Development
Development Changes in Hertfordshire
Land use in Hertfordshire mainly comprises of small and medium sized towns set within a rural landscape. Achieving a balance between environmental, social and economic issues is becoming increasingly difficult as the demand for development grows in response to an increasing population.
Indicator LU1 - Land Used for Urban Activities
This indicator focuses on towns whose population exceeds 7,000 residents, which currently accounts for 13% of land in the county.
Within Hertfordshire, land has been increasingly developed in order to meet the needs of the people. Since 1995, 395 hectares (ha) has been added to those urban areas. Approximately 67% of this land has been developed for housing, around 9% for employment, 18% for leisure and community and 7% for transport. With Hertfordshire’s current targets for growth, the urban area is set to continue to expand.
The map and the table show how land use has changed from rural to urban activity between 1st April 2008 and 31st March 2009. This year the addition to the urban area of Hertfordshire was 0.09%, which equates to about 19 ha.
Source: HCC Development Commitments Survey 2009
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This increase includes 0.69 ha for employment, 1.62 ha for residential development and 16.91 ha for community and leisure. There were six developments included in this period:
- Replacement of St Mary’s School in Cheshunt: 16.91 ha
- Albury Farm in Cheshunt: 0.66 ha
- Hatfield Business Park: 0.3 ha
- The other three are residential developments involving 0.47 ha at Balls Park campus in Hertford, 0.04 ha in Bushey and 1.1 ha in Turnford. These three developments will provide nearly 100 dwellings on the fringe of the urban area.
| Town | Change 2008-9 (ha) | % Town Change 2008-9 | Urban Area 2009 (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broxbourne | 1.11 | 0.39 | 284.39 |
| Bushey | 0.04 | 0.01 | 351.93 |
| Cheshunt | 17.57 | 2.38 | 754.70 |
| Hatfield | 0.03 | 0.00 | 804.44 |
| Hertford | 0.47 | 0.08 | 562.02 |
| Hertfordshire | 19.22 | 0.09 | 21,404.85 |
Source: HCC Development Commitments Survey disclaimer
NI 154 - Net Additional Homes
As part of the single set of National Indicators, the rationale for NI 154 is to encourage a greater supply of new homes and to address the long term housing affordability issue. Measuring the net increase in dwelling stock over one year provides an indicator of performance against Government targets.
Between 2004 and 2008 Hertfordshire experienced a period of growth; however, in the year to 31st March 2009 a marked decline in the number of dwellings completed has been recorded. The economic downturn, experienced during 2009, is reflected in a 16% reduction in net additional homes provided in Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire Annual Dwelling Completions 1991 - 2009
Source: HCC Development Commitments Survey
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Size and type of dwellings
Whilst overall the number of net additional homes constructed in Hertfordshire since 1st April 2008 has fallen, the type of housing being developed is still dominated by flatted developments, completions of which this year represent 67% of the total.
The provision of smaller units still prevails, with 73% of all dwellings constructed having 1 or 2 bedrooms. Houses account for 33% of the total new dwellings completed, 74% of which had 3 or more bedrooms.
Size and Type of Dwellings
Dwelling Size (Hertfordshire Annual Gross Completions 2002-2008 % by Grouped Size & Type)
| Type | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House 1-2 bed | 17% | 11% | 13% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 7% | 9% |
| House 3+ bed | 47% | 47% | 42% | 40% | 32% | 29% | 26% | 24% |
| Flat 1-2 bed | 34% | 40% | 43% | 48% | 57% | 61% | 66% | 65% |
| Flat 3+ beds | 2% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
Source: HCC Development Commitments Survey 2008
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Indicator LU3 - Residential Development on Previously Developed Land
Efficient use of land is a key priority when deciding the location of development and the Government remains committed to maximising the reuse of Previously Developed Land (PDL). The national target required local authorities to build 60% of homes on PDL by 2008. The table shows how Hertfordshire has exceeded this target.
In the year 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009 the gross percentage of homes built on PDL was 93%. This was a rise of 6% from the previous year and 19% from 2001/02. This is the first year that all of the Hertfordshire local authorities exceeded the Government’s 60% target and three authorities achieved 100% of new homes on PDL.
Residential Development on Previously Developed Land
| District | Average per annum 2001- 05 | 2005/6 | 2006/7 | 2007/8 | 2008/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC | 50% | 80% | 76% | 93% | 83% |
| DBC | 96% | 97% | 99% | 97% | 96% |
| EHDC | 83% | 96% | 96% | 96% | 87% |
| HBC | 98% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 95% |
| NHDC | 52% | 48% | 58% | 66% | 74% |
| SACD | 97% | 97% | 99% | 94% | 98% |
| SBC | 48% | 48% | 52% | 46% | 100% |
| TRDC | 99% | 100% | 90% | 99% | 99% |
| WBC | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| WHBC | 71% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| County | 79% | 86% | 87% | 87% | 93% |
Source: Hertfordshire County Council Environment Department Development Commitments Survey 2008
67% of new dwellings constructed in 2009 in Hertfordshire were flats
Renewable technologies
The county council has been recording the number of planning applications containing renewable technologies since April 2007. These include applications that contain technology such as solar panels, wind turbines, CHP (combined heat and power) and biomass boilers.
Last year, 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009, there were 98 applications received with some element of renewable technology in them. In the same time period 87 applications have received a decision, of these 20.7% were refused.
There have been no new wind farms identified but of the two from the previous year, Bennington has lodged an appeal against a refusal of planning permission and Weston Hills has been refused.
The following table contains information on applications and decisions broken down by type of technology.
Not all renewable energy technologies require planning permission. For more information please visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Planning Applications Containing Renewable Technologies 2008/09
| Type of technology | Number of applications | Number of decisions |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | 69 | 61 |
| Wind turbines | 8 | 5 |
| Both solar & wind turbines | 3 | 2 |
| CHP | 6 | 3 |
| Other | 12 | 16 |
| Total | 98 | 87 |
Source: HCC Development Commitments Survey
Future Land Use Change in Hertfordshire
The East of England Plan, adopted in May 2008, plans for the growth needed between 2001 and 2021. It contains significant implications for Hertfordshire as a county, including the creation of thousands of new homes and jobs, and the associated infrastructure and services. A legal challenge to the Plan from the county council and St Albans City and District Council was partially successful and resulted in a repair process that is currently underway. Until this is complete the overall housing growth target for Hertfordshire remains unknown.
John F. Kennedy School in Hemel Hempstead, winner of Design Excellence category at the Building Futures Awards
District and borough councils’ Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) set out how this growth will be delivered. As part of the LDF, districts are producing Core Strategies and Site Allocations documents which identify possible sites for development.
Since April 2001 Hertfordshire has seen 29,590 new homes built; this is around a third of the original 2021 target. Another 15,000 dwellings have permission and further sites have been identified to help meet the required levels of growth.
A review of the East of England Plan to 2031 is currently underway. A consultation on the review finished in November 2009. Additional consultations will take place over the coming year, giving further opportunities to comment before it is adopted. For more information visit: www.speakuphertfordshire.org.uk
Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards
Building Futures is a partnership of Hertfordshire’s eleven local authorities, established in 2005, that provides guidance on sustainable design and construction and promotes high quality development in the county, via a web-based guide.
The inaugural Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards took place in December 2009. The biennial awards recognised and celebrated the achievements of Hertfordshire’s development industry and illustrated the county’s commitment to creating sustainable, liveable and resilient places. The winners were:
- Woodside Leisure Centre, Watford – Most Sustainable Construction Award
- John F. Kennedy School, Hemel Hempstead – Design Excellence Award
- The Wine Society Warehouse, Stevenage – Outstanding Commitment to Adapt to a Changing Climate Award
For information on the guide and the awards visit: www.hertslink.org/buildingfutures