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Oct 16.2023.   The Luton Airport Expansion to increase passengers from 18 million to 19 million pa has now been approved.

The Secretaries of State for Transport and for Levelling up, Housing and Communities have granted the called-in planning decision to permit Luton Airport 1 million more passengers and a bigger noise footprint  The Inspectors who conducted the Inquiry in 2022 observed that local people had lost trust in the planning system, and there is now a condition that the Noise Management Plan is followed.

In addition, Luton Airport cannot expand beyond 18 million passengers until it produces:

* a strategy to reduce its long term noise footprint

* a Transport Plan

1. *a Carbon Reduction Strategy
   

The Government published a 177 page document detailing the Inspectors review with their decisions on why they gave approval.

Below are some highlights.

The Inspectors acknowledge there was strong opposition across all aspects of the proposal from the Hertfordshire Councils, from many Parish Councils and from individuals and organisations like LADACAN and The Harpenden Society, but did not appear to attach weight to it in the planning balance – they seemed over-reliant on just the evidence presented during the Inquiry.

Traffic issues appeared to carry little weight as no evidence was provided to prove the Airport’s assertion that 85% of passengers driving to the Airport would use the M1, yet the Inspectors decided to go along with that even though motorists coming from areas to the East would be more likely to avoid the M25 due to its likelihood of traffic jams and to shorten their journeys. Little consideration being given to the single approach road to the current Terminal.

The Inspectors agreed that the expansion of capacity would add to carbon emissions, but believed the government’s Jet Zero aspiration that aviation emissions (one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise) will be reduced – an aspiration without clear pathways and made less likely to succeed given Rishi Sunak’s relaxation of the drive towards net zero.

LADACAN and the Harpenden Society showed that the Airport’s forecasts of which planes would be in the Luton fleet in future years did not stand up to scrutiny, but the Inspectors felt they could not accept our findings because we had not spoken to the airlines – even though airlines are clear commercial beneficiaries of the application.

LADACAN showed that there were errors in the data feeding the Airport’s noise contour model, which would have affected the assessment, but the Inspectors felt unable to accept this because we did not have an alternative model – even though it’s impossible to set one up without full access to all the relevant data which the Airport keeps to itself.

You can read a more detailed report from LADACAN on their web site:

https://ladacan.org/government-calls-in-luton-airport-expansion-plan/

AND the Government decision report:  19mppa decision document

CLICK BACK TO THE FRONT PAGE

THE HARPENDEN TRUST TAKES ON THE SOUTHDOWN METHODIST HALLS 

The Harpenden Trust is delighted to

announce the acquisition of the

Methodist Church Halls lease in

Southdown, Harpenden. The

Harpenden Trust has been in

talks with the Trustees of the

Southdown Methodist Church

Halls for the past several months

regarding entering into this new

lease with both parties committed

to keeping the halls as a community

asset. 

Covering over 7,300sqft, the halls sit above the Southdown Co-op supermarket and by securing a long lease, the Harpenden Trust has ensured this valuable resource remains available to the Harpenden community for many more years to come. The combination of the Southdown Methodist Church Halls (at No.130 Southdown Road) and the existing Harpenden Trust Centre (at No.90 Southdown Road) means that the Harpenden Trust now has a total of five large halls for hire, ranging in size from 300sqft up to 1,560sqft, available to local residents and community groups. 

The halls will also continue to host and support the increasingly wide range of Harpenden Trust activities. Other office space in the new building will also be made available to local charities and organisations seeking to benefit our community by having a greater local Harpenden presence. Existing hirers at the No.130 Southdown Road halls include various local Girl Guiding groups, Zumba, Ballet, Marquetry, Pilates, Line Dancing, Badminton and Jado Kuin Do groups – and the Trust looks forward to welcoming many more local community focused groups over future months and years. 

Richard Nichols, Chairman of The Harpenden Trust commented: “We are really thrilled to have secured this site for the benefit of our local community for many years to come - enabling local groups and community organisations access to a fabulous building with excellent facilities, whilst significantly extending the Trust’s existing Southdown footprint. Importantly this also provides the Trust with the additional space required to support both our existing and our planned future community initiatives.” 

The enlarged undertaking also prompts a small reorganisation within the Harpenden Trust with the formation of a new “Properties Team” to manage the significantly increased capacity. Alison Neville and her Halls Booking team will take overall responsibility for all bookings across both properties. Sue Grant takes on the role of Facilities Team Leader overseeing the day to day operations with a newly formed small facilities team, whilst Colin Ratcliffe takes on the role of Property Development Officer overseeing a programme of works to improve the existing condition of the building. Julia Pryor will be managing a new team of volunteers to ensure all visitors to the new site receive a very warm welcome. The Properties Team will initially report into Mike Gosling at a Harpenden Trust Board level, as Dennis Andrews has decided this is the appropriate moment to step back as the Trust’s Head of Property. 

Richard Nichols added “We would like to thank Dennis for his huge contribution to the Harpenden Trust in both Property and Company Secretary roles over many years – and we’re delighted that Dennis has agreed to remain a Trust volunteer in a consultancy capacity to support the new enlarged Properties Team.” 

Alison Neville, Head of the expanded Bookings Team at The Harpenden Trust commented: “Given the high demand for hall space at The Trust Centre I am delighted that by extending our hall portfolio we will now be able to accommodate more groups, clubs and organisations bringing a wider variety of activities to the local community. I have been working with the existing hirers at No.130 to ensure that their groups, clubs and classes had continuous hire following the acquisition. We look forward to welcoming new hirers to the halls from mid-February - so, if you are looking for a venue for your activity, whether it be on a regular basis or an ad-hoc event, please do get in contact.”   

Jan 26. 2023.Cessation of work on the Harpenden Public Halls development was confirmed by St Albans District Council on Monday Jan 23.

A meeting of the Regeneration & Business Committee chaired by Cllr Robert Donald confirmed that an accurate valuation of the site would be sought so consideration of a sale of the site to a private developer, in line with planning policy could be discussed and actioned at a future meeting.

The public expectation of a ‘grand design’ concept with much needed homes had been raised back in 2018 with public consultations and meetings, focus group charettes, followed by defined proposals and architectural design concepts. At that time the financial return on the investment was deemed positive.

However the eagerly awaited planning application in early December raised considerable concerns by local residents, adjoining property owners, local groups and even Harpenden Town Council putting the viability in doubt and raising financial risks that the original income forecasts would not now be met.

Council development officers would address the concerns going forward and keep the public informed of progress and the ultimate decision of the sale or otherwise.

Jan 31. Harpenden’s new Skateboard arena Background. Harpenden Town Council and local charity Playground Action Rothamsted Committee (PARC) are continuing their successful relationship with the redevelopment of Rothamsted Skatepark. The partnership has announced the successful bid by Betongpark Ltd, one of Europe’s industry leaders, following public consultation and a recent tender process for design and build of the Skateboard Park. The new Skateboard Park will have a similar footprint to the existing site but, with modernisation and increased accessibility, it promises to be an outstanding free local facility available to all regardless of age or ability.

We are currently hoping to deliver the new skatepark by Summer 2024. The Skatepark will cost in the region of £250,000; the Town Council has committed £100K to the project and the remainder will be raised by PARC through fundraising initiatives. but this is dependent on reaching our funding target.

In conjunction with the online survey, the Town Council is hosting an engagement session, in person, at the current Skatepark on Monday 13th February 3-6pm. By organising a consultation event within the Park, it is hoped that the survey is accessible to a diverse range of Park users where people can view the plans, ask questions and give their comments. The survey will close at midnight on 19th February.

The new Skateboard Park will have a similar footprint to the existing site but, with modernisation and increased accessibility, it promises to be an outstanding free local facility available to all regardless of age or ability.

The vision for the Skatepark’s future is based on the following key principles:

1.It should be broadly of the same footprint as the current skatepark.

2.All features on the skatepark should be either at or above ground level.

3.It will be an inviting and inclusive space that includes good wheelchair access

4.There will be features for all ages from young children up to adults.

5.It will accommodate beginners who need to build confidence and provide a challenge for the more experienced.

6.It will have features that are suitable for different users including skateboards, BMX bikes, WCMX (adapted wheelchairs), scooters and roller skates (traditional and in-line).

7.It will be made from concrete which requires very little maintenance over its lifetime.

The Skatepark will cost in the region of £250,000; the Town Council has committed £100K to the project and the remainder will be raised by PARC through fundraising initiatives. Completion of the project is expected in 2024, but this is dependent on reaching funding targets.

Information about PARC:

PARC is a registered charity (No. 1179147) established in July 2018 by a group of Harpenden parents and grandparents. PARC was initially formed to raise £250 000 to redesign and replace the Town’s flagship playpark, situated in Rothamsted Park. PARC raised £110 000 through their fundraising efforts and with the support of Harpenden Town Council, who pledged a further £150 000, the play area was completed and opened to the public in July 2021.

March 8. 2024. How can you reconcile Luton’s objective to be a healthy, fair and sustainable town, which is carbon-neutral by 2040 with their proposed Airport expansion to 32 million passenger per year by the same time?

A key element is their current Local Cycling and

Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) Consultation

which wants half of all of journeys in the town to

be cycled or walked by 2033.

I asked Luton Council chief Executive Robin Porter for an explanation:

‘Active Travel forms a key component in encouraging people to travel as sustainably as possible whenever they can.

Luton’s campaign is encouraging residents to make local journeys by walking or cycling as much as possible.

It can further be noted that active and sustainable travel to and from our airport are being positively planned for within the Surface Access strategy and Travel Plan that are among the documents that have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

This is alongside the Green Controlled Growth framework which for the first time within the UK aviation sector seeks to achieve guarantees for neighbours about all the major environment impacts associated with any airport expansion, by setting independently-monitored limits for carbon, air quality, noise, and surface access. Ultimately, if any of these limits were to be breached, growth of the airport would have to be stopped.

Luton Rising is proposing that this process is written into law, and looks forward to these ground-breaking proposals being examined in due course.’

A Development Consent Order (DCO) application was made on Feb 27 for the expansion of London Luton Airport from its current permitted cap of 18 million passengers per annum (mppa) up to 32 mppa, including: new terminal capacity; earthworks to create an extension to the current airfield platform; new airside and landside facilities; enhancement of the surface access network; extension of the Luton DART; landscaping and ecological improvements; and further infrastructure enhancements and initiatives to support the target of achieving zero-emission ground operations by 2040.

The submission documents include a full Needs Case, Environmental Statement, Traffic Assessment and Green Controlled Growth strategy that seeks to set binding and independently-monitored environmental limits for carbon, air quality, noise, and surface access – how people get to and from the airport.

Also included are improved noise insulation plans, and a consultation report which outlines how all comments received have been considered and responded to.

Submission of the application marks the start of the ‘acceptance’ stage of the DCO process. There will follow a 28-day period for the Planning Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, to decide whether or not the application meets the standards required to be accepted for examination, or if further documentation is needed. THIS SHOULD BE ACTIONED BY MARCH 28TH.

During the 28 day period affected local authorities concerned over any technicalities relating to the quality of the consultations can make their concerns known. No public comments are allowed.

NEXT STEPS

If the DCO application is accepted, all relevant documents will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

An Examining Authority including up to five Planning Inspectors will be appointed, and members of the public will be able to register to make a representation. Full public examination is not expected to begin before at least the late summer.

March 22. An eco-friendly hamlet with

its own mini green belt proposed for

south Harpenden.

Outline Planning application with SADC for

land south of Cross Lane, Harpenden

by Lansdown.

The initial pre - application process for a 30 self build scheme was reviewed with residents and interested parties from Harpenden in September 2022.

Following this process some key changes have been made:

*Now 31 self-build and affordable homes comprising 19 custom and self-build plots (60%) and 12 conventional shared ownership units (40%).

*Density increased by reducing the net developable area and providing a larger number of smaller plots alongside a small number of large plots.

*Layout revised to provide a more informal and organic layout, moving away from conventional suburban housing estate and street design, responding to the site’s context as the threshold between town and countryside.

*Increased biodiversity greening along the field boundaries and provision of a traditional orchard and meadow as public open green spaces in the north-eastern zone of the site.

*Affordable self-build home ownership model replaced with 12 conventional shared ownership homes to secure affordable housing on the site in perpetuity.

*The proposals will have minimal impact on the openness and strategic purposes of the wider Green Belt. The detailed and well-considered Design Code will ensure a high quality, contextual scheme which responds appropriately to its setting and delivers a well-designed, cohesive development.

*Through Building with Nature and Passivhaus accreditation, the proposals will achieve an exemplar scheme which is an asset to Harpenden whilst at the same time providing serviced self-build plots and affordable homes to help meet local need.

The two images show the plot locations with the green infrastructure and the location within existing roads.

*Additionally several letters of support from local residents/potential buyers of individual homes on the development have been received and submitted with the application.

You can read all the documents on the SADC Planning web site using application reference number 5/2023/0317.

July 4.  Local Plan confirms Government policy of 15,000 homes say Chris White, SADC Council Chair of Planning Policy. Don’t believe the unfounded myths.

St Albans City and District Council is moving forward with its Local Plan, preparing for its Regulation 18 public consultation later this summer.

The focus of the Planning Policy and Climate Committee meeting on Monday 26 June was the green belt review, site selection matters, and providing Councillors with the proper context to make confident decisions on the Local Plan.

Councillor Chris White, Chair of the Planning Policy and Climate Committee said: “I would like to thank members of the Committee for their careful consideration of the complex matters involved, and their questions, comments, and suggestions. At the next meeting on Monday 10 July officers will provide additional information having considered their feedback so far.

“At this meeting Councillors will consider proposals to go forward for the Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation. Subject to the Committee’s approval, the public consultation on the draft Local Plan will run from 12 July to 25 September. 

“This will be a ten-and-a-half-week period of consultation, considerably longer than the minimum period of 6 weeks. This is to allow both for the school summer holiday period and a programme of exhibitions and surgeries to be held across the District in early September after the school holiday period ends.

“People who live and work in the District, community groups and businesses are all encouraged to give their views. We want to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. The feedback received will help shape the final proposals.

“I have noticed that there are a few myths starting to circulate about the Local Plan, and I would like to repeat what I said at Monday’s meeting to ensure people understand the facts.

“The first myth is that some people are saying we can simply ignore Government policy requiring us to allow for 15,000 houses to be built in the District over the next 17 years. That is not the case. 

“I challenged this requirement in a letter to the Secretary of State, arguing the figure should be much lower. However, the Ministerial response made it clear that the Government’s policy stands. Specifically, the Government sets out the requirement to calculate local housing need using 2014 national household growth projections.  We will, of course, keep the situation under review.

“The second myth circulating is the suggestion that sustainability and efforts to tackle climate change are not at the heart of our Local Plan. This is simply wrong. 

“The draft Local Plan states its first objective is to address climate change and this is a thread running throughout the Plan because of its importance.” 

Ambulance Community First Responders (CFR) demonstrate how they save lives to Harpenden residents on Jan 31. 2024

As part of the Harpenden Society Public Meeting at Katherine Warington School their team had a working display at the main reception so all visitors could see what a fantastic service they offer ahead of the Ambulance arrival.

Each CFR needs specialist equipment to administer  help to patients. It costs £3,500 a kit.

Currently Harpenden CFR’s borrow kits from St Albans.

To ensure the continued activity and expansion of the service in Harpenden they need to raise £10,000 to purchase 2 kits and have extra funds to scale up.

A number of generous guests made donations on the night. Much appreciated.

The attendance at this Society event marks the start of an ongoing campaign to raise more funds to ensure their emergency services can continue.

The prospective Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate - Victoria Collins for Harpenden is seen offering her support. (second left in main photo)

Statement on On-Street Car Parking Review

March 6. 2024

Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery for St Albans City and District Council, said: “We are carrying out a review of on-street car parking across the District. 

“One issue we are looking at is whether it is sustainable to continue to allow free parking in bays given the high level of demand and the resulting pressure on spaces. 

“Government advice is that on-street parking charges

should be set higher than car parks to encourage the use of car parks to reduce congestion and emissions as well as improve safety. 

“Charges may deter motorists from taking up spaces for long periods, help cover the costs of our parking services and encourage active travel such as walking and cycling. 

“We are also looking at the provision of disabled parking in our main high streets and whether there needs to be improvement, focusing not simply on the number of bays but on having the right number in the right location. 

“When we have drawn up our proposals, there will be a public consultation when residents, businesses, community groups and other organisations can give their views. 

“All feedback will be considered before the proposals are finalised and any decisions are made. 

“Finally, we will also be looking at requests for residents in various parts of the District for Controlled Parking Zones to be introduced. 

“These follow concerns that it has become difficult for residents and their visitors to park in some streets and that restrictions are needed. 

“There is a process that is carried out before a Controlled Parking Zone is introduced including intensive public consultations. 

“These are community-led initiatives and will only happen if there is a consensus about the need for change among residents and other stakeholders.”  ENDS

JULY 5. Harpenden Retailers SAY NO to High Street Parking Charges.

PARTICIPATING RETAILERS.

Total Looks; Talk Easy; Loveweds; Ripples; OUI;

Serena Hart; Skye Optometrists ; Thompsons Close Cafe;

Mint Velvet; Threads;

Capelli Hair Salon;

Molasses House; Hamptons; Connells, Fonehouse;

B J Copestick ; Stevensons; Lister Interiors; Clarendon Fine Art; Perry Florist;

Travel Four Seasons: Majestic Wine; Brynmor Interiors;

Dickens; Jolie.

July 17, The Petition to Object to the planned introduction of on-street parking charges in Harpenden WORKED ( Over 5,500 signatures)

July 17. Confused by the potential Car Parking charges in Harpenden?

HERE IS A CLEAR & CONCISE STATEMENT FROM SADC;

Review of high-demand car parking at bays with limited waiting times

Residents, businesses and community groups in St Albans and Harpenden can take part in a review of the operation of on-street car parking bays with limited waiting times.

St Albans City and District Council has launched a consultation into proposals to change the system at bays in high-demand areas.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the main proposal would see motorists given two free parking sessions of up to 20 minutes each per day.

This will allow people to make quick shopping trips or to drop off and pick up children to and from school.

The proposals would see motorists wishing to park beyond those free periods needing to pay £2.50 an hour for a maximum two-hour stay or choose to use one of the many off-street car parks available.

There will be no charge for parking outside the hours during which restrictions apply -   8.30am to 6.30pm in St Albans and 8am to 6pm in Harpenden - so the night economy is not affected.

One major aim of the proposals is to ease the pressure on car parking bays in St Albans City Centre and Harpenden Town Centre which are in high demand. Charges at bays in other parts of the District are not proposed, with the various limited waiting times remaining the same

.

The proposals are also designed to make the car parking service fairer and more equitable by helping it to become self-sufficient financially.

Over the past four years, the service has made accumulated losses of around £1.5 million, an unsustainable deficit.

Extra revenue provided by the proposals is forecast to bring the overall parking budget close to a break-even figure.

This could mean the service will no longer need to be subsidised by money from other Council budgets that could have been spent on other priorities.

Money from car parking services is kept in a ring-fenced budget, so any surplus could only be invested in parking, highways and environmental improvements

Another objective of the plans is to encourage active travel, such as cycling and walking, for trips to the City and Town centres rather than car use.

Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the Council’s Public Realm Committee and Lead for Parking, said: “We are aware that this review has already resulted in a lot of interest.

“Some of the speculation has been wrong – we are not, for example, proposing to do away with free parking, stopping people making a dash to the shops or other businesses.

“Parents and carers will still be able to park for free twice a day at the bays that are often used for the school run.

“I ask people to look at the proposals in detail and not rely on any rumours they may have heard. I believe the changes will benefit the community as a whole by promoting active travel and discouraging people from parking on the street longer than they need.

“They also take into account the interests, not just of residents who use the bays, but also of those who do not, such as non-motorists or those choosing active travel options.

“By making parking self-sufficient, we can ease the pressure on our hard-pressed budget and the other services we provide.”

Cllr Campbell added: “We want as many people as possible to take part in the consultation as this is their chance to air their views and help shape the outcome.

“We will be analysing all the feedback before making any final decisions.”

Consultation

The consultation began on Thursday 18 July and runs until midnight on Wednesday 14 August.

Residents can view the consultation proposals, including details of the bays involved, and give their views online here.

Consultation documents are also available to view at the Civic Centre in St Albans or Harpenden Town Hall.

People can also submit a response by email to parking.development@stalbans.gov.uk  or in writing to: The Parking Development Team, St Albans City and District Council, Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3JE.

Sept. MP.Victoria Collins's statement

for Harpendia

It is a real privilege to be elected as your new

Liberal Democrat MP for the wonderful

constituency of Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

Thank you for your support, which has been

truly humbling. That’s why I’ll strive to deliver

for every neighbourhood, and stand up for your

interests at Westminster – whether you voted for me or not. My role is to make sure your voice is heard, and campaign on the issues that matter most to our communities.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been getting to know Parliament, setting up my constituency team and office while kick-starting campaigns and working through casework to get up to full speed as quickly as possible.

The pressing issues facing our constituency include the crisis of sewage polluting our precious local chalk streams - a subject of my maiden speech in the House of Commons. On my first day as an MP, I wrote to Thames Water, demanding action on the Markyate overflow - which has seen more than 2,500 hours’ worth of sewage pumped into the River Ver this year alone. We’ve now seen Thames Water fined as Ofwat take their first steps to hold Thames Water accountable.

Another crisis is social care - which so many local people told me they are impacted by. In the Commons, I called on the health secretary to provide greater support for unpaid family carers - who bear the brunt of a failing system. I also raised the impact on West Hertfordshire hospitals, which have lost 843 ‘bed days’ in a single month in 2023 due to social care backlogs.

Meanwhile, we still face the threat of Luton Airport expansion and its impact on our community. That’s why St Albans MP Daisy Cooper and I have written to ministers urging them to block it - in line with the Climate Change Committee advice, and building on the work of inspirational resident-led campaign groups.

We’re also heavily scrutinising the impact of the updated National Planning Policy Framework and government housing targets on our local area, and we will be holding the government to account – pushing for a community-led approach to development.

I’m campaigning in Parliament to improve local public transport, and tackle the huge shortfall in funding for local councils - which has a huge impact on local services. Time and time again, hard-working local councils like ours have been forced to make difficult decisions or limit their ambitions by central government’s failure to invest in local authorities and put the future of our area in the hands of local people.

I’ve been in touch with local people about parking in Harpenden, sharing their views with local councillors and campaigning to change national legislation to support our local area. That includes carefully scrutinising government proposals on devolution - where we’ll push for the ability of local councils to deliver even more positive change for local people - and the proposed changes on reforming business rates for our high streets, to ensure our businesses and town centre get a fair deal

But perhaps the most rewarding part of my new role is helping you directly with individual problems, through casework. No matter what the issue, I will take up your concerns and, together with my team, I will leave no stone unturned on your behalf. I hope to meet many of you in person over the coming months at community events and local organisations. I’ve already attended the Harpenden Highland Gathering,  Wheathampstead Village Day and Redbourn Festival, as well as meeting health organisations and Citizens Advice.

Altogether, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind and sometimes surreal. Whether it’s getting lost in the endless corridors of Parliament, learning the rules of the Commons (no clapping), or hiring my team and setting up my office.  But beyond the pomp and ceremony, there’s a genuine feeling of renewal, and I know the important work has only just begun to deliver for local people.

Nov 21. Harpenden Public

Halls sale agreed

St Albans City and District Council has

agreed the sale of Harpenden Public

Halls to ChristChurch Harpenden (CCH)

for use as a permanent building for their

church.

CCH is a diverse church with a regular

Sunday morning congregation of over

300 people including 120 children and young people.

It currently holds its services on Sundays at a number of venues, using its premises on Vaughan Road for other activities.

Councillor Paul de Kort, the Council’s Leader and Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, said: “I am pleased that we have reached this agreement after an open market sale process and will obtain a substantial sum for the benefit of our residents.

“The Halls provided Harpenden with a lively entertainment venue for many decades, but it had become clear we needed to replace it with a much more modern facility.

“We are proud we did so with the opening of the magnificent Eric Morecambe Centre with its theatre, backstage equipment, function rooms, bars and other assets.

“Following the closure of the Halls, we considered several options for the future of the site, including redeveloping it ourselves.

“But due to changes in the wider economic climate, we decided to explore the sale of the freehold as that seemed the best way forward.

“The sum raised will help reduce the Council’s borrowing as was originally envisaged when we embarked on the project to create new leisure and cultural facilities for the town.

“I’m pleased that the sale will see the Public Halls continue to be used as a community building, although that was not one of the sale conditions. I am sure ChristChurch Harpenden will make good use of the building and wish them well with the task of refurbishing it.”

Gareth Loh, CCH Senior Minister, said: “We are very thankful for the opportunity this iconic building gives us to be a church at the heart of our community.

“Having recently marked our 60th anniversary, we have a vision to be those who truly love Christ, love his church, and love Harpenden.”

Lauren Cox, Chair of CCH Trustees, said: “I would like to thank St Albans City and District Council and their property agents, Strutt & Parker, for managing a professional bid process.

“On behalf of the Trustees, we are very grateful for the generosity of the CCH church family and friends who have self-funded the purchase of the building.”

The sale is conditional on planning permission for change of use and is scheduled to be completed early next year.

CCH hopes to complete the refurbishment of the building along with some repairs in 2026. They will be selling their Vaughan Road premise in due course.

Retail Crime Forum launched by Commissioner to bring retailers and police together to tackle shoplifting and retail crime

Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards has launched a new Retail Crime Forum to work at pace with retailers across the county to tackle shoplifting and wider retail crime.

The Forum will accelerate collaboration between national and independent retailers, business groups, and the police and key partners to address retail crime and improve crime prevention and business confidence in Hertfordshire.

The Forum’s first meeting, to be hosted by a large retailer, will be held on Tuesday 6 May. Retailers big and small throughout Hertfordshire are encouraged to attend and have their voice heard. Retailers can register their interest at bit.ly/HertsRetailCrimeforum

The Commissioner’s new Police and Crime Plan for Hertfordshire will prioritise tackling shop theft and wider crime that affects retailers. The Retail Crime Forum will deliver on the Plan’s priority to convene businesses and the police to take a collaborative approach to tackling retail crime across the entire county, improving crime prevention and reporting and improving the confidence of retailers.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, said:

“Thriving town and village centres and retail parks are essential to Hertfordshire’s economy. But retail crime risks harming the ability of businesses to grow and prosper.

“My new Police and Crime Plan will tackle the crime types that residents and businesses have told me are the most important concerns locally. I have listened to business owners, retail workers and residents, and shoplifting is an issue of major public concern.

“I have therefore launched the Hertfordshire Retail Crime Forum to bring together businesses and the police to agree what more we can do in partnership to tackle retail crime across the entire county. I want to see robust action against prolific shoplifters and those who assault retail workers so that businesses have the confidence to report crime and people feel safe in their place of work.

“The Forum will be a place where businesses can have their voice heard. I want to have a constructive conversation about what more we can do in partnership, and I encourage retailers large and small to join us for the first meeting on 6 May.”

Register your interest in joining the Hertfordshire Retail Crime Forum here: at bit.ly/HertsRetailCrimeforum.

MAY> LOCAL RESIDENT EXPRESSES ANGER & CONCERNS ABOUT LUTON AIRPORT EXPANSION GO AHEAD

Dear Secretary of State,(Heidi Alexander )

I am writing to ask you to reassess your decision to give approval to the expansion of Luton Airport from 18 million passengers per annum to 32 million. I am hoping that you, yourself, will read this email and undertake your own research and analysis, and draw your own conclusions, considering your experience with, and responsibility for, Transport for London and your knowledge of railway systems.

With the announcement of the new Universal Studios Theme park on the proposed 476-acre site in Kempston Hardwick in Bedfordshire, with an anticipated 8.5 million visitors per annum, Thameslink Trains and East Midlands Railway will be hit even harder and I very much doubt they will be able to cope with the passenger demand. In addition, the former Radlett Airfield, North Orbital Road, St Albans, is going to be used as a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI). This will significantly reduce, or take away completely, any possible increase in the number of passenger services on Thameslink and the East Midlands Express. How will the train companies cope and what mitigations will be put in place for the hapless season ticket holder commuters who pay a lot of money for their daily journeys into London to go to work and back?

The M1 will be a nightmare to navigate and I can see rat-runs through places like Harpenden getting worse. What mitigations will be put in place for the poor residents of local towns and villages like Harpenden?

I know from your past responsibilities that you have considerable knowledge and experience of the railway system and its vagaries, and my comments and objections to the proposed airport expansion are related to the most damaging effects to the rail system, Thameslink in particular.

RAIL

Questions were raised by Network Rail regarding the station capacity at Luton Airport Parkway and its ability to accommodate the increased passenger numbers the Proposed Development would generate. The Applicant was requested to confirm what engagement they have undertaken with Govia Thameslink and East Midlands Railways regarding the information on rail capacity contained within the Environmental Statement and Rail Impacts Summary and whether there is agreement between the parties on the conclusions.

I urge you to take into account the following critical issues when reconsidering the proposal:

1). I have yet to see any solutions to the effects of the additional passengers and their luggage on Thameslink Trains. There is just a blind assumption that the impact will be minimal - you need to witness the Thameslink trains from Harpenden on a morning, and from St Pancras in the evening, and the service is very poor. There is limited space for luggage on these trains. A comment has been made by the Applicant about more “open spaces” being made available within Thameslink trains, but these “open spaces” will be taken up by passengers, not luggage! The Luton Airport Express starts in Corby and stops at Wellingborough and Bedford before arriving at Luton Airport Parkway, and there are only two an hour, so they will not be empty and not sufficient for the massive increase in passenger numbers. If the Luton Airport Express is not running or is having delays, then the DART system will create even more overcrowding on Thameslink - it is not sustainable.

2). What are the Contingency Plans if the whole rail system is down, or there are severe delays? The Applicant has not put forward any, they are happy to get rid of the passengers from the airport and dump the problem onto others. There are many reasons for delays and cancellations on the railway system and here are some of them - most of which I have experienced in my Thameslink commuting of over 30 years: Staff shortages, strikes, powerlines down, inclement weather – too hot, cold or windy, snow and ice, lightning strikes, flooding, leaves on the line, points failures, power failures, suicides, fatalities, trespassers or animals on the railway, broken or buckled rails, landslips, signal power failures, telecoms failures, track circuit failures, damage to overhead lines, bridge strikes, cable thefts, vandalism, lineside fires, overrunning engineering works, broken-down trains, and speed restrictions. As the Applicant will know, all railway systems have to close for essential maintenance and engineering works, which can take a whole day and often much longer. Luton Airport Parkway station is remotely located with NO alternative travel options.

Here is a recent example as reported in the BBC News: Railway line between Bedford and London to shut over Christmas 2024. A section of the Midland Main line will close for nine consecutive days from the 21st December to allow Network Rail engineers to complete a number of projects between London St Pancras and Bedford.  It will mean no trains will run on East Midlands Railway between St Pancras and Bedford or Thameslink between the London station and Harpenden, Hertfordshire. Passengers should check their routes and expect disruption if travelling to or from stations such as Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans, Bedford, Kettering, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.

Passengers travelling by rail to London Luton Airport will be affected by the disruption. Christmas is a very busy time of year for air travelers - going on holiday, returning home, visiting friends and family. However, there are no options for the poor passengers getting to and from Luton Airport by rail other than the woeful replacement bus service, which would not be enough to cope with the demand if the expansion to 32 million passengers per annum was approved, and it is so slow and takes so long, and they do not allow standing! They do not consider that there will also be roadworks being undertaken at that holiday time, which would make the situation even worse. In addition, it defeats the claims made by the Applicant about being "Environmentally Friendly" - more road traffic to and from the airport and passengers will be inclined to drive to their destinations instead of taking flights.

3). St Albans railway station ranks third among the worst train cancellations in the UK, which is the Thameslink Service which links Luton airport and London and beyond to Brighton.

4). The projections for passenger numbers do not take into account the impact of new housing developments alongside the Thameslink railway line. Indeed, one of the main reasons for people moving to these areas is the ability to access a station and commute into central London. These places for new housing include St Albans, Harpenden, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington, Flitwick, Ampthill and Bedford. Angela Rayner announced an overhaul of the planning system, with mandatory housing targets re-introduced to pave the way for 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. In the recent draft Local Plan for St Albans and District, there were proposals to a house-building target of 15,000 new homes, with at least 1,700 homes in Harpenden alone. That number will result in a lot of additional commuters on Thameslink trains. Subsequently, Angela has imposed increased housing developments which would add further congestion on the rail system.

The Applicant states that "The background demand forecast takes into account growth with 3.1% annual growth based on 2018/19 levels of rail demand. This was based on average demand growth prior to 2018." This is out-of-date, over 6 years' old and does not take into account the housing growth since then and also planned along the Thameslink and East Midlands Rail routes and the additional passengers that will result.

5). Of special note regarding the number of passengers on Thameslink, which was not taken into account by the Applicant, is the new Brent Cross West station on the Thameslink line, which was opened by the Mayor of London on Sunday, 10th December 2023. This is not a hypothesis nor an exception, this has now happened and is a hard fact. The £419 million project was due to take place in 2030, but was brought forward to put infrastructure in place before thousands of people move into new homes. It is a "doorway" to what will be a new town, and they are looking to have about 25,000 people working in the area, which is why they need a new station, and now they have got it. A substantial increase in passenger numbers is expected.

There are also new stations planned at: Wixams (between Flitwick and Bedford), Ampthill (between Flitwick and Bedford), Clay Cross (between Chesterfield and Ambergate/Alferton), and Irchester (Rushden Parkway, between Wellingborough and Bedford).

All the figures in the Application for the proposed airport expansion on passenger numbers on Thameslink will have to be re-assessed, re-worked, re-modelled, and re-presented for inspection, analysis and review.

6). In May 2021, East Midlands Rail introduced a new half-hourly service named "EMR Connect". The trains run non-stop between Luton Airport Parkway and St Pancras International stations. To the north, the trains call at Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, and Corby. What is misleading, is that, despite the Luton Airport Express branding, these are actually trains to elsewhere, such as Corby in Northamptonshire. They just happen to stop at Luton Airport Parkway. This means: a) the trains are not adapted to carry excessive amounts of luggage, b) you have a risk of being delayed if the train gets stuck between the Midlands and Luton, and c) trains into London are likely to be busy when they reach Luton Airport Parkway.

Each train has the capacity to carry up to 170 passengers. But, 32 million passengers per annum is about 90,000 per day on a straight average, but there must be around 150,000 passengers per day in the peak summer season, which would be over 6,000 per hour and many of those will be travelling by train. How can the DART and the rail system cope?

7). Hertfordshire County Council have given approval for the use of the former Radlett Airfield, North Orbital Road, St Albans, for use as a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI).  This will significantly reduce, or take away completely, any possible increase in the number of services on Thameslink and the East Midlands Express.

8). The Applicant claims that in the morning peak there are available seats to accommodate passengers at Luton Airport Parkway station. However, there will not be many seats as standing seems to be the main option, and this does not address the overcrowding that would occur at Harpenden and St Albans - the regular, annual season-ticket commuters would be the ones that suffer as they try to catch their regular trains to work. Once again, this is a selfish, self-centred approach, without any concern for the surrounding areas, and the problem would be dumped on others. Travelling from London towards Luton in the evening would be a different matter, as passengers with luggage would then have to compete for access to the train carriages with the frustrated and angry commuters.

9). The assessment of rail impacts did not model individual services. The Applicant said that this is due to the medium and long-term nature of the forecast meaning that timetables are likely to have changes before the airport growth materialises, which will impact demand for individual services. This is a cop-out and needs to be addressed. Network Rail, Thameslink and East Midlands Railways must know the capacity that can be achieved on those rail lines, both now and in the future. As you will know, they must undertake passenger forecasting themselves as new trains, carriages, development work, engineering, etc. have to be planned and budgeted for well in advance. Considering the rail system as it is, there must be little room for changes in rail timetables. Also, as previously stated, the new Universal Studios Theme Park, new housing developments and the considerable increase in commuters must be built in to the forecasts.

10). The Applicant states that the exact demand on each service from the airport would have significant variance over the year and between days; by looking at the average peak period this variance is reduced. Another cop-out. This work can be done.  The peak times for airport passengers are, surely, holiday periods and the impact on the rail system needs to be assessed, including built-in contingency for delays and cancellations in trains and passenger build-up and congestion.

11). The Applicant states that non-airport passengers can reassign between services if they prefer less crowded trains within the peak periods, therefore wider capacity can be utilised. This is an arrogant statement and, once again, self-centred. What are these so-called "Less-crowded trains" within peak periods? So, regular Harpenden and St Albans commuters, who pay a substantial amount of money for their annual season tickets, would have to change their lifestyles and work practice just to suit Luton airport and their passengers?

12). The Applicant states that, for southbound journeys, the existing loading on trains can be expected to be lower on the Thameslink service. Where is the evidence for this?  A family returning from holiday, with children and luggage, will take the first southbound train that arrives, whether it is East Midlands Railway or Thameslink, especially if there are a lot of passengers waiting on the small platform and more are arriving.

13). The Applicant has not evaluated the impact on stations other than Luton Airport Parkway. This is a major omission and, once again, reveals the self-centred approach to this whole proposal. This must be fully evaluated, and include Harpenden and St Albans.

Conclusion: This proposed expansion of Luton airport is a selfish and self-serving scheme with complete disregard for the passengers and the local people and the environment surrounding it. The airport will continue to "dump" the passengers, their "paying customers", onto the DART system, to Luton Airport Parkway station, even when they know there are major problems on the rail system and then the passengers are at the mercy of Thameslink and East Midlands Rail, but will have to fend for themselves. Luton Airport Parkway station is remotely located with NO alternative travel options, and the so-called "bus replacement system" would be completely inadequate.  As a suffering Thameslink commuter for over 30 years, I know the misery and stress that delays cause, and the thought that hundreds upon hundreds of passengers coming off planes, many of them families, will be left to fend for themselves at Luton Airport Parkway station, beggars belief. It is simply not acceptable to just say "it is industry best practice" - it sounds like something the post office would have said to avoid any issue. It is hard to see any benefits of the proposed airport expansion other than within the Luton area, whereas the detriment to other communities would be manifest. Approval of this proposed expansion would leave those areas to suffer the consequences forever.

CONSTRUCTION AND FUNDING

Another line of enquiry you should pursue with some vigour is how the expansion will be funded. Who will lend Luton Airport the vast sums of money required and who will buy "Luton Airport bonds"? With the global energy problems and increased tariffs, the construction costs will have escalated since the initial submission by Luton Rising and they should be forced to reevaluate, reassess and publish the revised costings, and also set out where the funding and the construction workers are going to come from.

Best wishes.

Mr. John A. Smith