Hemel Hempstead boys make a stand to save their favourite play area

Four boys from Boxmoor are writing to local councillors ahead of a Dacorum Borough planning meeting to try and save their favourite play area.

They want to try and stop their favourite play area, in the middle of Vicarage Close cul-de-sac, being developed by an application from a neighbouring property in Park Road.

The planning application for 16 Park Road, Hemel Hempstead, propose to develop the land and replace an existing 2-storey, 3-bedroom house with 5 new smaller dwellings.

In the Design and Access statement submitted to Dacorum Borough Council, it says: "The proposal seeks to replace an existing larger house, garden and hard standing with 5 new smaller dwellings, consisting of 4 smaller 1-2 bedroom dwellings and one 3 bedroom dwelling."

The planning meeting is on Thursday evening (October 15).

Ten-year-old Ollie Goodwin, eight-year-old Lucas Sears, and Jude Sears and Leo Junk, both four, love to play and socialise on the amenity area in the middle of their street and want councillors to keep this area as a safe place to play.

During the coronavirus outbreak the area has provided an important and invaluable place for socially distanced meeting.

This space is very special to the boys, one told the Gazette: “During lockdown I learned to ride my bike here.

"This is where I meet my friends for lots of fun, to ride our scooters and have a laugh.”

If approved on Thursday evening, the boys will lose their amenity space, along with future generations living in Vicarage Close.

This space has been enjoyed by young residents in this area since the 60’s and makes this a safe and friendly place to live.

A resident said: “This amenity area was purchased from underneath the residents of Vicarage Close without consultation or notice by the developer hoping to build on it.

"We are not opposed to development, but this central amenity feature makes up the attractive streetscape where we live and has been used by children to play since the houses were built in the 1960’s.

"There is also a water mains and other utilities underneath it, making it a highly unsuitable and inappropriate development plot.”

The Gazette contacted the agent who submitted the planning application on behalf of the applicant for a comment.