Hawridge Land’s 100-home proposals approved

Create is proud to have been part of the multidisciplinary team that recently secured unanimous planning approval for a 100-home development in Ickleford, North Hertfordshire.

The development comprises one-and-two-bedroom properties alongside larger three-bedroom or more homes, with 50% affordable housing, built on a Green Belt site to the south of Turnpike Lane. The site will encompass extensive areas of new public open space, including play areas and a east-to-west active travel route traversing the site, improving connectivity for both future and existing residents. As part of the development, significant improvements to local infrastructure will also be made.

Due to the site’s location within the Green Belt, the proposals were required to satisfy the Very Special Circumstances (VSC) test – a high threshold set by UK planning policy to justify development in the Green Belt. The proposals demonstrated that the benefits of the development clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt, directly contributing to the Government’s targets to boost housing delivery and affordability.

The proposals were submitted by our client, Hawridge Land, who appointed us to provide specialist water and flood risk consultancy and to manage the proposed connections into an existing surface water pipe running across the site and discharging into the nearby River Oughton. As part of this work, our flood risk consultants carried out a Site-Specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA), provided Technical Notes to address comments from the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and Parish Council, and developed an appropriate Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS). We liaised directly with Anglian Water to agree a suitable connection for foul water discharge, as the nearest manhole to the site lacked sufficient capacity to serve the development.