05 Apr 2024
A bid to permanently fence off a piece of previously open green space on the Verulam Estate has gone to appeal after SADC rejected the proposal.
A retrospective application was submitted for the site, where Windridge Close meets Westfields last year, prompting more than 100 objections from residents.
Vast swathes of what was previously thought to be public land were sold across the estate in June 2021, including one lot around Mayne Avenue, Samian Gate, Flavian Close, Icknield Close, Glenum Close, Hadrian Close, Lindum Place, Augustus Close, Claudian Place, Antonine Gate and Ermine Close, and a second in the vicinity of Windridge Close, Westfields, Deva Close, Dubrae Close, Rowlatt Drive, Mayne Avenue and Corinium Gate.
SADC rejected the application for reasons including: “The boundary fence has resulted in the loss of a prominent area of landscaping and open space which is an important feature to the character and appearance of this residential area and has resulted in an unacceptable and harmful level of enclosure which detracts from the spaciousness of the streetscene to the detriment of the visual amenity of the area.”
But now landowner Ukings Property Limited, a company registered in Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans, has appealed to the Secretary of State against this decision, claiming among other reasons that the site does little to conserve nature or green the public realm, and is too small for any recreational use.
But local residents fear any restrictions on access to the site will ultimately result in its further development.
Timothy Beecroft, chair of Verulam Residents Association, responded to the appeal: “Once again residents of the Verulam Estate are having to jump through bureaucratic hoops in order to try to protect one of their much loved green spaces.
“The arguments put forward by the landowners for retaining the fence will certainly raise eyebrows. The fence, they say ’harmonises with the surrounding area and does not adversely affect the street scene’. Really? The fence has been ‘sensitively designed’ and ‘would make a positive contribution to the surrounding area’. Really?
“And the fence ‘protects the private land from…anti-social behaviour such as fly-tipping’ which has never, as far as anyone can remember, ever happened there.
“And then there is the baffling claim that ‘the view of the site may be calming to the local community [but] such benefits could be replicated by observing private gardens, which are not open spaces of public value’. What on Earth does that even mean?
“Residents across the estate, and beyond, will, I am sure, once again do what has to be done to make their views known in defence of our precious green spaces.”
You can view the application grounds of appeal and related planning appeal documents online at https://planningapplications.stalbans.gov.uk/planning using the reference 5/2023/1279.
The appeal is being dealt with by written representations. If you wish to make comments, or modify/withdraw your previous representations, you can do so on the Planning Portal at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk using reference number APP/B1930/W/24/3340831 no later than April 29 2024.
