Sustainable building
Our report on new Letchworth Housing
In 2015 TTL undertook a project to review previous housing developments and to consider the features we would like to see in new developments (both small and large). TTL shared its findings in a report which we shared with the Heritage Foundation and councillors. We hoped to influence design briefs and design principles to ensure housing promotes low energy living and vibrant communities.
Development of a Neighbourhood Plan is one way in which local residents can influence what happens on land in the town. Once a plan is adopted by a referendum of the town’s residents it must be adhered to in planning decisions. TTL have researched and shared knowledge on the steps that would be involved in producing a Neighbourhood Plan for Letchworth. A Neighbourhood Forum would need to be formed to produce a Neighbourhood Plan which contains representatives of the town.
North Herts District Council Local Plan
We've been making the case for sustainable development throughout the North Herts local plan process and are now lobbying landowners, developers and planners to deliver new homes whose design will minimise their lifetime carbon footprint. We've produced a list of expectations for the content of planned NHDC Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). We want these SPDs to be ambitious and ensure that new homes will be capable of operating at net zero carbon levels as the National Grid decarbonises, without any major retrofit to the fabric of buildings.
TTL are monitoring and commenting on plans for new homes in Letchworth. The sites where new homes are expected are listed in the table below, with links to our detailed comments on the proposed developments (desktop website only).
We have written letters to Hertfordshire County Council (here) and Letchworth Heritage Foundation (here), encouraging them to commission sustainable, zero carbon housing on the local plan sites for which they are the land owner.
Site (LP = number of homes expected on the site according to the local plan )
Land owner
NHDC Planning Reference
Year first home expected on site
LG6 Land off Radburn Way, (LP 35 homes)
HCC and NHDC
19/01992/RM (8 houses), more planned on NHDC land
2022
LG9 Former Lannock School, (LP 45 homes)
HCC
20/01096/RM (30 homes) – Decided
2022
LG13 Glebe Road industrial estate, (LP 10 homes)
Heritage Foundation
18/03247/FP (9 homes)
2022
LG16 Foundation House, LP (47 homes, apartments)
Heritage Foundation
20/01714/FP (57 apartments)
2022
Heritage Foundation
20/1698/80 (125 homes)
2023
LG4 Land north of former Norton School, Norton Road, (LP 45 homes)
HCC
18/02913/OP (27 houses and 18 flats)
2022
LG10 Former playing field, Croft Lane, (LP 37 homes)
HCC
19/00520/OP (42 homes) – Decided
2023
LG1 Land north of Letchworth, (LP 900 homes)
Heritage Foundation
2025
LG5 Land at Birds Hill, (LP 86 homes)
Heritage Foundation
2026
LG8 Pixmore Centre, Pixmore Avenue, (LP 80 homes)
Heritage Foundation
2026
LG15 Garages, Icknield Way, (LP 15 homes)
Heritage Foundation
2029
LG18 Former Depot, Icknield Way, (LP 55 homes)
Heritage Foundation
LG19 The Wynd, Openshaw Way
Heritage Foundation
LG20 Gernon Road
Foundation & NHDC
19/02999/FP Decided 9 flats and one office building
LG21 Arena Parade
Heritage Foundation