Social Value Ideas for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Regulation 19 policy package

The panel considered a revised set of development management policies for inclusion in the Regulation 19 proposed submission local plan. Officers said the changes were based on consultation feedback a…

“So yes, so this item is about the development management section of the local plan. I'm just going to do a quick run through of kind of what that is, …”

Local plan next steps

The panel agreed the timetable for the local plan: return to panel in September with sites, then cabinet and full council, followed by consultation toward the end of September and submission by 31 Dec…

“So just to refresh the, we're requesting that you recommend to cabinet that these development management policies are incorporated into the Regulation…”

Insufficient 5-Year Housing Land Supply

Council cannot demonstrate required 5-year housing land supply, currently able to show only 2.63 years supply. This renders certain planning policies out of date for determination purposes, gives subs…

“Unfortunately, the council cannot currently demonstrate this and can only demonstrate a supply of 2.63 years. This basically means that a lack of a 5-…”

Northall and Cuffley Neighbourhood Plan Approved for Referendum

Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel unanimously approved recommendation that Northall and Cuffley Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum scheduled for 4 May 2023 (coinciding with local electio…

“That the Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel recommends to Cabinet full council that, subject to the modifications recommended in the examiner's report…”

Public Safety Concerns - Inadequate Conditions on TEN

Hertfordshire Police highlighted that Temporary Event Notice framework lacks ability to impose enforceable conditions on applicant, unlike premises licenses which can impose specific requirements. Pol…

“Multi-day music festivals with hundreds of attendees going on through the night are not low-risk events. The legal inability to add conditions to this…”

Bottle Fest Festival Event Application

Application submitted by Thomas Hollidge for temporary event notice to host Bottle Fest, a three-day music festival event at quarry land (The Quarry, Hempsill Brook, Cuffley, EN6 4QZ). Event planned f…

“This is an application submitted by Thomas Hollidge for temporary event notice for a bottle fest event for TL29926, The Quarry, land at the end of Hem…”

Temporary Event Notice Legal Amendment - Conditions Restriction

Legal advisor Rachel Simpson clarified that official report incorrectly stated committee could add conditions to temporary event notice. In fact, conditions can only be added where premises license al…

“It's come to our attention that there's been an error in the official report in the recommendation section, which advised that the committee members c…”

Public Nuisance Concerns - Cumulative Event Impact

Environmental Health raised serious concerns about the proposed Bottle Fest event creating additional public nuisance in an area already subject to noise controls and existing festival events. Environ…

“There are residents in nearly every direction from the site who will more than likely be affected by permitting an additional festival event in the ar…”

Persistent noise nuisance

Environmental Health set out a sustained pattern of noise nuisance from music, events, and crowd noise affecting nearby residents over several years. The evidence included complaints, recordings, and …

“Speaker 6: On the 04/28/2025, a noise complaint was received from a residential neighbor alleging that music from the premises was causing a disturban…”