THOUSANDS of new homes are to be built in and around the St Albans district following the release of Government-approved plans for the East of England. Campaigners worst fears have been realised by the decision to allow a combined total of 22,000 new hom

THOUSANDS of new homes are to be built in and around the St Albans district following the release of Government-approved plans for the East of England.

Campaigners' worst fears have been realised by the decision to allow a combined total of 22,000 new homes to be built in Hemel Hempstead and Welwyn-Hatfield which will almost certainly impinge significantly on the St Albans district.

St Albans has also been identified as a "growth" city in the final version of the Government's East of England Regional Spatial Strategy which was unveiled in Letchworth this morning.

But the Government has only allocated £28 million of additional funding for infrastructure in all six areas earmarked for growth in the six counties which make up the East of England - with some areas getting considerably more than others.

St Albans District Council's planning portfolio holder, Cllr Chris Brazier, accused the Government of not listening to local people and warned: "We will keep banging the drum and will resist any building on the Green Belt."

He maintained that the Government had not read any of the documents sent to them as a result of the public consultation.

St Albans LibDem prospective Parliamentary candidate, Sandy Walkington, also said all the campaigning and representations had been ignored.

He added: "Thousands of local residents signed the Hands Off Herts e-petition and paper petitions too - and for what? The Government waits till after the local elections and then announces concrete not cows for St Albans as Hemel and Hatfield are both extended on to St Albans Green Belt land.