We have submitted a planning response to East Herts District Council in response to a planning application to alter access to land at 190/192 North Road.
The land falls within the boundary of the Bengeo Neighbourhood Area Plan. The Examiner’s report on the Plan was published on the 11 December 2020. Subject to final approval from East Herts District Council, the Plan will be put forward for public referendum, scheduled for the 6 May.
It’s noted that the proposed access alteration would require the regrettable removal of trees, close to the junction with North Road. It’s understood that the Scots Pine, on the access land, is dead so may need to be removed, regardless of the outcome of this application. Additional tree removal, associated with this planning application, would have a negative visual impact on the tree-line along that section of North Road and could set an unfortunate precedent for further tree removal in this Green Belt location.
Criterion III in Neighbourhood Plan Policy HBN3: Nature Conservation says: ‘where development results in the unavoidable loss of trees, replacement of trees, in suitable locations, will be encouraged’.