Local News 2026

June 1. 2023 Town Council gives a resounding NO to the L&G 550 homes in North West Harpenden

May 30th. 2023/ Harpenden Town Council EXTRAORDINARY MEETING to review

LAND AT COOTERS END LANE AND AMBROSE LANE PLANNING APPLICATION by Legal & General.

Within the Harpenden Neighbourhood Plan the North-West Infrastructure Zone states that significant development proposals in the North-West must:

Demonstrate how impact of new development on the A1081 and local roads will be mitigated.

Demonstrate provision for appropriate education facilities in close proximity to new development to meet the need for school places arising from the proposed development.

Demonstrate sufficient convenience shopping within a close proximity to new development.

Demonstrate sufficient open space, including recreational space in line with local community needs, within a close proximity to new development.
Having reviewed the applicant’s evidence it appears that these requirements have not been met in full.

A1081 and local roads - The development is likely to have an additional significant negative impact on the local road network. The A1081 adjacent to the development is already heavily congested and the neighbouring residential streets are tight and already subject to much ‘rat running’. The constraints in that area make it very difficult for any effective mitigating measures to be put in place therefore there is little surprise that the applicant appears to have not been able to demonstrate realistic mitigations.

Education facilities - The previous draft Local Plan required the site to provide a primary school. A primary school is no longer proposed by the applicant as the modelling suggests that it is not needed. However, having reviewed contributions to the consultation from Hertfordshire County Council it appears that they suggest that a primary school provision may still be needed.

Convenience shopping - The proposal appears to rely upon the existing parade of shops along the A1081. It is not clear if this is sufficient to support the needs of the new development.

Open Space - There is a sufficient level of recreation and open space included within the proposals. The proposals could be strengthened by replacing one of the grass sports pitches to an all-weather facility. There remains additional demand for this type of facility in the area.

Proposals Affecting the A1081, B653 and B652

The Application does set out highways improvements measures however; these are based upon the inaccuracies of the transport assessment mentioned above. Therefore, it appears that the measures will not ease traffic congestion on the A1081, nor will they minimise the disruption to traffic flow both of which are key requirements of this Policy.

Travel Plans

This focuses on the requirement for applicants to maximise the use of sustainable travel modes. The proposal sets out a number of suggestions relating to sustainable travel modes and we would make the following observations:

The proposed cycle path infrastructure measures appear entirely inappropriate and ineffective.

The on-road cycle route is unsafe and does nothing to address the most challenging aspect of the route which is when it reaches the Nickey Line bridge. The ‘quietway’ route encompasses narrow country lanes and residential streets with significant on-street parking. The applicant refers to the need for additional surveys to be undertaken and so it appears that the feasibility and deliverability of these proposals is unclear.

THE FINAL DECISION ON THIS PLANNING APPLICATION RESTS WITH ST ALBANS DISTRICT COUNCIL

April 4 2025. Government approves Luton Airport plan to allow potential 32m passengers a year.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander granted the development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing a potential 32 million passengers a year.

The decision overturns the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation for refusal. Expansion will deliver huge growth benefits for Luton with thousands of good, new jobs and a cash boost for the local council which owns the airport.

Last year, 16.7 million people used the airport, the fourth largest in the London area and a base for a number of leisure airlines.

LUTON AIRPORT COMMENT

The DCO application to grow our airport has been approved

Paul Kehoe CBE, Independent Chair of Luton Rising, the Luton Council company that owns London Luton Airport and associated assets for community benefit, said:

“We welcome the announcement from the Secretary of State for Transport that our application for the long-term sustainable growth of our airport has been approved. Today’s decision enables us to continue detailed planning for the next chapter in the success story of London Luton Airport.

“The benefits are clear. At a new capacity of 32 million passengers per year, our scheme will deliver up to 11,000 new jobs, additional annual economic activity of up to £1.5bn, and up to an additional £13m every year for communities and good causes.

“By introducing maximum limits for the airport’s noise, operational greenhouse gas emissions, air quality and surface access impacts, we also believe that our Green Controlled Growth framework represents the most far-reaching commitment to the sustainable operation of an airport ever put forward in the UK.

“We would like to thank the many thousands in the local and business communities who have supported us in successfully making the case for growth. From polling that we commissioned last year, we also know that more than five times as many people support London Luton Airport’s expansion plans than oppose them

“We will review the details of the Order and look forward to working with our partners to realise the significant economic, employment and social benefits for our town, the region and across the UK, as we contribute towards the Government’s vision for national growth.”

50 Harpenden businesses signed an open letter to SADC ( directly addressed to Cllr Paul De Kort, leader of SADC, and Amanda Foley, chief exec) against the High Street parking charges.

Organised by campaigner Elaine Bradford, a former high street shop owner and now a hypnotherapist with a practice on the High St.

She engaged with the businesses below. Two conditions have been requested in the letter:

Immediate suspension of the Harpenden parking charges - pending a thorough consultation with all stakeholders.

Introduction of a more balanced and fair traffic management and parking policy.

Alex Cowland, director, Alex Barbers

Abdul Hye, managing director, Bangkok Lounge

Nick & Julie Pike, owners, Bar Azita

Karen Blair, owner, Blush Beauty

Claire McKenna, osteopath/director, Body Mechanix

Alan Bramwell, practice owner, Bramwell Dental Practice

Patricia Adam, owner, Cache

Katarzyna Albinska, shop manager, Cancer Research UK Harpenden

Mark Wilson, director, Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd

Maxine Ryan, landlady, Cross Keys Public House

Troy Kiff, manager, District Modern Stores

Liam Lawless & Alicja Szypryt, studio owners, fit20 Harpenden

Daoud Hawa, store manager, Fonehouse Harpenden

Erdogan Dari, owner, Golden Scissors Barbers

Yusuf Dari, owner, Golden Touch Barbers

Jack, general manager, Harpenden Arms

Philip Egan, proprietor, Harpenden Eye Centre

Mary McGovern, practice manager, Harpenden Orthodontics

Hemant Vakharia, owner, Healthy and Wise

Robert Beiny, managing director, Hearing Healthcare Practice

Ken Edwards, managing director, Hertfordshire Air Conditioning

Jonas Hurst, director, Hurst Childrens’ Theatre Group

Beth Russell, branch manager, Johnson's Cleaners Harpenden

Alexis Weatherley, owner, Jolie Nail & Beauty

Andrei Lussmann, managing director, Lussmanns

Tom Zadok, assistant manager, Majestic Wine

Craig Main & Alexander Andrews, director, Main Hair Gallery

Dr L Mileham, owner, Milehams Car Parts Ltd

Barrie Woolston, director, Molasses House

Hasan Aslan, owner, Okka Restaurant

Fiona Grant, owner, Oui Harpenden Ltd

Olga Sipcenoka, managing director, Portofino Harpenden Ltd

Martin Williams & Robert Belcher, co-owners, R&M Butchers

Sharon Cousins, director, Rebecca Jane Health & Beauty Ltd

Mary Durkin, owner, Serena Hart

Donna Browne, manager, Silver Palate

Penny Swanne, managing director, Swanne Boutique Ltd

Luke Gumley, general manager, The George of Harpenden

Jack Rugman general manager, The Harpenden Arms

Niki Hackett, landlady, The Oddfellows Public House

Johnny Shepherd, founder, The Pudding Stop

Lee Hughes, director, The Shaken Cow

Olivia Reeder, manager, The Silver Cup

Baris Dari, owner, The Turkish Barber

Mark Watson, director, The Waffle House Harpenden

Damien Tidd, owner, Thompsons Close Café

Lara Wares, director, Threads of Harpenden Ltd

Bharat Shah, pharmacist and owner, Tompkins Pharmacy

Sean Fletcher, director, Travel Four Seasons (Harpenden) Ltd

Suzanne Shipton, director, Tuckfield & Co Estates

Elaine said: "Over the weeks this is now not only about local businesses but also includes, residents, visitors, employees of businesses in the town and particularly the elderly and most vulnerable who are struggling with the complexity of the new parking arrangements. AND

"I have been in Harpenden for the best part of 25 years and I don’t want to see the high street decimated."

Suggestions for a more equal initiative include "one to two hours of free parking to encourage footfall", "more flexible permits for shoppers, workers, and elderly residents who do not qualify for a Blue Badge", and "the inclusion of cash payment options to ensure accessibility for all."

Other concerns include elderly residents feeling "excluded" by the new system and the "decline in footfall" which was labelled "immediate and severe".

Craig Main and Alexander Andrews, directors of Main Hair Gallery said: "The introduction of high street parking charges has led to a noticeable drop in footfall, reducing our sales compared to the previous year and recent months.

"Customers are deterred by the added cost and inconvenience, affecting not just our salon but the wider high street. Combined with rising business rates, these challenges are making it increasingly difficult for local businesses to remain competitive and sustainable."

Meanwhile, Niki Hackett of The Oddfellows Arms pub added: "My lunchtime trade is down by at least 60 per cent, a lot of my customers are elderly and do not have smart phones and are scared to use the machines".

Government backs airport expansion at any price

The proposal for further massive expansion of Luton Airport was thoroughly examined by a team of professional planning inspectors, who recommended that the plan should not go ahead because of its noise and environmental impacts.

Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, has overruled this advice and granted permission for a further 13 million passengers and over 170,000 flights a year – with 70% more of them at night – at Luton Airport.

With Britain facing significant economic challenges, this decision makes no sense because the costs of airport expansion far outweigh any benefits.

In 2019, when aviation was at its busiest, there was a £30bn balance of trade deficit in tourism due to more people spending money overseas than bringing it in, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The increasing costs of damage caused by climate change will rub out any benefits from the government’s Green Power Plan in 5 years according to the New Economics Foundation.

Being awoken at night by aircraft noise increases the chance of stroke or heart disease according to the World Health Organisation. Increased health harms add to the costs on the NHS.

And the local transport infrastructure is insufficient to cope with the additional passenger load at Luton according to the planning inspectors who examined the application. Increased gridlock penalises other local businesses.

The inspectors strongly recommended against the expansion due to harm arising from noise and vibration effects. Noise blight caused by Luton Airport expansion is likely to negatively affect economic prosperity in the area.

Setting all of this in context: is the government’s approach genuinely sustainable? Will airport expansion and increased emissions from cheap flights leave the world in a better state for future generations? We think not – and having fed the documents into ChatGPT it agrees. Here’s its verdict:

“Whether the mitigation measures proposed for the London Luton Airport Expansion are truly sustainable depends on how “sustainability” is defined and weighed across environmental, economic, and social factors. Here’s an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed sustainability measures:

1. Environmental Sustainability: Mixed Results

Pros:

The plan includes carbon offsetting, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) adoption, and renewable energy use in airport operations.

Commitments to biodiversity protection and noise insulation help reduce local environmental harm.

Cons:

Carbon offsetting is often criticized as a short-term fix rather than a real reduction in emissions.

SAF is still in early adoption stages, with limited availability and high costs.

Increased air traffic will inevitably raise overall emissions, conflicting with UK climate goals.

Verdict: While the measures help, they do not fully neutralize the environmental impact, especially concerning long-term aviation emissions.

2. Economic Sustainability: Likely Strong

Pros:

The expansion promises job creation, regional economic growth, and improved business opportunities.

Improved transport infrastructure benefits both airport users and local commuters.

Cons:

Future aviation demand is uncertain, especially with post-pandemic travel shifts and remote work trends.

There is a risk of overestimating economic benefits while underestimating environmental costs.

Verdict: Strong in the short-to-medium term, but long-term viability depends on future aviation demand and government regulations.

3. Social Sustainability: Divided

Pros:

Noise insulation programs and flight path optimizations aim to reduce disruptions for local communities.

Expansion could improve international connectivity, benefiting passengers and businesses.

Cons:

Increased noise pollution and air quality issues could still negatively impact residents’ health and well-being.

Local opposition suggests concerns about the quality of life deterioration.

Verdict: Some improvements are planned, but local communities may still bear significant burdens from increased airport activity.

Final Assessment: Is It Truly Sustainable?

No, not entirely. While the expansion includes some sustainability efforts, it does not fully offset its environmental impact or prevent potential long-term challenges such as increased emissions and noise pollution. Economic benefits are strong, but the environmental trade-offs remain significant.”

Credit: ChatGPT, OpenAI, 4 April 2025

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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 8TH EASTERN REGION WOMEN'S FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION.

HARPENDEN TOWN WOMEN 3 BOWERS & PITSEA LADIES 4

On Sunday Harpenden were at home Bowers & Pitsea Ladies and despite

leading 2-0 at one stage with two quick fire goals and then 2-1 at the

break only to concede an early equaliser in the second period but they

struck back to go 3-2 up following a brilliant finish from Sophia Amanor

and then late in the match they switched off at the back to concede two

to eventually lose 4-3. This defeat sees them drop to third from bottom

but they are eleven points clear of second bottom team Enfield and

fourteen points clear of Hutton who are bottom. We next play Royston

Town Women away next Sunday who are in second spot in the table so we

better tighten up at the back or that will be another three points

dropped.

The match started with a dangerous free kick by Belle Shannon into the

box being headed clear by Kim Green for a corner kick which Shannon took

which resulted in Sophia Amanor heading the ball just wide of the near

post. For the visitors Bowers & Pitsea saw Ruby Kilden put over a great

ball into the box which saw Daisy Strouts punch clear and then Harpenden

took the lead. Chloe Dinsey played a short pass to SOPHIA AMANOR who

looked up and struck an awesome shot that beat keeper Hope Smith and

struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced down over the line and

out but luckily for the Harps for the first time this season saw the

assistant referee in the right spot to signal a goal so 1-0 to the

Harps. It quickly became 2-0 when Sophia Amanor played a one-two with

CHLOE DINSEY which resulted in the latter drilling the ball home from

ten yards for a great finish and for the second goal of the match for

the Harps.

Bowers tried to hit back and Kim Green went close with a free kick

which just over the bar and then Ruby Kilden went close following a good

strike from just outside the box and then play switched to the other end

where Amanor slipped the ball through for Lucy Ford to run onto but her

firm drive was beaten away by a good stop from keeper Hope Smith. Next

up saw Bowers pull a goal back when a long ball forward from Danielle

Sillitoe into the box saw the Harps keeper Daisy Strouts bring down

Danielle Styles for them to win a spot kick. Taking the resulting

penalty was Evie CLARKE and struck it into the far right corner to make

it 2-1 but she also picked up a yellow card for trying to wrestle the

ball away from keeper Strouts as she wanted to quickly restart the game.

Lucy Ford then setup Ella Mercer but her effort drifted just wide of the

near post.

Early in the second period Jaime Curtain won the ball just

outside the Pitsea box following a goal kick and after racing into the

area Hope Smith pulled off another smart save to stop the Harps going

3-1 up. A minute or two later Pitsea struck with an equalising goal when

a deep free kick from Danielle Sillitoe out on the left wing landed up

in the back of the net with Evie CLARKE claiming a touch to make it 2-2

on 54 minutes( we need VAR to sort this one out!) Sophia Amanor then set

up two efforts for Lucy Ford with Hope Smith pulling off another good

save when it seemed Ford must score and then Smith did the same to

another Ford effort as well to keep the scores level. Sophie Hart for

the visitors then had a chance but saw Kacee Warren clear the danger and

then out of the blue saw the Harps regain the lead when a long ball

forward from Seryan Kabongo saw SOPHIA AMANOR win the chase for the ball

and hold off a defenders challenge to send a fantastic curling shot past

Hope Smith from the edge of the box for a great finish to make it 3-2 on

63 minutes. Daisy Strouts then had to be quick after she fumbled a shot

from Danielle Sillitoe but Strouts was on her toes to recover the ball

at her near post as Poppy White closed in.

.

Evie Clarke for Pitsea then had a fine shot tipped around the far post

by a good stop from Daisy Strouts and then at the other end Shannon

found Dinsey but her well struck effort was saved by Pope and Leah

Shellard also had a shot saved by Pope and as the clock was ticking down

saw Bowers & Pitsea strike with two goals. What with the Harps bench

appealing for a foul on Amana Oguntuga which the saw the ref give the

other way and with the Harps players switching off a long ball found

Evie CLARKE who was away and shot the ball low past Strouts to make it

3-3 now on 87 mins. Three minutes later it became 4-3 to Bowers & Pitsea

when Evie CLARKE was sent away clear and after going around Strouts saw

her score her fourth goal of the match and also picking up their player

of the match as a result. For the Harps Belle Shannon, Chloe Dinsey,

Erin Shacklock, Chloe Dinsey and Sophia Amanor all played well.

The Squad: Strouts, Allen-Thomas, Shacklock, Warren, Dowdall, Dinsey,

Shannon, Amanor, Kabongo, Ford, Mercer, Henry, Shellard, Oguntuga,

Curtain(all played) Sub: McShane( did not play, pulled up in the warm up

with an injury).

TOP 6 PHOTOS by STEVE LYNES

Bottom photo by Freddie Clark

Terry Edwards. FOOTBALL AS IT'S MEANT TO BE.

JAN 20.TOWN COUNCIL INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

ON ACCESSING TOWN CENTRE NOW PUBLISHED

The Town Council recently commissioned independent research to gather the opinions of residents and town centre businesses on accessing and visiting Harpenden’s town centre. THEY have now received the findings from the research. You can read the Independent findings report here.

The Town Council will be considering its view on this report at the end of this month and a further update will be published then.

THEY are awaiting the final costs of the research, however they expect the total cost to be c£30k. The business element of the research will be £10k and the residents research is c£20k, however the final figure depends on the number of hard copy surveys requested.

WHY WAS THE RESEARCH COMMISSIONED?

The Town Council has commissioned independent research that seeks to gather the opinions of residents and town centre businesses on accessing and visiting Harpenden’s town centre. The surveys included questions regarding changes to the limited waiting parking bays which were introduced in February.

The residents’ survey will be posted to every household in Harpenden so that views are gathered from as many local people as possible. All members of each household aged 16 or over will be invited to take part in an online questionnaire (or they can request a printed copy) using a unique identifier code to ensure reliable results.

Businesses located in Harpenden Town Centre will be also asked to take part in a telephone or face to face interview.

The Town Council aims to gather information to help understand changes within the local area and any resulting impact on the town centre.

The survey was carried out by an independent research company, Public Perspectives, on behalf of Harpenden Town Council. Research and took place in November and December 2025.

Further information:

Independence and confidentiality

The survey was carried out by an independent research company, Public Perspectives, on behalf of Harpenden Town Council. Responses are confidential and anonymous. This means that answers and opinions expressed in the research will not be published alongside personal details, and all information will be stored securely in line with data protection legislation.

Harpenden to welcome one of UK’s greenest care homes.

Due to open in March.

Harpenden will be home to one of the greenest care homes in the UK with the opening of a new eco property designed to achieve net zero status.

Harpenden Springs on Grove Road will be powered entirely by renewable electricity and won’t use gas at all. It features 125 solar panels on purpose-designed slanted roofs to generate the power required by the 75-bedroomed home, plus air source heat pumps to provide warmth to the under-floor heating system.

Its car park will feature 12 EV charging points, and its outside space will have a purpose-built wildlife garden for residents to enjoy that will support biodiversity. Harpenden Springs aims to independently generate all the power it needs and will only draw additional electricity from ‘green’ providers. The home is the greenest commitment to care so far by operator, Oakland Care, which is the UK’s first carbon neutral care home group.

“Oakland Care has led the sector with its commitment to sustainability for several years now. With a growing number of homes in our portfolio to meet the increasing need for care, we have a responsibility to local communities and to the environment as a whole,” said Oakland’s CEO, Joanne Balmer.

“We had the chance to fully shape the design of Harpenden Springs from the very beginning, and we wanted to push the boundaries for what is possible for care homes when it comes to sustainable development.”

Harpenden Springs, which has opened its marketing suite, is on course to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’. BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for buildings and organisations and assesses the home on 51 different criteria including its construction methods and materials, energy use, recycling and how well the building supports the health and wellbeing of its residents.

Oakland Care currently operate 10 luxury care homes across the south of England, with Harpenden Springs being the 11th in their portfolio. They are the first care home group in Britain to be certified as a carbon neutral business by Carbon Neutral Britain and are also a Green Mark Level 3 accredited business.

Timber used within Harpenden Springs is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and utility monitoring software will track energy use to show where efficiencies can be made. It will have recycling stations and will be a paper-free environment for team members. The home is built on the site of Pan Auto Services, before it moved premises to Coldharbour Lane, repurposing what was derelict land following the garage’s demolition.

General Manager, Luciana Dobos, said as well as being environmentally responsible for the future, the home will be an exceptional place for people to live.

“First and foremost, we are creating a beautiful home for our residents, with all the amenities our homes offer such as a bistro, a hair salon, an activity room, quiet lounges, landscaped gardens and a library. Harpenden Springs will have a dedicated physiotherapy suite that will be available for the community to use too.

“We will offer residential, nursing, memory and respite care in a setting that’s responsible to the environment. This carries right through to the activities we will offer to residents, and training our staff in sustainability and involving them in local sustainability projects”

For more details visit https://oaklandcare.com/our-care-homes/harpenden-springs-harpenden/

Swordsmen of the Silver Screen with Sword-master Andy Wilkinson.

Date: Saturday 14 March Time: 6.30pm – 8.00pm

Location: Harpenden Library.Ticket price: £7.70

Join sword-master Andy Wilkinson as he demonstrates Olympic fencing and theatrical sword-craft and gives his popular talk ‘Swordsmen of the Silver Screen’ - packed full of film clips and insights into the actors and fighting experts who created dazzling action scenes in the halcyon days of the Hollywood swashbucklers.

A true Renaissance man, Andy has been a director, actor, stuntman, screen-writer, producer, fight-choreographer, stage combat instructor, author, and award-winning fencer. A Library Centenary event.

https://herts.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/EVSESENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=14948426

Harpenden History Society has issued its programme of exhibitions in the museum and monthly talks for 2026.

The ‘Redbourn Residents Group’ OPPOSES THE LAWES TRUST PLANS FOR 1,000 NEW HOMES.

Plans for more than 1,000 new homes on Green Belt land to the north of the village have been proposed by the Lawes Agricultural Trust (LAT) – a charitable trust which owns the estates at Rothamsted in Harpenden

It would also include a new two-form entry primary school, a potential new care home, around 23 football pitches’ worth of open space, play areas and other enhancements around the River Ver chalk farm, and up to 50 per cent affordable housing.

The 104-acre open arable site is situated on the northeast edge of the village of Redbourn, between Dunstable Road, Harpenden Lane and the Redbourn bypass.

The development will see 42 hectares of Green Belt land reclassified as grey belt – which means it does not strongly contribute to the main purposes of the Green Belt – and would see the size of the village population increase from 2,200 to 3,200 houses.

A consultation event by Lands Improvement Holding was held at the Redbourn Village Hall in late November where display panels showing all aspects of the proposal where on display with a number of experts on hand to answer questions. A consultation form was provided for visitors to complete on site or on line.

OPPOSITION GROUP FORMED

Following this meeting local residents and businesses formed an opposition group on WhatsApp ‘Redbourn Residents Group’. Organised by Pauline Willis, Deana Barge and Nick Johnson. They have reviewed the proposals and have raised a series of objections as seen in the documents here to spread the word across the whole of Redbourn.

Petitions are in evidence across the High St gathering support. SEE example here.

They have been communicating with other groups in the country, who are experiencing the same type of proposals of developers using “green belt” to grey for building houses.

Pauline has also received a very positive response from CPRE regarding the ongoing and future campaigns and maybe resulting in a national campaign. So all groups may have to pull together!

ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING

In the immediate future they are

urging all local residents/business

owners to attend a follow up

consultation meeting in the

Village Hall on Jan 26 at 6.00pm

to show the solidarity against

the proposals to the Lawes

Agricultural Trust who are

working with leading strategic

land development company

Lands Improvement Holdings,

the organisers of this meeting.

More to come after Jan 26.

JAN 26. Many Redbourn residents turned out in large numbers to protest against the proposed development of approximately 1000 homes by the Lawes Agricultural Trust. This development will see many hectares of Green Belt land reclassified as Grey. Said Annabel Egerton