Council Continues to Oppose Plan for Local Quarry

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has formally confirmed their continued opposition to the proposed mineral quarry at the former Hatfield Aerodrome in a letter to the Planning Inspector appointed to conduct the Inquiry into the recent refusal of planning permission by Hertfordshire County Council.

The letter highlights the council’s ongoing concerns of the impact on the greenbelt, increased risk of land contamination, traffic impacts and loss of public access to Ellenbrook Country Park.

Cllr Rose Grewal, Executive Member for Planning, added:

Today (5 August 2024), we have written to the Planning Inspector to express our continued strong opposition to the proposal for a quarry on Ellenbrook Country Park.

We believe this proposal represents an inappropriate use of green belt land and raises concerns about potential future land contamination.

HCC has already acknowledged that the proposal would increase traffic along the A1057, and we share their concerns about the lack of adequate safety measures for vulnerable road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.

We know that Ellenbrook Country Park is a cherished space that contributes to the quality of life and health and wellbeing of local people, offering respite from the pressures of urban living in an area that is defined as deficient in access to nature.

As well as the adverse impacts of the loss of access, the mineral extraction process will result in a devastating impact on what is emerging as a species rich oasis.

Instead of turning Ellenbrook Fields into a quarry for a generation, there is an alternative vision – to celebrate and promote the site as a unique and strategically significant place for nature conservation as well as for people.

The council’s full response has been published here.