About North Mymms District Green Belt Society
Our Purpose
North Mymms District Green Belt Society exists to seek to preserve and protect the Green Belt areas within our parish of North Mymms. The parish consists of Bell Bar, Brookmans Park, Little Heath, North Mymms, Swanley Bar, Water End, Welham Green and parts of Bullens Green.
We seek to protect the five purposes of the Green Belt as enshrined in the National Planning Policy :
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to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
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prevent neighboring villages & towns from merging into one another;
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to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
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to preserve the setting and special character of villages & towns; and
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to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
Our Members
We are a voluntary society formed in 1971 and currently have some 1300 members.
We are run by a small dedicated committee of local residents elected at our AGM in March.
Our Chairman is Nigel Matthews OBE.
Our Secretary and Membership Secretary can be contacted on greenbeltnorthmymms@hotmail.co.uk
Our Honorary President is local resident Gary Mabbutt MBE.
We believe that in helping to preserve our countryside and local green spaces our strength lies in our membership. That is why we keep our membership fee so low. If you are not already a member we would like you to join us. You can do so through our Membership page.
What We Do
The Committee meets regularly to review all planning applications relating to North Mymms published by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC). Where we think it necessary in the interest of defending Green Belt principles, we respond with formal representations to the Council. We also comment on those applications which could affect the amenities of residents in the villages.If required, we attend and speak at WHBC Development Management Committee meetings and Planning Appeals. We follow closely the work of the Council’s Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel.
The decision to grant or refuse a planning application lies with the Local Planning Authority.
If a planning application is objected to by the Parish Council or ‘Called In’ by a Borough Councillor the decision is made by Borough Councillors at a Development Management Committee meeting.
We are consulted and comment on major planning matters which impact upon our community, including the Herts County Structure Plan and WHBC District Local Plan.
We alert WHBC and our Parish Council to any other Green Belt matters which we think require their attention. If we think it appropriate, as for example with the Local Plan, we will seek professional support.
We maintain contact with local politicians and like-minded organisations such as the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), The Potters Bar Association and the London Green Belt Society.
Where is North Mymms Green Belt
First proposed in 1935, Green Belt policies and the creation of Green Belts away from London effectively came in 1955 when the government issued a circular inviting local authorities to create Green Belts. They now cover about 1.5M hectares in 14 Green Belts. They prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the most important attribute being their openness. They shape patterns of urban development and help ensure that development occurs in locations allocated in local authority development plans. They help protect the countryside, be it agricultural, forestry, or other use. they can assist in moving towards more sustainable patterns of urban development. To enlarge the map for full details of current sites planned in the Green Belt, use the icons at the bottom of the interactive map below.