Watts Farm Albury End Albury Hertfordshire SG11 2HS

1. 1.By reason of its location and extent into the rural open spaces, the proposed development would result in a harmful encroachment into the Rural Area Beyond the Green Belt, harmfully extending the settlement of Albury End and resulting in a visually and spatially harmful impact on the character and appearance of the rural area. The change of use to residential land would further result in the urbanisation of an excessive parcel of land, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the area, contrary to Policies GBR2, DES4, VILL3, HOU12 and CC3 of the East Herts District Plan 2018.
2. 2.The proposed development would result in the loss of land within agricultural and employment use, for which no evidence and justification for the loss has been demonstrated. It has not been demonstrated that there is no need for the existing uses of the land or that the use cannot be retained in full. The proposal fails to comply with Policies ED1 and ED2 of the East Herts District Plan 2018 and the NPPF.
3. 3.Insufficient information has been presented to demonstrate that the proposed development would not cause the damage and destruction of or harm to bat communities within and surrounding the application site. In the absence of such information and appropriate survey work, the Local Planning Authority cannot conclude that the proposal would not cause unacceptable harm to this protected species. The proposal fails to comply with Policies NE2 and NE3 of the East Herts District Plan 2018, the NPPF and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
4. 4.The proposal would result in harm to Hatfield Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve. The proposal is contrary to policy NE1 of the East Herts District Plan, Section 15 of the NPPF and Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
5. 5.The submission claims that the dwelling is proposed as a self-build dwelling, to be exempt from biodiversity net gain. In the absence of a legal agreement, this has not been secured. The proposal is not supported by information on the pre-development biodiversity value of on-site habitat and therefore insufficient information has been provided to establish Biodiversity Net Gain. The proposal is therefore contrary to policy NE2 of the East Herts District Plan 2018.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

SG11 2HS

Parish

Albury Parish Council

Date validated

16 April 2026

Applicant

Private applicant

Case officer

Daniel Clark