黑洞社区

Sustainability body the 黑洞社区 Research Establishment鈥檚 plans to build 100 homes at the site of its headquarters have been branded 鈥渦nsustainable鈥� by local residents.

This week consultation closed on the 黑洞社区 Research Establishment鈥檚 (BRE) planning application to build housing at its site in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire 鈥� the most recent in a long line of planning applications.

Residents are angered because they say BRE has not provided for sustainable transport to the site and the scheme will destroy historic woodland. The latest plans have also downgraded the energy efficiency of the proposed homes from level five of the Code for Sustainable Homes to level four.

Sharon Courts, a local resident, said: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know any residents of Bricket Wood who want this.鈥�

BRE withdrew an application to build 100 homes in July 2012 amid angry local opposition to the development centred on road congestion issues and a lack of public transport to the site. It also had an application to build homes turned down by the communities secretary in 2001
for similar reasons.

It鈥檚 in ancient woodland and most of the trees have disappeared

Laurie Hart, Bricket wood residents Association

Laurie Hart, chair of the Bricket Wood Residents鈥� Association, said access to the site would clog up local roads and the proposed bus service designed to ease congestion was 鈥渦nsustainable鈥�.

He said that under the proposal the bus service would be funded through section 106 contributions, but this was not viable over the long term. 鈥淭he houses are going to be around longer than the section 106 money. That bus service is unsustainable,鈥� he said.

He was also unhappy with BRE鈥檚 plan to cut down trees in the historic woodland area and replant them in other parts of the scheme.

鈥淚t鈥檚 built in ancient woodland and most of the trees have disappeared. We are trying to cling on to the ones we have left,鈥� he said.

Courts echoed concerns about transport arrangements: 鈥淥ne hundred dwellings is going to represent at least 100 cars, there is no room. BRE is expecting to have a bus go down this road but it鈥檚 not wide enough.鈥�

A spokesperson for BRE said that it had 鈥渓istened鈥� to residents鈥� concerns and that its assessments had shown there would be 鈥渘o adverse traffic impact or accessibility problems as a result of the development鈥�.

She added that BRE had already achieved a 鈥渕odal shift鈥� in increasing the numbers of BRE staff using buses to get to work, which would help make a new bus service viable.