Timeline of events
Golf course closes
The Potters Bar Golf Course on Darkes Lane closes. Wrotham Park Settled Estates retains ownership of the 40.2-hectare site. With no active management, the site begins to rewild — native vegetation and wildlife begin to return to the valley.
PottersBar.Vision established
Local residents establish PottersBar.Vision in response to emerging development proposals for the former golf course. The campaign grows to over 2,000 supporters.
Hertsmere Borough Council places a whole-site Tree Preservation Order on the former golf course, protecting approximately 1,601 trees of 37 varieties.
Previous Local Plan abandoned
Hertsmere's previous Local Plan is abandoned following widespread public criticism of its approach to Green Belt development. A new Local Plan process begins.
Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation opens
Hertsmere publicly announces its Regulation 18 consultation on its new Local Plan on 7 April 2024 – the first such consultation in the current Local Plan process. The former golf course is included as proposed candidate allocation HPBA SA13 for approximately 400 homes. A public event is held at the Wyllyotts Centre on 24 April 2024. PottersBar.Vision is submitting formal representations.
Documents later released under the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR2026/12448) show that the site was included in the consultation while flood and access modelling for the site entrance remained incomplete and unreviewed by the Environment Agency.
RPS Sequential Test — the 42–59 figure emerges
A Sequential Test submitted by RPS (a planning consultancy working for Bloor Homes, the developer on a nearby Green Belt application, PB3) uses Hertsmere's own HELAA data to assess the golf course. After applying flood-risk filtering as required by planning policy, RPS records the golf course as having capacity for just 42 to 59 homes.
This is the only such assessment currently identified by PottersBar.Vision in the public record. It has never been publicly contradicted or explained by the developer or Hertsmere.
Hertsmere refuses PB3 on flood grounds
Hertsmere Borough Council refuses planning application 24/1101/OUTEI — a proposal for a large Green Belt housing development south of Potters Bar, known as "PB3". One ground for refusal is that the Flood Risk Sequential Test had not been satisfied.
The former golf course has a materially worse flood profile than PB3. Hertsmere needs to explain why the same test would not be an obstacle to the golf course application.
Developer submits outline planning application for 550 homes
CEG Land Promotions submits outline planning application 26/0427/OUTEI for up to 550 homes on the former golf course. This is in addition to — and inconsistent with — Hertsmere's own proposed Local Plan allocation of 400 homes.
The application is validated and registered. Hertsmere Borough Council begins the statutory consultation period.
Refreshed Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation
Hertsmere launches a refreshed Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation — the second public consultation stage in the current Local Plan process. The former golf course remains a proposed candidate allocation as HPBA SA13. The consultation runs on the Commonplace platform and closes on Thursday 29 May 2026.
Representations can be submitted at hertsmerelocalplan.commonplace.is.
Consultation is open. This is the moment to act.
The planning application consultation (26/0427/OUTEI) and the refreshed Local Plan consultation (HPBA SA13) are both open. PottersBar.Vision is submitting detailed formal objections to both. The consultation window for the planning application closes on Wednesday 6 May 2026; the Local Plan deadline is Thursday 29 May 2026.
Determination deadline
Hertsmere Borough Council's statutory deadline for determining planning application 26/0427/OUTEI, unless an extension of time is agreed with the applicant.
Your objection must be submitted by 6th May 2026.