Campaigners battling to 'save' Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood

Landowner Taylor Wimpey is planning on de-registering Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood as a village green.

Taylor Wimpey is currently consulting with residents about its plans for the green, which if successful, could see Woodcock Hill potentially given up for development, and a new green created next door.

But residents are not prepared to give Woodcock Hill up without a fight, particularly after they fought a long battle to achieve village green status in the first place.

Taylor Wimpey argue the new village green will be bigger, more accessible, and provide ecological enhancements to existing habitats as well as create new one.

But town councillor Sandra Parnell, who has been a member of the Woodcock Hill Village Green committee since it was set up, says she is ready to fight "until her last breath" to keep Woodcock Hill where it is.

Cllr Parnell said: "We do not want Woodcock Hill to be deregistered. It is a beautiful place, and especially during lockdown, it has been the perfect place to visit. We have been protecting it since 1996. I will fight until my last breath to save it because we are passionate about it.

"What Taylor Wimpey is offering is absolutely what we don't want. The number of people who have signed the petition demonstrates the support for Woodcock Hill."

Woodcock Hill

The petition, named 'Save Woodcock Hill Village Green from development', has racked up nearly 3,200 signatures.

Banners have also been put up at the sprawling village green site, in Vale Avenue.

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: "We understand the concerns of local residents as we prepare an application for the de-registration and exchange of the village green land at Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood.

"We would like to reassure the local community that our proposals include the creation of a new, improved and larger area of village green land adjacent to the existing village green.

"The new village green will be easily accessible for all local residents and will not only provide ecological enhancements to existing habitats, but also create new habitats, as well as providing improved areas of public open space for the community to use and enjoy.

"We are currently engaging with key local stakeholders and local residents via our online consultation which launched on June 18 and will close on July 24. We will carefully consider all feedback we receive, which will help us to refine our proposals to create an improved village green for the local community."

Taylor Wimpey has not said what it proposes to do with Woodcock Hill but is expected to submit a formal application to de-register and exchange the village green land to the Secretary of State this summer.

Visit www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/woodcockhillvillagegreen for more information and to get involved in the consultation.

The petition can be found here.