Woodcock Hill de-registration to be decided by public inquiry

The Woodcock Hill Village Green (WHVG) Committee has been informed by the government that a hearing will be held to determine whether Woodcock Hill will lose its village green status.

Campaigners are trying to stop the de-registration, which has been submitted by landowners Taylor Wimpey, because they fear the land could be turned into housing if Taylor Wimpey is successful.

The application was being considered by a planning inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State, but "having considered the application and all the correspondence relating to it", the inspector has decided to hold a public inquiry into the application.

The inquiry will give Taylor Wimpey an opportunity to fully present their case to an inspector, while those affected by the proposal can also put across their points of view.

Borehamwood town councillor Pat Strack, who is a member of the WHVG Committee, has told the Times the committee has got a barrister on board to represent them in the inquiry.

She says he will be gathering additional evidence and coordinating responses from other organisations and individuals in order to build the "strongest case".

See more: Campaigners battling to save Woodcock Hill

The WHVG committee are no stranger to a public inquiry having been through one in 2007 when they successfully achieved village green status for Woodcock Hill, off Vale Avenue.

But the inquiry cost tens of thousands of pounds and the committee fear this inquiry could be expensive too.

They have set up a new Go Fund me page to help pay the costs for this latest inquiry - with a current target of £12,500.

The committee says funds will be used to receive legal advice and to support campaign efforts, with flyers going out to thousands of homes calling for support.

See more: Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden backs calls to protect Woodcock Hill

Creator Alex Melson has written on the fundraising page: "We are calling on all residents, wildlife enthusiasts, community leaders, politicians to support our appeal to save our valuable village green not just for us but for future generations!

"YOUR donations are helping us to pay for professional legal advice to help us to fight these proposals. The more you give, the greater our chances of winning and defending this valuable green space."

As part of Taylor Wimpey’s application to de-register Woodcock Hill as a village green, another piece of land has been offered as a replacment – which town councillor Sandra Parnell has said the committee and residents don’t want.

Cllr Parnell previously told the Times: "We do not want Woodcock Hill to be de-registered. 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."

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition set up by the WHVG committee to save Woodcock Hill from de-registration.

See more: Petition to 'save village green' signed by more than 3,000 people

Cllr Parnell says the WVHG committee has not yet been given a date for when the public inquiry will be held.