RSS East Of England Plan - Broads Authority

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Section 13 Sub-Areas and Key Centres for Development and Change
POLICY LA3: Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield Key Centre for Development
and Change
Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield are a joint key centre for development and change within the London Arc. The
strategy for the towns involves:
(1) Overall housing growth of 10,000 by 2021, focused mainly at these towns. Identification of urban extensions
will require a strategic review of the green belt that allows scope for continued growth until at least 2031. Part of
the 10,000 may be in St Albans District if extension of Hatfield to the west emerges as a preferred option,
involving preparation of joint or coordinated development plan documents with St Albans DC.
Brownfield redevelopment opportunities will be maximised but sustainable urban extensions will also be required.
(2) Provision for substantial employment growth by:
• capitalising on strategic links to Stevenage and central London;
• ensuring an adequate supply of employment land by developing new sites and rationalising and
regenerating existing ones;
• making the most of opportunities associated with the University of Hertfordshire;
• reinforcing the town centre of Welwyn Garden City; and
• creating a more vital Hatfield town centre.
(3) Focused and coordinated action to raise opportunities and expectations and make better provision for local
residents in terms of health, education, employment, transport and quality of life.
(4) Ensuring the strategic transport network is adequate to support the growth of the towns and creating the
conditions for significantly increased use of public transport, walking and cycling.
(5) Retention/ reinforcement of the best qualities of Welwyn Garden City and substantial improvements to the
image and quality of the two towns’ built fabric and public realm, including provision of multi-functional green
space and enhanced green infrastructure between Hatfield and St Albans.
(5) Additional waste water treatment capacity planned and delivered working with the industry and its regulators.
13.41 The neighbouring towns of Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield have the potential to make a greater contribution to the
pressing housing needs of the London Arc in a strategic location on the A1(M) and East Coast Main Line where prospects
for economic growth are favourable, while at the same time adding to the critical mass of the towns and assisting
regeneration and urban restructuring.
13.42 The locations of future growth in Welwyn Hatfield Borough is a matter for determination through the Local Development
Framework process. This should develop the long term strategy for the future of the two towns, including testing their
potential to meet development needs to 2031 and beyond in accordance with Policy SS7. The green belt review should
include joint or coordinated work with St Albans District if further expansion of Hatfield to the west emerges as a preferred
option. The area to the west of Hatfield includes land identified in the 2007 Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan for sand and
gravel extraction. If this location emerges as a preferred option for an urban extension, the relevant Development Plan
Documents will need to provide guidance on the relative extent of areas for mineral extraction and built development and
on phasing for any areas where extraction needs to take place before built development.
13.43 Reconciling growth with the capacity constraints and pressures on the A1(M), A414 and East Coast Main Line is a key
challenge. This is recognised in the identification of the London to Huntingdonshire Corridor and Central Hertfordshire as
priority areas for further work on transport interventions, Policy T15. Any necessary waste water infrastructure