RESIDENTS have formed an opposition group to fight the proposed 125-home Harpenden Road development to be known as Sewell Park.

Two members of the as yet unnamed group have confirmed that an inaugural meeting of concerned local people was held earlier this week to oppose the draft residential and school sports facilities development.

They have taken issue with residential expansion onto Green Belt land behind their homes, citing conservation and infrastructure concerns.

According to the two members of the opposition group, who did not wish to be named, they are also worried about the effect on wildlife, particularly as bats that once visited their gardens which back on to the proposed Sewell Park site “disappeared” after a copse was chopped down on the Green Belt site more than a year ago.

A formal planning application for Sewell Park has not yet been submitted to St Albans Council as the proposed scheme hinges on the outcome of a council planning consultation document setting out the future shape of St Albans via its Emerging Core Strategy which will identify future local development sites.

A revised Core Strategy document will be available for public consultation in November this year.