KINGS LANGLEY & DISTRICT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Welcome to the
The Final Battle to Save Kings Langley’s Green Belt
Back in the Autumn, Dacorum Borough Council refused planning permission for 135 new dwellings on the Green Belt at Rectory Farm.
Angle Property / Cala Homes appealed and requested the Planning Inspectorate arrange a Public Inquiry. That inquiry has taken place and ended on Friday 12 April 2024.
The KL&DRA vowed to fight to uphold the Council’s refusal and represent the vast majority of Kings Langley residents who do not want to see our Green Belt developed, by appearing at the Public Inquiry, which we did. We employed a Planning Consultant and a Barrister to give us the best possible chance to save this key area of green field, Green Belt land in our village which, if lost, could set a precedent and open the floodgates for further developments on other green fields in and around our village.
Read on to find out how you can help us to protect our Green Belt.
For the latest update on the proposed development at Rectory Farm and the Public Inquiry, and what the KL&DRA are doing to fight the loss of this green space, please go to our blog.
Latest headlines:
For more than 25 years, our mission has been to protect and advance the general interests and environment of the residents of Kings Langley and the surrounding district.
The Rectory Farm Public Inquiry has ended. To read our report and to find out more about what went on at the inquiry, please see our report blog here.
Background leading up to the inquiry:
Dacorum Borough Council dropped a bombshell in proposing withdrawing their objections to development at Rectory Farm!
At the 11th hour, just a short time before the start of the Public Inquiry to consider Angle Property/Cala Homes’ appeal against refusal of planning permission, Dacorum Borough Council requested an adjournment, to provide time for them to finalise a deal with the developers, which would lead to DBC dropping all their reasons for opposing the appeal.
To find out more, please read our blog article here.
DBC removed the Rectory Farm site from their draft Local Plan, as they had re-allocated new housing to other brownfield sites around the Borough. This means that the Rectory Farm site is not needed by the Council to meet their local housing need and should not be developed.
The draft Local Plan was published for consultation, the period for which is now closed. To see the current draft Local Plan, please click here.
DBC subsequently refused the planning application by Angle property / Cala Homes for 135 homes on the above site, primarily on the grounds of inappropriate development in the Green Belt. More details can be found here.
Instead of withdrawing their application, the developers appealed against the refusal of their planning application, requesting a Public Inquiry (the most costly option for DBC and for the KL&DRA to be involved with!). We appeared at the Public Inquiry, presenting our case for the protection of Kings Langley’s green Belt.
At the Public Inquiry, the KL&DRA and CPRE Herts (appearing as the Joint Objectors Group (JOG)) were the only voice trying to persuade the Inspector not to allow development on Kings Langley’s Green Belt.
It is important to stress that the fight to protect our Green Belt never stops as developers will try time and time again to push development on our village. Kings Langley has already taken more than its fair share of new housing on brownfield (55 homes on the old dilapidated farm building on Rectory Farm is a prime example, and a development which we did not object to, on the proviso that the rest of the site was not developed!). This is why it is important to fight for the Green Belt, which after all defines and characterises our village and stops it joining up with, and becoming part of, Nash Mills or Abbots Langley. How many residents live in Kings Langley because of our surrounding countryside? How will we feel if that countryside is developed and we find ourselves living in a town?
The KL&DRA will continue to monitor the progress of potential new developments and planning applications, on our resident's’ behalf, and keep you appraised of any that threaten our character and setting of our historic village.
Read our latest Newsletter here
Rectory Farm developers’ appeal becomes the key battle for Kings Langley’s Green Belt.
Why getting this appeal dismissed is so important for the future of Kings Langley.
In December 2017, 99% of respondents to a Poll of Kings Langley residents said they were opposed to development of our village green belt.
The poll took place a month after more than 800 villagers attended an Extraordinary Parish Meeting regarding Dacorum's options for further development in Kings Langley. The vast majority opposed the inclusion of four Green Belt sites in Kings Langley, one of which was Rectory Farm.
For more than 22 years, The KINGS LANGLEY & DISTRICT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION (KL&DRA) has been working tirelessly to preserve the character and historic setting of our village.
Support us to save our Green Belt
Support us to save our Green Belt
Your donations help us employ professional consultants to help us protect Kings Langley’s Green Belt
Join the KL&DRA 100 Club
The KL&DRA has a 100 Club to help pay for ongoing expenses such as website charges and internet costs, membership of associated organisations and expenses. Members pay £5 per month for each number by standing order and can have as many numbers as they wish. The total amount received each month is split 50/50 between the Association and the prize fund from which 5 prizes will be drawn. The amount of each prize is a percentage of the total received ranging from 25% for the first prize to 3% for the fifth.
If you would like to support the Association this way please email residents@greenbeltmatters.com with how many numbers you would like and we will send you the membership form and payment details.
100 Club FAQs can be found here and the 100 Club Rules are here.
100 Club results for the April draw
1st Prize: Number 036
2nd Prize: Number 039
3rd Prize: Number 045
4th Prize: Number 020
5th Prize: Number 050
The draw was made by Jed Griffiths, our Planning Consultant.
1st prize this month: £112.50.
“Help us keep Kings Langley a village and preserve its historic character and setting so that it can continue to be enjoyed by our residents and visitors”
Source: KINGS LANGLEY & DISTRICT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
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