• Current Hertsmere Borough Local Plan (Core Strategy), 2012-2027 (adopted January 2013).
• Policies Map
• Site Allocations and Development Management, adopted November 2016.
• Emerging New Local Plan (suspended April 2022 so not in effect)

Local Plan Core Strategy Objectives

1. To provide the spatial policies necessary to deliver the land use requirements of the Hertsmere Together Community Strategy.
2. To protect the Green Belt and its role in preventing urban sprawl and the coalescence of towns.
3. To maintain an adequate supply of suitable land, focused on brownfield sites within the principal towns, to accommodate expected development needs and supporting community infrastructure.
4. To work towards meeting the community’s need for Affordable Housing.
5. To address issues arising from climate change, and all types of flooding and to take advantage of water and other natural recourses responsibly.
6. To improve environmental and streetscape quality in town centres and protect and enhance the built heritage of Hertsmere.
7. To protect and enhance the environment in Hertsmere by addressing local causes and impacts of pollution.
8. To raise levels of access by seeking development in locations not dependent on access by car and by requiring the provision of physically accessible transport interchanges and other buildings.
9. To promote safe and healthy communities, respecting the diverse needs of the whole Borough.
10. To support businesses of all sizes and to help promote local skills, focusing on areas of deprivation, education and training.
11. To provide a planning framework which promotes sustainable and competitive economic performance, in support of jobs growth requirements.
12. To safeguard and enhance the role of the town and district centres in Hertsmere, steering commercial developments, which attract a large number of people toward the most accessible locations.
13. To protect and enhance local biodiversity.
14. To secure efficient land use through well-designed development reflecting the size, pattern and character of settlements in Hertsmere.
15. To promote rural diversification and through the Watling Chase Greenways Strategy, sustainable access to the wider countryside.

Policy CS15 Promoting recreational access to open spaces and the countryside

The Council will work with its partners and relevant agencies to safeguard, enhance and facilitate access to parks, open spaces, rural visitor attractions and to the wider local countryside. Measures which secure the provision of safer and more secure car-free access including enhancements and additions to the rights of way / Greenways network as set out in the Council’s Greenways Strategy, will be actively sought where they do not present a risk to the biodiversity value and intrinsic environmental quality of the locality. The provision or enhancement of visitor and appropriate facilities in the countryside, including Watling Chase Community Forest Gateway Sites and Historic Parks and Gardens, will be encouraged where this:
i) specifically enhances access for the local population
ii) does not harm the character, appearance and openness of the Green Belt, landscape and wider countryside;
iii) does not cause new road congestion;
iv) does not exacerbate existing road congestion;
v) promotes uses which can be considered as appropriate in The Green Belt in line with Policy CS13; and
vi) will ensure that biodiversity is protected and enhanced in accordance with Policy CS12.

Policy CS26 Promoting alternatives to the car

The Council will support a wide range of measures to provide safer and more reliable alternatives to the car for accessing new development and existing development and other destinations across the Borough including:

i) improved public transport facilities;
ii) additional public transport routes and stops;
iii) enhanced and new non-motorised links (including Greenways) within and between urban and rural areas, along or additional to the existing rights of way and highways network, which increase walking, cycling or riding opportunities; and
iv) the safeguarding of proposed non-motorised routes, where necessary, to preclude development occurring which would prevent their future implementation.

New developments will be assessed in terms of their accessibility by a range of transport modes and where appropriate, measures to promote alternatives to the car will need to be provided as part of a proposed scheme, having regard to the requirements of the Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document, and the adopted Greenway Strategy.

Policy SADM28 Watling Chase Community Forest

The Watling Chase Community Forest and its gateway sites are indicated on the Policies Map. The Forest Plan and supplementary planning guidance will be material considerations in the determination of planning applications in the Forest area. The Forest Plan also provides the framework for formulating and implementing projects in partnership with the Countryside Management Service, Natural England, Forestry Commission and the other local authorities.

SADM Text 6.9 Criteria for New Development

6.9 All new development will be expected to create safe and convenient movement within the site for all users. This includes giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists and other non vehicle-users. Development should aim to maximise cycle, pedestrian and greenway provision through its layout and linkages. Where appropriate, contributions to the provision of new and existing routes and facilities will be required.

Policy SADM40 Highway and Access Criteria for New Development

Development will be permitted where:

(i) it can be accessed by a range of transport modes including, where appropriate, public and other sustainable transport modes;
(ii) it provides safe and convenient links through the site and within the site and enables access to adjoining routes and services for all users;
(iii) it will not harm the safety of any users of the highway network, cause or add significantly to road congestion or unduly harm the flow of vehicles;
(iv) the proposed design and layout give priority to pedestrians, cyclists and other non-vehicle users and provide for safe and convenient:
a) movement, circulation, parking, manoeuvring and picking up or dropping off;
b) accommodation of larger vehicles including emergency and servicing vehicles and/or coaches where required and
c) site access for all users (including adequate visibility splays);
(v) off-street car and cycle parking is provided in accordance with Core Strategy Policy CS25 and is consistent with the Parking Standards SPD; and
(vi) for major trip generating schemes, the applicant provides a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment (prepared in compliance with guidance issued by the Council and local highway authority), which demonstrates that the scheme accords with the policies in the Local Plan.

Where development may be expected to have negative impacts, appropriate mitigation measures will be required at the developer’s expense.

SADM Text 9.1 Glossary

Greenway. Greenways are primarily car-free, usually off-road routes that connect people who walk, cycle or ride horses to facilities and open spaces in and around towns and through the countryside.