Timeline and next steps

HCC own the land which is currently leased to tenant farmers. We will work with the tenants to vacate the land in a timely manner as part of the phased approach to development.

Master Developer Urban&Civic (U&C) selected as Hertfordshire County Council’s (HCC) development partner in 2021. U&C and HCC will work together to plan for and bring forward the new development.

The Baldock and Bygrave Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in 2021 following extensive consultation with local partners and communities and sets a vision for growth which builds connections between all parts of the town and which caters for new and existing residents.

The North Hertfordshire Local Plan was adopted in 2022, having been through a process to identify the right locations and ways to meet North Hertfordshire’s housing and growth requirements. It allocates the land to the north and east of Baldock for development for up to 3,300 homes, employment space, schools, transport connections, community and retail uses and green spaces. Local Plan policy requires that a Strategic Masterplan be prepared for the site.

An outline planning application will be submitted to NHDC for approval. It will set the parameters for development, assess environmental impacts, and finalise the legal agreement that will secure the delivery of on and offsite infrastructure such as schools, community buildings and open space.

As the land is in different locations, and has different uses currently, the development will come forward in specific phases, and with some areas being bought forward before others.

The Strategic Masterplan and Outline Application enable this by setting an overall vision and structure for how everything fits together, the subsequent applications and phasing reflect how each more detailed area of the development will be delivered in line with this. This will include a detailed Design Code which sets out clear expectations for design quality and sustainability.

Detailed or reserved matters applications can then come forward which align with the principles of the wider frameworks set up and enable delivery of early infrastructure, individual housing parcels, green spaces, shops, schools or office buildings. These are submitted individually to NHDC for approval and to check they are in line with the wider strategies and commitments set out in planning.