Council claims to be in “an impossible situation” after planning inspector response to draft Local Plan

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has said it is in “an impossible situation” after an independent planning inspector suggested the local authority’s draft Local Plan needed to include additional Green Belt sites to proceed to the next stage.

In his letter the inspector, Melvyn Middleton, called for inclusion of sites at Brookmans Park and Cuffley.

The sites were previously rejected at a meeting of full council.

Cllr Stephen Boulton, Executive Member for Planning and Resources at Welwyn Hatfield, said: "We are very disappointed in the Inspector's response and, once again, we find ourselves in an impossible situation.

“We are being pushed by the Inspector either to accept building on green belt sites that have already been rejected by elected councillors, or to write off the plan and start from square one with all the associated costs to the borough in these unprecedented times of financial pressure. 

"We have a responsibility to do what's right for the borough, for our green belt, and for our communities. If we are forced down either of the paths on offer, we do not believe it is possible to achieve that balance. We are now working with officers to consider the next steps."