Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate welcomes government’s appeal rejection for 1,400 homes in Tring

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Victoria Collins has welcomed the government’s rejection of an appeal for 1,400 homes in Tring.

Housing minister Felicity Buchan, on behalf of Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove, has turned down plans for the new homes – which would fill the one-and-a-half-mile gap between Tring and the town’s railway station – due to environmental reasons.

In a letter dated March 15, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) warned the project would “fail to conserve or improve the prevailing landscape quality, character and condition”.

FTSE 250 firm Redrow and Harrow Estates had proposed a “garden suburb” extension to Tring with “a mix of housing”. The firms had also suggested carbon offsetting with two trees planted per home and a new country park next to the Grand Union Canal.

But, according to the letter, Mr Gove ruled “the provision of up to 560 new market homes carries substantial weight”.

Although he did find there is only enough land in Dacorum to meet local housing needs with new homes for the next two years, rather than the five-year target set by DLUHC. The department also acknowledged the scheme could boost the local labour force and the economy.

However, in a weighing-up exercise, ministers found the positives did not outweigh the harm to the green belt, and that impacting the character and appearance, the setting of the Chilterns National Landscape, and the heritage assets and loss of agricultural land.

Victoria Collins, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, said the outcome was thanks to years of local campaigning.

She said: “The rejection of the Marshcroft development is thanks to the hard work of local Liberal Democrats and residents campaigning against these unpopular proposals for many years.”

“At around 10 per cent the size of Tring, the proposed development was completely disproportionate and would have had a significant impact on the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – not to mention the unsustainable impact on local infrastructure and services.

“The need for affordable housing in our communities is clear, but this was not the right site or development for Tring.”