Berkeley has responded to the decision of Dacorum Borough Council’s planning committee to block an application to build 476 private and affordable homes on the derelict Hemel Hempstead Gasworks.
The refusal, on December 12, came despite a recommendation to approve the plan from the council’s planning department.
The 9.2-acre Hemel Hempstead Gasworks has been largely derelict for over 60 years and has been allocated for housing development in the council’s Local Plan since 2013.
Dacorum has a severe housing shortage and delivered an average of around 680 homes over the last three years against an annual target of over 1,000.
The refusal came the same day that the UK Government announced an overhaul of the planning system to increase homebuilding and encourage sustainable brownfield development. Under the new National Planning Policy Framework Dacorum’s homebuilding target will increase to 1,355.
Planning authorities are required to maintain a five-year housing land supply, with Dacorum currently having just a 1.69 year supply. This leaves the council vulnerable to speculative planning applications in inappropriate locations rather than on allocated sites such as Hemel Hempstead Gasworks.
Rob Perrins, Berkeley Group chief executive, said: “The government has made a hugely positive start to fixing our dysfunctional planning system and decisions like this show what they are up against at local level.”
“Councils with severe housing shortages can block new homes on sustainable brownfield sites they have allocated for housing in their own local plans. It makes no sense, and we encourage the government to keep up the pressure and continue doing everything it can to break down the barriers and get homes built.”
Berkeley’s proposals have been carefully designed over more than three years of engagement with Dacorum Borough Council’s offices and community stakeholders, resulting in the positive recommendation from officers.
The gasworks regeneration would create 476 homes and open up the site with a mix of public open space and new walking and cycling routes. 43% of the site would become public open space, including parkland, children’s play space and a mix of new natural habitats that would create a 50% increase in on-site biodiversity.
Berkeley will now appeal the decision with the Planning Inspectorate in a process that will take many months and incur significant costs.
