DIARY DATES

Monday 27 March 2006 at 8pm.

Our AGM at Brookmans Park United Reformed Church. See below for details

Sunday 2 April 2006 at 2.30pm.

Litter clearance -see below for details.

Sat 14 Oct 2006 at noon

Our 21^st annual Lunch, with tickets available via our Secretary. Prices likely to be £6 (£4 for under 10 year olds) including a drink (beer, wine, or soft)

Our successes in 2005

Planning applications - In 2005 there were162 applications in the parish, compared with 235 in 2004. We objected to or commented on 18 of them (11%), with success in 11 cases and 2 still to be decided. We do not oppose the vast majority of planning applications, which are mainly for house extensions and conservatories.

www.GreenBeltSociety.org.uk. Over 4,000 people visited our website in 2005, averaging 11 a day. They came from all over the world, including Japan, South Africa and even Romania!

Other items

Flats at 1-3 Georges Wood Road

Not in the Green Belt but we opposed this application because it would change the character of the area. In September 2005 Welwyn Hatfield Council approved replacement of these two houses with 12 flats in two buildings. We then obtained legal advice. It concluded that we had no prospect of succeeding in bringing an application for judicial review. This was the only means of getting the council to reconsider this approval.

‘Footballers Wives’ house

A local house in the Green Belt has been used as a set for this TV series. The council issued an enforcement order to stop this use. A Planning Inspector dismissed an appeal because of the nuisance to neighbours, and not on Green Belt grounds.

Flats at 9 Bluebridge Road

Also not in the Green Belt, but the owners won their appeal and received permission to replace this house with 4 flats.

Angerland Common, South Way, Hatfield

Located in the Green Belt, next to the Cemetery, there is to be an 800 car-space Park and Ride facility, 6 full-sized football pitches, 4 mini-pitches. Hatfield Town Football Club will have a floodlit pitch, a new 450-spectators stand and clubhouse. There will also be a cricket field, the home ground for the Cavendish Cricket Club.

Third annual litter clearance

Can you help for an hour or two starting at 2.30 pm on Sunday 2 April 2006? Black bags, gloves and some ‘pickers’ will be provided. We meet at the Scout Hut, Station Road, and expect to clear litter at these locations:

· Gobions Open Space, starting at 2.30pm from the car park off Moffats Lane

· Brookmans Park railway station and all of Station Road

· Bluebridge Road (from the bridge southwards) & Hawkshead Road

Draft East of England Plan

Over 100 local residents attended our Public Meeting last February and 400+ residents sent comments to the East of England Regional Assembly. Many thanks. The speaker at our AGM will update us on progress.

Just to remind you, if approved, 478,000 homes could be built in the East of England between 2001 and 2021. Permission has now been given for 3,600 of them west of Stevenage. This month Arlington Securities unveiled proposals for 15,000 new homes between Hatfield and St Albans

There are major worries about funding the additional infrastructure, with water a particular issue in both the East and South East. Water companies predict hosepipe bans in 2006 and other measures because of the low rainfall. How can they cope if these extra homes are built?

Welwyn Hatfield District Plan.

The council adopted its updated Plan in April 2005. It has now started drawing up the next version – now called a ‘Development Plan’. We are being consulted at all stages.

Hertsmere Development Plan

This council is also consulting us on the replacement for its District Plan.

London Luton Airport expansion

The proposals include a second runway and an increase in passenger from 7.5 million a year to 35 million a year. By 2012 it would equal the current size of Heathrow.

Stansted airport expansion

BAA proposes a second runway and passenger numbers to increase from 22 million a year to possibly 76 million by 2030. Flight numbers would triple.

Expansion of Luton and Stansted airports are bound to affect us with the increased need for housing, traffic congestion, road building, and aircraft noise.

We keep you informed

Read about what is happening by means of:

- www.greenbeltsociety.org.uk , our website which is updated very regularly,

- Chancellor's Community Newsletter, and

- this annual Newsletter.

Membership counts

The East of England Regional Assembly gave our contact details to other organisations as an example of how our strong membership and our campaign in 2005 produced a huge response on the draft East of England Plan. This was just one example of how our voice is noticed by authorities.

Help us increase the strength of our voice in 2006. Annual membership costs just £1 a head, so why not enrol all your family? You, and your family, can enrol at our AGM, or mail the form in the distributed copy of this Newsletter together with a cheque/postal order payable to 'North Mymms District Green Belt Society'

NORTH MYMMS DISTRICT GREEN BELT SOCIETY

President - Bob Wilson

This Society will hold its Annual General Meeting on Monday 27 March 2006 at 8 p.m. in the United Reformed Church Hall, Bluebridge Road, Brookmans Park, Herts. All are warmly welcome but only members of the Society can vote.

AGENDA

1. To confirm the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 21 March 2005

2. To deal with matters arising from those Minutes

3. To receive the Chairman's report

4. The presentation of the Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2005

5. To receive the Membership Secretary's report

6. Election of Officers and Committee Members

7. Election of the Honorary Auditor

8. Any other business

Our guest speaker will then update us on the draft East of England Plan. Kevin Fitzgerald is the Hon Director of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)-Herts Society. That Society attended every day of the EEP Inquiry in Public. Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be served afterwards.