Policy information sourced from the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan

SP 18 North East of Welwyn Garden City - SDS1

Land to the north east of Welwyn Garden City, at Panshanger, is allocated for development to accommodate approximately 870 new homes over the plan period.

A Masterplan, to be prepared by the site promoter working with the Council and other stakeholders, and subject to public consultation and confirmation by the local planning authority, will set out the quantum and distribution of land uses, access, sustainable design and layout principles. The Strategy Diagram in Figure 11 below will inform the Masterplan, which will form an element of the planning obligation for the site and to provide further guidance on site specific matters. Any application for development should be preceded by, and consistent with, the Masterplan.

The site will be planned comprehensively, in order to create a new extension to the neighbourhood of Panshanger, incorporating Garden City principles. These principles will be enshrined in a Design Code to be adopted as part of the planning permission (outline or equivalent) and implemented through the consideration of details.

In accordance with the relevant Local Plan policies the site will provide:

  • A wide mix of housing types, sizes and tenures, including a minimum of 30% of all units as affordable housing unless it can be robustly demonstrated that such a proportion would not be viable; housing for older people; and serviced plots of land to contribute towards meeting evidenced demand for self-build and custom housebuilding;
  • Gypsy and Traveller provision sufficient to accommodate a total of 12 pitches;
  • A new convenience shop in an accessible location to meet the day-to-day convenience shopping needs of new residents and to augment the existing neighbourhood centre at Moors Walk;
  • A 2 form entry primary entry school that allows for dual use for community purposes;
  • Sustainable transport measures including the improvement of pedestrian links, cycle paths, passenger transport and community transport initiatives within the site and linking to adjoining streets, footpaths and cycleways;
  • Suitable access arrangements and any necessary wider strategic and local highway mitigation measures;
  • Formal and informal open spaces for leisure and recreation, including play areas, sports fields, allotments and community orchards. Spaces will contribute to wider ecological networks including a strategic green infrastructure corridor from St Albans through to Hertford. As such, spaces should:
    • be accessible to new and existing communities;
    • provide upgraded routes for walkers and cyclists, including a route around the periphery of the development;
    • provide safe routes for wildlife, protecting and enhancing wildlife assets;
    • balance the needs of recreation and nature, providing animal infrastructure and undisturbed areas
  • The conservation and, where appropriate, enhancement of heritage assets and their settings, both on-site and in the wider area through careful masterplanning and appropriate mitigation measures, having regard to the findings of the heritage impact assessment;
  • Landscaping and planting;
  • An area of ecological enhancements in the north and east of the site; A structural landscaping area to the north in advance of any development to minimise its visual impact on the surrounding landscape, heritage assets and long distance views including views from and across the Mimram valley;
  • Necessary utilities, including integrated communications infrastructure to facilitate home-working;
  • Sustainable drainage and provision for flood mitigation; and
  • New community facilities including a community hall.

In order to ensure that the site is planned and delivered comprehensively, any application for development on part of the site will be assessed against its contribution to the Masterplan, and will not prejudice the implementation of the site as a whole.

The developer will need to demonstrate that the ‘opportunistic’ use of some minerals on-site within the site itself has been fully considered, subject to it not prejudicing the delivery of housing within the plan period.

For more information please see the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan