Hemel residents continue to fight plans to replace existing house with five new homes as developer appeals council refusal

Dacorum Borough Council is defending its decision to refuse planning permission
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Residents in Hemel Hempstead are continuing to object to plans to replace an existing house with five new dwellings.

The planning application for 16 Park Road, Hemel Hempstead, proposed to develop the land and replace an existing two-storey, three-bedroom house with five new dwellings.

In October, four friends who live on the street called for councillors to keep the area they use as a play area - in the middle of Vicarage Close cul-de-sac - as a safe place for them to play.

Stock imageStock image
Stock image

Plans for the development were rejected by Dacorum Borough Council on October 21, 2020, but now the developer has appealed the decision.

A resident who has been objecting the plans said: "Dacorum councillors did take the right decision to reject this planning proposal of 16 Park Road, that has caused much anxiety for local residents in Park Road and Vicarage Close during the pandemic.

"Local Councillors that know the area well were alerted by receiving over 33 unrelated objections from the surrounding area on various implications of the proposal and called it in front of the local planning and control committee for further consideration.

"The result from the 12 local Councillors attended the meeting was 10 voted against, 1 for and one abstained.

"The developer is now taking this to the Planning Inspectorate for an appeal.

"We are still fighting this application. We believe the right decision was made by the council.

"Residents are still involved in the appeal.

"He is appealing Dacorum, Borough Council's decision, he wants to show that this is a good scheme."

A spokesperson for Dacorum Borough Council said: "The Council is defending our decision to refuse planning permission and are submitting a statement to the Planning Inspectorate setting out why appeal should be refused."

The Gazette contacted the agent who submitted the planning application on behalf of the applicant for a comment, but they have not responded.