Understanding Buntingford
Buntingford Context Map
Development Background
Buntingford is one of five market towns in East Hertfordshire District, with a rich heritage, and goodprovision of facilities and services that serve the daily needs of the town, and its surrounding villages.
The East Hertfordshire District Plan was adopted in October 2018, identifying Buntingford as a key location for residential and employment growth.
The significant and growing need for housing, including a need for affordable housing, is supported by evidence gathered by Hallam Land Management. This includes a calculation of the minimum number of homes needed in East Hertfordshire, using the Government’s standard method, which equates to 1,103 dwellings each year, far higher than the 839 dwellings per year planned for by the District Plan.
Economic growth forecasts have also predicted job growth in the District to increase by more than three times over the District Plan period. This forecast, alongside the loss of the former Sainsbury’s Distribution Depot, has identified a substantial deficiency in employment land provision in the town.
Hallam Land Management are therefore bringing forward this proposal to help address existing shortfalls in housing and employment provision in the town, as well as providing additional services and facilities to serve new and existing residents, in a comprehensive manner which seeks to complement and support existing amenities in Buntingford, as well as enhance local infrastructure.
We are proposing the following for this site:
The Planning Process
1 Community Engagement
Engagement with local councils and the public to share the initial proposals.
A public consultation to gather feedback about the proposals.
2 Outline Planning Application Submitted and Determined
Reviewing the community engagement feedback and evolving the proposals to be submitted to East Herts District Council as three outline applications.
The three outline applications will establish the principle of developing the site.
These applications will be considered by the East Herts Planning Committee.
3 Reserved Matters Application(s) Submitted and Determined
Reserved matters applications will be prepared and submitted. This will provide more details on the application, including appearance, landscaping, layout and scale. These will be considered by the Planning Committee.
4 Pre-Commencement Conditions Discharged and Enabling Works
Once the reserved matters applications have been approved, a set of planning conditions will be agreed which will need to be discharged before construction can commence. This will include conditions on building the site including the construction programme and necessary works such as on the highways.
5 Development Commencement
The development will be built in phases. It is expected that the residential, employment and solar farm elements will be delivered in tandem, with key services and facilities appropriately provided. This programme will be delivered over an extended period to reduce the impact on the existing community.