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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

Compassionate Café launches in Harpenden.

in partnership with Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care

The Harpenden Trust and Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care are delighted to announce the launch of a new Compassionate Café, at the Harpenden Trust’s Well Bean Café, Harpenden Trust Halls (above the Co-op), 130 Southdown Road, Harpenden, AL5 1PU.

The Compassionate Cafés will take place on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 2.00pm to 3.30pm.

The Compassionate Café, which will be open to people from the AL5 area, will provide a space for local people who have been affected by bereavement or any kind of loss to meet others by coming together for a cuppa and a chat. Each session will be run by volunteers who are on hand to welcome and speak to attendees. Each session will be informal in structure, guided by the needs of the people attending.

Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care have been running a number of successful Compassionate Cafés in Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere areas since December 2021 and are delighted to be bringing the model to Harpenden area. The hospice charity is working in partnership with Harpenden Trust and their volunteers have been trained up by the hospice to help provide a welcoming space.

Sara, one of the volunteers at the Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care Compassionate Café says:

“The cafes are a friendly and safe environment for people to meet others and have a chat. They are a great way of making friends or being signposted to local events of interest. I find that the sessions give people an opportunity to talk about their loss or bereavement and how they are coping. People really benefit from the peer support of sharing with others who are going through something similar. Compassionate Cafés are open to everybody – you don’t need to be referred to them or book a space in advance - you can just come when you want, stay for as long as you need and go when you want.”

Sarah Holmes, the Head of Wellbeing at Harpenden Trust, is excited about the launching the Compassionate Café and said:

“The Harpenden Trust is delighted to partner with Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care to open our Well Bean Café as a Compassionate Café twice per month. Anyone experiencing loss, bereavement or affected by life limiting illness themselves is welcome to chat over a cup of tea and cake. Our trained volunteers aren’t there to give official advice, but offer support, company and a friendly ear. The Trust works with Harpenden Health Primary Care Network and Mind in Mid Herts on a range of initiatives across Harpenden supporting the wellbeing of AL5 residents of all ages. Partnering with charities working in specific health sectors works well for the Harpenden Trust. It ensures our volunteers are equipped with the right skills and reassures anyone attending a partnership activity that it is a safe and understanding place for them to come”.

Tuesday Nov 12. Tuesday Nov 12. N W Harpenden development is unsound, since it is not justified, effective or consistent with national policy states Harpenden Green Belt Association & Stop L & G.

Details  have been submitted to SADC

The technical consultation is to decide whether a draft Local Plan for St Albans District has met all the necessary legal requirements has now closed.

Stop L & G and The Harpenden Green Belt Association recognise the importance of having an adopted Local Plan to meet local needs, plan for infrastructure and prevent speculative planning applications.

However, we consider that the allocation of the NW Harpenden broad location is unsound. For the reasons which follow, the traffic generated by development of this site, particularly when taken together with committed and proposed development across and outside the District, is likely to result in a severe impact on the local highway network, including the A1081 Luton Road. The problems are such that they cannot be left to a planning application to be resolved – indeed, there is a current planning application for development of this site and adjacent land and the transport assessment provided by the developer in relation to that application merely serves to demonstrate the problem.

There are existing significant problems with traffic congestion down the A1081. These are exacerbated by the Nickey Line Bridge at the junction with Park Hill, which is a critical “pinch point”. The conditions are currently unsuitable for all but the most experienced cyclists. Moreover, the walk into Harpenden is longer than the Transport Impact Assessment (“TIA”) allows for, because there is no pavement on the east side as the road goes under the Nickey Line Bridge: it is therefore necessary to cross the road to use the narrow pavement on the west side to walk under the Bridge into Harpenden.

The existing queues of traffic on the A1081 cause rat-running up Cooters End Lane and Ambrose Lane and into the narrow network of Victorian streets leading into central Harpenden, adding to the traffic going back and forth from The Spire Hospital, Youth with a Mission and the Kings School. Traffic movements are hindered by a sharp blind bend on Ambrose Lane over the Nickey Line. The pavement also disappears. Consequently, we have significant concerns about the safety of cyclists and pedestrians at this point on Ambrose Lane. Moreover, there are also safety issues because the junction between Bloomfield Road and Ambrose Lane is also “blind” – residents have put up a mirror themselves but there is a clear risk of accidents.

If NW Harpenden is developed, many journeys to and from it will be by car. The TIA acknowledges that the station is too far for some people – we would say most people – to walk on a daily basis. What the TIA fails to acknowledge is the likely volume of school-related traffic. Whilst Roundwood Primary and Roundwood Park Schools are within walking distance, children from this development are not likely to be able to get into these schools. Instead they will need to go to the new primary school which is proposed on the NE Harpenden allocation or Katherine Warington School, both of which are some considerable distance away. There are no safe or easy walking routes from NW Harpenden to these schools.

The identification of NW Harpenden as a sustainable site for development is predicated on the assumption that it will be possible to create a LTN 1/20-compliant segregated cycle route along the A1081: as stated in the TIA:

“South West GTP scheme PR37 and the St Albans LCWIP A1081 Luton Road route both demonstrate the strong requirement for a segregated cycleway along the A1081 to be provided as mitigation.”

It has also been proposed that traffic calming on Ambrose Lane will enable that road to be used as a “quiet” cycle way.

However, the difficulty with providing a segregated cycle route down the A1081 is, again, the Nickey Line Bridge. Because of the narrowing of the road, it is not possible to have two lanes of traffic and a segregated cycle lane under the bridge. Herts CC have proposed that this is addressed by a “shuttle system” so that traffic only moves in one direction at any one time, allowing cyclists to remain segregated from the traffic.

On the basis that these cycle routes will be provided, the COMET modelling which has been undertaken by Herts County Council to assess the traffic which will be generated by the NW Harpenden allocation has reduced the prospective future flows by 10%.

However, these assumptions are flawed.

Firstly, there are serious deficiencies in the COMET modelling, which do not take into account the cumulative effects of committed and proposed development in adjacent authorities: NW Harpenden is at the border with Central Bedfordshire and clearly impacted by its plans. Furthermore, it operates at a high level only, and much more detailed modelling will be necessary to properly assess the impact on local roads such as Ambrose Lane and Tennyson Road.

Stop L & G has commissioned reports from a highway’s expert, Malcolm Foster of Neptune Transport Planning. Technical Note NPT3, a copy of which is attached, addresses various questions related to the modelling of the effect of the NW Harpenden allocation for the purposes of the Local Plan and identifies a number of significant shortcomings in the approach which has been taken.

Secondly, the COMET modelling does not address, or even attempt to tackle, the conflict between providing a safe cycle route down the A1081 and the need to avoid congestion at the Nickey Line Bridge junction. The COMET modelling assumes that a cycle route will be successfully provided and will, with other active travel measures, reduce car traffic by 10%. However, common sense, and the available evidence, indicates that the provision of the cycle route will massively increase congestion, not decrease it.

There is an existing planning application for the development of the NW Harpenden allocation and neighbouring areas for up to 550 dwellings, reference 5/2023/0327. The developer has submitted a Transport Assessment in relation to that planning application and revised it in October 2024.

Technical Note NTP4 (copy attached) provides a high-level review of the latest submissions and proposed schemes (as well as providing further commentary on the transport assessment

supporting the draft Local Plan). Even though Mr Foster has significant criticisms to make of the applicant’s transport assessment, he says that:

“The results clearly show that with the shuttle working the junction would operate significantly over capacity, even under the current traffic conditions, with queues on Luton Road in excess of 145 pcus [passenger car units] in both northbound and southbound directions. It is highly likely that adding committed and proposed development traffic would lead to an exponential increase in traffic queues to a point where the traffic impacts on the operational performance of the local road network would be significant and severe.” (emphasis added)

Moreover, on Wednesday 23rd October 2024, temporary traffic lights were installed at the Nickey Line bridge on the Luton Road, which created a single carriageway, replicating the effects of the proposed shuttle system. The results were nightmarish for local residents. At 15.45, queues southbound stretched all the way back causing gridlock through Harpenden town centre back to the Silver Cup on Harpenden Common. Satnav indicated a 28-minute delay, and rat-running traffic on local side roads increased massively. The gridlock caused chaos all across Harpenden.

Thus NW Harpenden has been chosen as a sustainable site for development on the basis that a safe cycle route will be provided down the A1081 but the evidence strongly suggests that it will be impossible to create such a route without causing massive congestion.

Thirdly, and as recognised by the applicant in respect of the planning application, the additional congestion along the A1081 is likely to encourage further rat-running down Ambrose Lane. This additional traffic, along with parked cars and the sharp bend over the Nickey Line, make this an unattractive route for cyclists and hardly a “quiet” one.

These are not issues which can be simply left over to be resolved at the time a planning application in respect of the NW Harpenden allocation is made. They are the consequence of fundamental features of the road network at this location which need to be properly considered before it is concluded that NW Harpenden is a sustainable location for development and that exceptional circumstances justify its removal from the Green Belt. NPPF paragraph 108 underscores the need for proper consideration of transport issues from the earliest stages of plan-making. END

SUPPORTIVE DATA FOR CAN BE READ BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW:

NTP Technical Note 3 NW Harpenden 20240922

NTP Technical Note 4 NW Harpenden 20240922

April 4. 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.

READ THE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT LETTER BELOW

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

To join LADACAN, please visit our About Us page.

Do tell people about the LADACAN website and suggest they follow @GoLadacan on social media.

A response from local opposition group

Scam Alert - Lifeline Service

{Dear FIRST_NAME}

Please beware of a scam involving the Lifeline service.This service is  legitimate and is designed to assist particularly vulnerable people with what are known as community alarms should they require assistance.

A company called Medical Alert Services is contacting Dacorum Borough Council Tenants claiming that the Lifeline unit will stop working once the switch to digital is made. Medical Alert Services are then requesting sensitive information, such as bank account details, addresses and key safe numbers.THIS IS A SCAM

Should you have the LIFELINE Service or know of someone who does, please tell them about this scam and if you receive a phone call from them, it should  be reported immediately to a supporting housing officer and the Police on 101.

Dacorum Borough Council have acted quickly with a letter to residents and this is a further alert to inform everyone.

Kind regards

Simon

Harpenden’s Cancer Research UK Charity shop has been voted the best in the East of England by customers, who praised its friendly staff, community events and "constantly updated stock".  It was shortlisted by the Charity Retail Association from 5,000 nominations, before opening to a public vote.

Manager Katarzyna Albinska (pictured) said: "It was a shock, but it's given us a massive lift to do more.” A team of two paid staff and 30 volunteers run the store, working behind the scenes to sort and display the best items. Also with help from pre-loved fashion stylist Caroline Jones who helps customers to put outfits together.

Outfits are styled from charity donations by the team of volunteers

"We process about 100 items a day, so new stock will go out on the shop floor every day,"  said Katarzyna. Our volunteers work extremely hard so only good stock goes out on the shop floor.

We have lots of top brand donations with high values, such as Dolce & Gabbana and Chloe shoes, Burberry and Prada handbags.

Jo Mewett, head of retail operations for Cancer Research UK, said: "We are delighted our Harpenden store is the nation's favourite charity shop in the East of England, and that's predominantly down to our wonderful staff, volunteers, and of course, our shoppers."

"As well as offering a great shopping experience, the shop helps to inform, engage, and inspire supporters about the importance of raising funds for ground-breaking research into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.”Located on the Lower High St on the corner of Vaughan Rd.

Sat NOV 8. Isuzu FA Vase 2nd Round saw Harpenden travel to Little Oakley who play in the Essex League and they returned with a 1-0 victory which now sees them play Haringey Borough in the 3rd round at home on the 6th December, so come along in your hundreds to cheer them on to victory and into the 4th round.

On a bumpy pitch Harpenden quickly settled down and Danny Webb won a couple of corner kicks whilst Jon Clements had a shot cleared away by the Oakley keeper James Asken. For the hosts Rory Harman went close with a header whilst Clements for the Harps tried an overhead kick inside the box but just failed to connect and then Conor Clarke had a shot blocked following a corner kick from Ollie Salami as the Harps went looking for that breakthrough.

Next up Joshua Codling fired just wide after a good ball from Danny Webb and then Ollie Salami had a shot saved low down by Asken. For Little Oakley saw Luke Hipkin go close and this was followed by a real ping-pong in the Oakley box as firstly Salami, Clements and Webb all had shots blocked in the space of a few seconds whilst moments later saw Clements head the ball just over following a free kick from Salami. Just before the break Dylan Ketley-Gregan had a shot pushed away for corner by good save from Connor Freeman whilst at the other end Asken did well to punch clear the ball from right under his crossbar following a curling cross in by Danny Webb.

The play switched from one end to the other in the second period with Harpenden gradually getting on top and they were rewarded in the 65th minute when HENRY JONES picked up the ball in midfield and he just ran at the Oakley defence and it all opened up for him and he promptly struck an awesome low strike from the edge of the box into the far left corner to give Harpenden that 1-0 victory which now sees them into the 4th round and a home tie.

PHOTOS BY FREDDIE CLARK

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9TH EASTERN REGION WOMEN'S FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION.

HUTTON FC WOMEN        0        HARPENDEN TOWN WOMEN        1          HT 0-1.

The Harpenden Town Women played away to Hutton Women who at the moment are bottom of the table but it was not an easy game for the Harps as they had to battle all the way to secure the three points with their keeper Daisy Strouts pulling off some excellent save throughout the whole of the match including a fantastic one in the last minute to stop the hosts from scoring an equaliser.

Early into the match Sophia Amanor had a firm low drive saved by Hayley Jackson whilst at the other end Daisy Strouts had to be on her toes to block first a shot from Isobel Crichton and then the follow up effort from Ella Edwards as they both found space inside the Harps box in the early minutes of the match. Hutton continued to press and then the Harps were awarded a penalty when Sophia Amanor as she darted into the box down the right was tripped by the number four Millie Stacey and so a spot kick was awarded. Up stepped SOPHIA AMANOR and drilled the resulting spot kick past Hayley Jacobson to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Then after a good pass from Chloe Dinsey saw Sophia Amanor nearly make it two nil as she turned and struck a drive just over the framework of the goal.

For Hutton saw Georgia Hyland go close whilst for the Harps a dangerous ball into the box from Victory Edema was cut out at the near upright by Jacobson with Leah Shellard just waiting to knock it home. Sophia Amanor had a header go just over following a throw-in by Chloe Dinsey which saw Lucy Ford touch it on for Amanor's chance. Just before the break Ella Edwards for Hutton saw her well struck effort well saved by Daisy Strouts and so the score remained at 1-0 to Harpenden.

In the second period Rebecca McShane went very close when her shot from the edge of the box skimmed off the top of the frame of the goal with Amanor setting the chance up. Izzy Boyd for Hutton had a header well saved at the other end by Daisy Strouts whilst play quickly switched back to the other end and Sophia Amanor had her strike tipped around the far upright by Tegan McWalter who had replaced Jacobson at half time in the Hutton goal. Rebecca McShane took the resulting corner kick and it nearly curled in at the far post but McWalter just got a hand to it and punched it clear.

Then a throw-in from Chloe Dinsey was helped on by Lucy Ford and Sophia Amanor latched onto the ball and curled an effort just wide of the far post whilst Daisy Strouts pulled off another fine save as she tipped around her near post a fine strike from Georgia Hyland as Hutton went in search of the equalising goal. Belle Shannon for the Harps then got into the action as she had a 20 yard strike pushed away by a good stop from McWalter and then Amanor shot just over after a good pass from Shannon. Sophia Amanor then nearly scored but her low strike was blocked somehow by the knees of McWalter and there was nobody close enough to tuck the loose ball. Ellie Deville for the Harps was causing all kinds of problems for the Hutton defence as she chased the ball all over the top third of the pitch giving them no chance to clear the ball and block any danger for ten minutes or so.

In the last few minutes of the match Hutton nearly did score an equaliser when first Zoe Tryfonos had her well struck shot saved by Strouts and then in the dying seconds of the match a tremendous strike from Ella Edwards was somehow pushed over the bar by a world class save from Daisy Strouts with the ball seeming destined to be heading for the roof of the net. From the resulting corner kick saw Chloe Fletcher head the ball clear from the edge of the six yard box and the final whistle was blown so the Harps Ladies took all three points following a very hard fought match

Player of the match was awarded to Sophia Amanor by the Hutton squad but I should say Daisy Strouts must be joint player of the match as well.

Squad: Daisy Strouts, Lucy Ford, Chloe Fletcher, Zoe Allen-Thomas, Chloe Dinsey, Belle Shannon, Rebecca McShane, Leah Shellard, Jaime Curtain, Victory Edema, Sophia Amanor, Kacee Warren, Seryan Kabongo, Matilda Thomas-O'Keefe, Ellie Deville, Nancy Tucker(all played).

The Ladies do not have a fixture next week but they are at home on Sunday 23rd November in a local derby to St Albans City FC Women KO 2pm.

Meanwhile Away to MK Utd, Women's 1st saw the Harpenden Town Women Development return with a point after a 1-1 draw with a goal from COURTNEY WARD.

The Devs are at home next week to Watford Ladies Development Sunday 16th November in a clash of the top two teams in Division 1 of the Beds & Herts Women's Football League, KO 2pm . So come along and cheer them on.

PHOTOS courtesy Freddie Clark

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