FAQ

The first priority is to maintain its Green Belt status on a permanent basis. In addition, Hertsmere placed a ‘Whole Site’ Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on the site in 2020, protecting 1660 trees of 43 varieties. The vision for the site is to create a country park that allows for multiple leisure uses in harmony with wildflower meadows, re-forestation and the maintenance of the flood plain for the benefit of all. Provision would be made for wildlife to create new habitats over time.

Potters Bar has never had a hotel but has long needed one. The nearest overnight accommodation is in Hatfield, South Mymms, Borehamwood or Barnet and there are no large high quality venues for weddings, family or corporate events for miles around. A hotel would create dozens of jobs and bring a new energy and vitality to the town. This site is well located for public transport and with Potters Bar being just outside the ULEZ, we believe a hotel would be very successful. The hotel would be constructed in a sustainable way and we believe it would provide the required profit to support acquisition of the site after allocation for community uses.

Yes. The current vision has been generated entirely by local residents and fresh ideas are welcome to help build that vision for the benefit of all residents.

Yes, but current population projections for Hertsmere over the next 20 years suggest that we do not need mass housing and do not need to sacrifice the Green Belt to meet the need. Good planning means the right housing in the right places and the ‘sequential test*’ helps local authorities to prioritise non flood risk sites for housing. This site contains large areas of Zone 3 flood risk, contains a source protection zone for drinking water and is subject to overflow discharge of foul water into the Potters Bar Brook which runs across the site. The hotel and bike park can be constructed in a sympathetic and flood resilient way. This is a once only opportunity to create something positive, sustainable and durable for the town and once the opportunity is lost, it is lost for ever.

*Sequential Test – The sequential test compares your proposed site with other available sites. Its aim is to steer new development to areas with the lowest risk of flooding. (Planning Portal)

The site is privately owned by non-residents. Hertsmere have a choice of other local sites for housing, all of which we believe are more suitable for that use. We would like to see Hertsmere prioritise well being and good planning on key town centre sites like this one by allocating the site for Community Uses on a permanent basis. Our town deserves great community amenities that respect and maintain biodiverse green spaces and help to bring sustainable economic regeneration to the town. We were promised a resident lead local plan and we believe that Potters Bar residents should help to shape that plan. So far Hertsmere have chosen to ignore the 2000+ local people who expressed their support for this vision.

This is a landmark Greenbelt site with a unique location, biodiversity and character. We believe its potential could not be successfully replicated anywhere else in Potters Bar or even wider areas.

Yes. The current owners are not compelled to comply with the wishes of residents. The footpath across the site has to be maintained but the rest of the land could be ‘mothballed’ or used for another Green Belt compliant purpose. It is however rarely cost free to keep a site vacant.

Hertsmere have a number of criteria that housing sites should meet under their ‘vision’ for Hertsmere:

Sites for new homes will also be required to:

• Respect the character of the area in which they are located
• Integrate well with the scale and pattern of local development
• Avoid having a negative impact on existing communities and environments
• Deliver or contribute towards the delivery of required new infrastructure
• Provide the framework for the creation of healthy, safe and inclusive communities throughout the borough.

Does the golf course meet any of these criteria? If you have any concerns it is vital that you tell Hertsmere.

Councillors and Planning Officers need to know that there is widespread support for these ideas from across the town. That way they can have confidence in allocating the land for community uses in the new local plan. You can help by showing your support using this link to register on this website, using the form on the Contact Us page, or contacting your local Councillors.

If the vision gets to the planning stage, Hertsmere Planning Department would help decide how much parking is needed. It is likely that parking for the hotel and bike park would occupy land with a higher flood risk on the basis that cars can be moved when flooding is expected. Grasscrete is generally considered an environmentally friendly parking option that allows grass to grow whilst providing a stable ground surface.

We believe from our preliminary research that both the hotel and bike park would be commercially successful in partnership, however this is a resident led vision and no commercial interests are currently involved. We believe there would be sufficient profitability in the proposals for suitable finance to be raised. The possible application of community funds could be considered once the core project has been funded.

Nothing, unless you include our wish for a better vision for Potters Bar. We are doing this because we believe Potters Bar deserves a better future and if we don’t speak up now, that vision will be lost for ever. All costs have been self-funded by local residents, none of whom have any commercial interest in the outcome.