Since March 2018/9, we have been consulting with our neighbours, the parish and district Councils as well as other stakeholders. We have updated our draft plans to reflect wherever possible the requests and recommendations that we have received. The following changes have been incorporated into the latest draft drawing:
Respecting the advice from our engineers and the Highways Dept at Hertfordshire County Council we have moved and simplified a new access road/junction with the Roydon Road. We have also managed to avoid interfering with the oak tree on the corner of the Roydon Road and made the junction location safer.
We have widened the public right of way that runs to the rear of the existing almshouses to 3 metres. This creates a better pedestrian and cycle access way away from the front of the almshouses and the Roydon Road.
The proposed new almshouses are being redesigned to provide sustainable accommodation which will blend in with the overall development and will still create a courtyard with the Grade II listed Almshouses.
To the top right of the layout, we have now incorporated a small pear orchard, and a couple of beehives as part of our bio-diversity plan.
Some of the houses on the scheme have been rotated slightly so as to fully face South and make better use of the PV cells on the roofs.
We are still working on the following items:
The current house types need amending to reflect forthcoming improvements in insulation standards. This will result in a slightly larger footprint for the same internal space.
The layout for the scheme is close to being finalised. The new almshouses are the last component.
We are constantly engaging with our consultant team to ensure that the layout meets all of the development’s needs. One of the biggest challenges is how to accommodate bin lorries!
Whilst we have incorporated a number of ecological and sustainability initiatives, the next stage will be to employ the services of a landscape architect who will be able to add further benefits to the scheme and support our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) ambitions.
We are hoping that the local population will vote to support the Neighbourhood Plan referendum, later this year. There are very few sites in the area that can provide the housing numbers, affordable homes and the landscape-led approach, without significantly eating into the green belt and creating coalescence with neighbouring settlements. If the Neighbourhood Plan isn’t approved, then this could open the floodgates locally for much more speculative development. That could put a huge strain on the village amenities. Here is the link for the current consultation Stanstead Abbotts and St Margarets | East Herts District Council
We value and welcome all feedback, and would encourage you to contact us with your thoughts and any questions you may have, which we will endeavour to respond to.
