Neighbouring parish councils have reacted with horror to the proposed development of 6,000 homes at Bowmans Cross, on the boundary with London Colney and Colney Heath.

The scheme has been promoted by Hertsmere Borough Council as part of their draft Local Plan.

London Colney Parish Council chairman Cllr Malcolm MacMillan said: “We demand that our residents are properly consulted with on the new plans for the site, given the enormous impact that the development will have on the area including the increase in traffic movements through the village with the additional demands on our infrastructure.

"The claims made by Hertsmere Borough Council that the land in question is not high quality, unspoilt countryside goes against what residents know to be true; that the area in question is used by residents to enjoy the countryside on their doorsteps, which will be destroyed by the proposed development. If the site wasn’t high quality, then why is it designated as part of the Watling Chase Community Forest?”

Cllr Dreda Gordon said: “The use of Green Belt for development should be the last resort when all other sites including landfills and brownfield sites have been exhausted. We see no evidence of Hertsmere BC using this approach before sacrificing this land, which will see a settlement the same size of Radlett to the south of St Albans.”

Herts Advertiser: The proposed site of Bowmans Cross garden village.The proposed site of Bowmans Cross garden village. (Image: Colney Heath Parish Council)

Colney Heath Parish Council also has considerable concerns about how the assessment was completed.

Chairman Cllr Peter Cook said: "One could easily conclude the politicians selected the site first and asked officers to write the report to reach the required result.

"This plan dumps most of the development as far as possible away from the Hertsmere borough so that the garden village, their largest proposed site, adjoins and is almost surrounded by St Albans district.

"Their evidence shows poor sustainability of the site, harm to the Green Belt and major traffic issues - hardly a ringing endorsement for the proposal.

Herts Advertiser: The proposed site of Bowmans Cross garden village.The proposed site of Bowmans Cross garden village. (Image: Colney Heath Parish Council)

"The site was initially promoted by an absentee land owner who stands to make considerable money from the land having already made it the rubbish dump of Hertfordshire with landfill, bio-digestor and composting units. As far as our research goes there are no other UK examples of housing being built on the site of a former quarry."