The Partnership of Dacorum Borough Council, St Albans City & District Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and The Crown Estate, has been successful in a bid for funding to the Government’s Garden Communities Programme.
Hemel Garden Communities is a proposed major urban extension to the East and North of Hemel Hempstead, providing both new residential and employment space for the area. The Garden Communities key aim is to integrate new communities with the existing town of Hemel Hempstead.
As well as being accepted onto the Garden Communities Programme, Hemel Garden Communities has initially been awarded £750,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to help accelerate the delivery of the scheme. The funding will help initiate infrastructure studies and support resources to help bring the project forward.
The Hemel Garden Communities Partnership will use the funding by working together to help accelerate the delivery of:
• High quality designed, mixed-use development providing around 11,000 new homes for the area.
• Around 10,000 new jobs, including the Hertfordshire Innovation Quarter, a new Enviro-Tech based Enterprise Zone to the East of Maylands Business Park.
• Major infrastructure including sustainable transport initiatives.
• A Transformational Plan for Hemel Hempstead, looking at the heart of the Hemel Garden Communities Charter, looking at the innovative and sustainable new growth up to 2050 and beyond. The Garden Communities will continue Hemel Hempstead’s New town legacy, creating innovative and sustainable neighbourhoods.
Minister of State for Housing kit Malthouse MP said: “These new towns will not only provide homes for families, but will be vibrant communities where everyone, including neighbouring communities can benefit from new infrastructure — leaving a legacy for future generations to be proud of.
“I congratulate these councils who have put forward ambitious proposals, which will build many thousands of high quality homes, and am pleased to support them as they work to make these plans a reality.”
The Hemel Garden Communities project will include an extensive and meaningful public and stakeholder engagement strategy, allowing local people the opportunity to help shape the plans and Hemel Hempstead as a whole.
The precise scale and location of future growth for Hemel Hempstead is still subject to the formal processes for Local Plans for Dacorum Borough Council and St Albans City & District Council respectively.
You can find out more about Hemel Garden Communities proposals by taking a look at the Charter, available on www.dacorum.gov.uk/hemelgardencommunities.
Pictured above is Abode, Clay Farm, in Cambridge ©Proctor and Matthews Architects.
