dacorum’s Local Plan