Rectory Farm - update on the new information added to planning application

In our previous blog post regarding confusing information added to the Rectory Farm application, we promised we’d update you on further information we receive from the planning officer.

He has kindly responded to our request and 14 new documents have been added to the application on DBC’s planning portal that show, with much more clarity, the extent of the changes.

We have reviewed the new documents and conclude that all of the changes are in response to comments made by DBC Planning and are largely cosmetic. There was one comment made, relating to an apartment block, which stated that it: “appears bulky and would recommend this should be set at 3 storeys rather than 4 to be in keeping with the character of the area.”

The applicant did not make this change and so the block remains at 4 storeys.

We are disappointed that DBC Planning did not go further and ask the applicant to make changes in line with the guidance in the Kings Langley Neighbourhood Plan.

Part of that guidance states that new buildings should not exceed 2 storeys plus a pitched roof. The apartment blocks at 3 and 4 storeys plus pitched roofs clearly exceed this guidance and are out of character and out of place in Kings Langley. In any case, this is green field, Green Belt land and should not be built on at all.

The 14 new documents can be viewed here and are all dated 26 Apr 2023. The key summary document can be viewed here.