Background
We know that there has been talk about plans for the growth of Baldock for many years and various views have been shared in that time. All of those previous discussions have helped to inform thoughts on the future of Baldock.
Baldock needs to grow sustainably to provide homes and jobs for current and future generations. This is reflected in the North Hertfordshire Local Plan, and the Baldock, Bygrave and Clothall Neighbourhood Plan, which sets out strong expectations for how that growth should happen.
Who is involved
Who is involved
- Hertfordshire County Council own the land which has been approved for development, and they appointed Urban&Civic in 2021 as the master developer to take the project forward through design, planning and delivery. The County Council are also a statutory planning authority, whose teams will work closely with Urban&Civic to agree the approach on Education, Transport, Sustainability and other responsibilities the Council holds.
- Urban&Civic is the UK’s leading Master Developer with experience of delivering projects like this across the UK. It is responsible for leading the design and delivery of the plans, obtaining all necessary planning permissions and delivering the infrastructure needed to build the new community. It will then deliver the roads and cycle ways, green spaces and play areas and community facilities, working alongside handpicked housebuilders and the contractors appointed to deliver the schools. The role as master developer continues throughout delivery to co-ordinate the quality of and timely delivery of green spaces and amenities as the growth of Baldock is rolled out.
- Hertfordshire County Council own the land which has been approved for development, and they appointed Urban&Civic in 2021 as the master developer to take the project forward through design, planning and delivery. The County Council are also a statutory planning authority, whose teams will work closely with Urban&Civic to agree the approach on Education, Transport, Sustainability and other responsibilities the Council holds.
- Urban&Civic is the UK’s leading Master Developer with experience of delivering projects like this across the UK. It is responsible for leading the design and delivery of the plans, obtaining all necessary planning permissions and delivering the infrastructure needed to build the new community. It will then deliver the roads and cycle ways, green spaces and play areas and community facilities, working alongside handpicked housebuilders and the contractors appointed to deliver the schools. The role as master developer continues throughout delivery to co-ordinate the quality of and timely delivery of green spaces and amenities as the growth of Baldock is rolled out.
- North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) is the local planning authority with responsibility for leading the planning process and ensuring the views of the community and key statutory authorities are reflected in the plans. NHDC will ultimately be the Authority who approve the detailed designs coming forward and put in place the planning framework and legal agreements setting out what the development needs to deliver, how and when.
Throughout this process an important part of this work is consulting with the wider Baldock community, in a positive and collaborative way.
Listening to residents' thoughts and concerns and responding to these directly and in detail where we can is a key part of our approach. You can find out more about how we have been working with local groups and the community of Baldock and the surrounding villages in The Baldock Conversation.
The Baldock Conversation
- North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) is the local planning authority with responsibility for leading the planning process and ensuring the views of the community and key statutory authorities are reflected in the plans. NHDC will ultimately be the Authority who approve the detailed designs coming forward and put in place the planning framework and legal agreements setting out what the development needs to deliver, how and when.
Throughout this process an important part of this work is consulting with the wider Baldock community, in a positive and collaborative way.
Listening to residents' thoughts and concerns and responding to these directly and in detail where we can is a key part of our approach. You can find out more about how we have been working with local groups and the community of Baldock and the surrounding villages in The Baldock Conversation.
The planning process
- 2023 - Public Consultation to share early plans and hear residents' views
- 2024 - Ongoing work and engagement to develop the Strategic Masterplan into an Outline Planning Application.
- 2025 - Submission of the Strategic Masterplan and the Outline Planning Application to NHDC for approval
- 2026 onwards - Following outline planning approval, progress and gain approval for the Design Code and Reserved Matters applications, which enable the first detailed designs and delivery of the new areas of Baldock.
A central thread of public consultation/engagement will run through each of these key milestones.
*these timings are approximate and based upon expected progress
Strategic Masterplan – Starts to map out where things will go within the new development.
Outline Planning Application – Sets out the parameters for development, assesses environmental impacts and finalises the legal agreements for key infrastructure such as schools, community buildings and open space.
Design Code – Includes clear expectations for design quality and sustainability.
Reserved Matters – More detailed submissions on infrastructure, individual housing parcels or buildings, green spaces and schools etc. Submitted individually for approval to NHDC.