07 Aug 2023
It was a noble vision. A plan to build the world’s largest butterfly house, featuring 10,000 of the creatures fluttering beneath a 300ft dome, promoting an ecological message while also providing St Albans with a major tourist attraction.
But despite the backing of conservationists Sir David Attenborough and David Bellamy, and celebrity support from the likes of EastEnders’ Jake Wood and Hollywood actor Simon Pegg, the £27m Butterfly World project failed to achieve the necessary funding for the dome, and sadly closed for good in 2015.
Since that time the car park at the 27-acre Green Belt location has been used for industrial use, including scaffolders and car sales, and the rural site is strewn with cars, vans, trucks, fairground rides and portable cabins.
Industrial vehicles are moving them into Miriam Lane day and night, causing major noise disturbance and excessive traffic in the small country road, coupled with light pollution from spotlights, leaving local residents fuming.
Planning permission was only granted for Butterfly World on the condition it was used for horticulture, horticultural training, research, butterfly keeping and for visits by the public. Should the venue ever close it would be restored to its original state.
In December 2019 a company called Convene Construction applied to have the adjoining land excluded from the Green Belt under the SADC Local Plan Examination, but this was rejected by the council.
Campaign group Keep Chiswell Green has been fighting against the illegal use of the site.
A spokesperson said: “The current illegal use of the Butterfly World site by a number of companies specialising in vehicle services is of huge concern to residents of Chiswell Green.
“Residents are affected daily by the noise and disturbance resulting from the activities being undertaken on the site, and by industrial vehicles, such as double-decker car transporters, using Chiswell Green Lane to access the site, despite their prohibition.
“Residents feel badly let-down by St Albans district council who have been very slow to react on enforcement of the original planning conditions which sought to safeguard the quality of life of local people.
“Now that the appeals against the enforcement action and against the refusal of the current occupier’s application to operate from the site are with the Planning Inspectorate, there is considerable risk to Chiswell Green that the number of sites under threat could domino into an avalanche of new development, almost all on Green Belt land.
“Keep Chiswell Green would like to see the appeal against the enforcement action dismissed and the current occupiers obliged to vacate the site.”
One local resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “I am disappointed the council hasn’t delivered on its responsibility to residents in Chiswell Green and resolved this instead of hiding behind red tape, leaving us with a poorer quality of life for the past several years.”
St Albans district council served two enforcement notices on the site on October 21 2022 requiring the following works to be carried out to comply:
* ENF/2022/00005: Cease the use of the land for the stationing of caravans/shipping containers, vehicle sales and maintenance, storage of construction plant, materials and waste, scaffolding equipment, storage of vehicles, vehicle parts, motorcycles, household chatels and business use. Cease the use of the entrance building for business reception and offices. Remove all associated operational development being structures, racking, temporary buildings, hard surfaces, compounds and associated fencing together with means of enclosure that exceed 2m in height.
* ENF/2022/00006: Permanently remove the toilet blocks from the site.
Remove from the land all materials and waste in compliance with the above.
Both notices were due to come into effect on December 2 with a compliance period of six months.
However, appeals were submitted in relation to both notices before this date and so they have not come into effect.
If the appeals are dismissed and the enforcement notices upheld, then the owner will be required to comply with the enforcement notices within a specified period of time. As with other planning appeals, the final decision on the enforcement notices will be determined by the Planning Inspectorate.
Local St Stephen ward councillors Ajanta Hilton, Steve Cavinder and Giles Fry have been actively working to resolve the dispute.
Cllr Hilton explained: “This is a serious issue for us councillors and we have been pushing for enforcement, however the process has been extremely slow due to the number of enterprises operating out of the site (correct legal notices to be given, and appeals against enforcement).
“We are very concerned for residents who are experiencing noise and inconvenience from the site being operated as it is without permission.
“The issue currently is that the business owners have now appealed against enforcement which is determined by the Planning Inspectorate. Current mean waiting times from the website are 54 weeks. Extremely frustrating however this is the legal process.”
Her comments were echoed by Chris Traill, SADC strategic director for community and place delivery, who said their hands were tied: “Following an investigation, two enforcement notices were served on the site in October last year as activities appeared to be in breach of planning control.
“The notices required various business and storage activities to cease and some structures including temporary buildings and toilet blocks to be removed.
“However, both notices have been appealed and are with the Planning Inspectorate. Given the Inspectorate’s published timeframes, their ruling is not expected until later this year or some time in 2024.
“Whilst awaiting for the outcome of the appeal, the activities at the site can continue under the law.
“Therefore there is currently nothing further we can do. We will continue to monitor activities at the site and will implement the enforcement notices should the Inspectorate uphold our decisions.”
