INTRODUCTION
Offley Parish Council opposes the planned development of 2,100 homes East of Luton (EOL). North Herts Council’s Local Plan includes the three sites EL1, EL2, EL3. These sites sit on the border of North Herts with Luton, swamping the hamlets of Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green and Tea Green.
1,950 homes are included solely to meet ‘Luton Borough Council’s Unmet Housing Need’. Offley Parish Council contests that Luton has been able to meet it’s housing needs by a) developing sites within Luton Borough Council boundaries and b) by the provision of Central Beds Council of 7,350 homes to meet Luton’s housing needs.
As a result, Offley Parish Council contests that the three sites EL1, EL2 and EL3 have been released from Green Belt status for invalid reasons; that the sites should be removed from the Local Plan and returned to Green Belt status. These sites are valuable farmland and contribute to national food security.
Noting the change to a Labour Government which is promoting housebuilding as a crucial foundation for economic improvement, Offley Parish Council further contests in a scenario which sees EL1, EL2 and EL3 returned to Green Belt status, that an Authority-Led review of the Green Belt would not result in North Herts Council choosing to develop these sites. This land is prime farmland, not brown-site or grey belt and is not supported by an existing infrastructure.
