Oliver Dowden says he is backing a campaign to save a village green from potentially being built over.
Taylor Wimpey has officially applied to the Secretary of State to deregister Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood as a village green.
But campaigners are fighting Taylor Wimpey's plans - Elstree & Borehamwood town councillor Sandra Parnell has previously told the Times she would "fight until her last breath" to save the green.
Now Hertsmere's MP has shown his support to the campaign, which has a petition signed by more than 3,000 people.
Oliver Dowden pictured on a previous visit to Woodcock Hill
He said: "I have made clear my opposition to Taylor Wimpey’s plans on Woodcock Hill Village Green.
"The green is a real community treasure in Borehamwood that I have visited many times since becoming the Member of Parliament for Hertsmere, including as part of Mitzvah Day and even planting trees as part of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project and an Extinction Rebellion Tree.
"I met with the Woodcock Green Village association in the summer, when I wrote to the Secretary of State to register my opposition to these plans, as well as responding to Taylor Wimpey’s consultation."
Woodcock Hill
Mr Dowden added: "It is vital that we preserve our green spaces that surround Hertsmere’s towns and villages which create distinct communities and prevent ugly, unsustainable urban sprawl.
"At this next stage, I have submitted my strong opposition to Taylor Wimpey’s proposal to the Planning Inspectorate and I continue to work closely with the Woodcock Hill Village Green Association."
A banner in Vale Avenue, Borehamwood, calling for the protection of Woodcock Hill
As part of the proposal to deregister Woodcock Hill as a village green, Taylor Wimpey says it will create a new green space next door, which the developer says will be "larger and improved".
Read more: Taylor Wimpey submits deregistration application for Woodcock Hill
Read more: Campaigners battling to 'save' Woodcock Hill
If deregistration is granted by the government planning inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, the existing green would likely be turned into a residential development.
Any comments to the planning inspectorate can be made by emailing commonlandcasework@planninginspectorate.gov.uk by December 10 2020.
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