Dear Residents
At the Parish Council meeting held on 12th January 2026, Hertford Heath Parish Council resolved to withdraw the Neighbourhood Plan.
This was a difficult decision, but one we believe is in the best interest of the village. The lack of support from residents was a considerable factor, and the Council was unwilling to increase your council tax to pursue a plan that had little engagement from the community.
Why was this decision made?
Financial Position
- Budget for 2026/27: £15,000
- Cheapest quote for initial work (SEA and site assessments): £19,000
- Additional work required; costs difficult to estimate
- Government has withdrawn all future funding
- To date, NHP has cost £41,000, with £29,000 funded by residents’ council tax
- Continuing would require repeating much of the work, with no external funding, estimated at an additional £40,000+
Steering Group & Community Engagement
- Initially 30 volunteers expressed interest; after recommitment request, only 9 responded—insufficient for a steering group
- Email sent to 781 subscribers requesting opinions; only 12 responses received (<1% of electoral roll)
Other Considerations
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Ongoing external challenges and objections to the Neighbourhood Plan were likely to cause delays and increase costs through additional work and potential legal processes.
- National Planning Policy Framework and District Plan changes create uncertainty
- If NHP is withdrawn, planning will revert to the District Plan. The village community can still make representations on planning policies for Hertford Heath through the ongoing East Herts District Plan Review
- Insufficient capacity to manage the process at Parish Council level due to shortage of Councillors
We thank all those who contributed their time and effort to this project and encourage residents to stay involved in future planning consultations.
For any questions, please contact: clerk@hertfordheathparishcouncil.gov.uk
Yours sincerely
Hertford Heath Parish Council
