Singlers Marsh Action Group seeks pledges from Welwyn West election candidates to protect Singlers Marsh

Public notice

To: Penny Berrington, Daniel James Carlen, Alan Richard Barry Reimer and Paul Richard Smith

Singlers Marsh is a much-loved nature reserve, wildlife site and recreational area in Welwyn.  It has been used for generations by local residents and visitors, and plays host to major community events each year.

Singlers Marsh is at risk from changes that may be made to the borough council’s Local Plan in the coming months.  If nearby sites are allocated for housing development in an update to the plan, the character of Singlers Marsh will be changed dramatically and irreversibly.  Its rural surroundings would be replaced with several hundred new homes; a trickle of local traffic would become a mass of queuing cars at rush hour and well beyond; air and noise pollution from houses and cars will rocket upwards; the chalk stream and its fragile ecosystem will be damaged by road pollution and construction work; a chunk of its land will be lost irretrievably to a road widening scheme; and, a tranquil setting for community events will become surrounded by a busy road network.

The hugely damaging consequences of these housing developments for Singlers Marsh have never been considered in the planning process.  There have been several consultations about the development sites, but none about the effect on the marsh itself.  There is a substantial and genuine risk that these sites will now be added to the Local Plan without the effect on the marsh ever being examined.

The Singlers Marsh Action Group has been formed by local councillors, residents associations and the Welwyn Planning & Amenity Group to ensure that this vital natural amenity is preserved for future generations.

On 6th May, there is an election for a Welwyn West ward councillor.  The Singlers Marsh Action Group is asking each of the four candidates for this council seat to show their support for Singlers Marsh by pledging, should they be elected, to:

• Require a full and proper consultation of all relevant issues before any Local Plan or other planning decisions are made that could affect Singlers Marsh
• Object to any planning applications for developing these sites or providing infrastructure for them (including road widening) that could affect Singlers Marsh
• Oppose any sale of council-owned land that would facilitate any development that could affect Singlers Marsh

and to actively encourage their fellow councillors to do the same.

As a candidate for the Welwyn West council ward, do you pledge to support the community in these ways?

We are looking to receive your response by 5pm on Monday 3rd May.  We will subsequently announce the responses that are received before that time.

Russell Haggar
Acting on behalf of the Singlers Marsh Action Group

• Require a full and proper consultation of all relevant issues before any Local Plan or other planning decisions are made that could affect Singlers Marsh
  I have demonstrated support for the community for more than 2 years as ward councillor. I was part of the Conservative group who excluded these sites around Singlers Marsh in 2020. It’s important that everyone gets a chance to comment on any proposal to include the sites and I would lobby for meaningful consultation. Other sites may be included elsewhere and obviously we would need a consistent approach. I am certainly not in support of their inclusion.

• Object to any planning applications for developing these sites or providing infrastructure for them (including road widening) that could affect Singlers Marsh
  Logically, I would fight any planning application currently or in future where sites are not included in the Local Plan. If the Council ultimately includes these sites in the Local Plan I would need to consider any planning applications on their merits as any pre-determination would exclude me from voting on the decision. I would certainly be very mindful of any impact on the Green Belt and Singlers Marsh.

• Oppose any sale of council-owned land that would facilitate any development that could affect Singlers Marsh
  I do not support any development around Singlers Marsh so would not support any sale of land. This would be more difficult if the sites were included in the Local Plan, but I will do all I can to prevent that from happening.