Sports pitches and facilities at Haberdashers Askes School For Girls, Elstree, Borehamwood

What was proposed

The application sought a 3G synthetic pitch, five natural grass pitches, cricket facilities, athletics facilities and community access.

“- 1no. 3G synthetic pitch – 106m x 70m (to FIFA Quality and World Lacrosse) with perimeter fencing (3m high sports panel fencing extending to 5m high behind goal areas); - 5no. natural grass pitch – 100m x 55m (to World Lacrosse); - 2no. synthetic cricket wickets (to ECB); - 1no. natural cricket square – 25m x 20m (to ECB); - 1no. 3 lane cricket nets - 1no. polymeric Long Jump runway and landing bed (to World Athletics); - 1no.”

“The sports facilities would be available for hire by the wider community outside of school core times. A draft community use agreement has been provided which clearly sets out proposed hours of use for the community use (As set out in more detail later in the Report), as the community use is a key matter in the planning balance, it is to be secured via a Legal Agreement.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The six-hectare site is an existing school sports field in the Green Belt, a registered park and garden, and the setting of listed buildings.

“The application site consists of a parcel of land amounting to 6 hectares, with the main parcel of land being a roughly rectangular field of existing natural grass playing areas used by the School for lacrosse, cricket and athletics, whilst the rest of the red line site area is formed by the access route from Aldenham Road. The site is to the north-east of the built form of the School.”

“The site lies within the Green Belt and within the Grade II Registered Park and Garden. The site is also within the setting of the Grade II* Aldenham House and Stable Block.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the proposal was appropriate Green Belt development and its sports, health and community benefits outweighed heritage harm.

“In accordance with Policy GB7 of the NPPF, the development would amount to the provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor sport; wherein the impact on the openness of the Green Belt is minimised with no significant conflict with the Green Belt purposes. It would therefore fall to be appropriate development in the Green Belt.”

“In heritage and landscape terms, the proposed 3G pitch would alter the existing informal rural character and open parkland appearance of the site and would result in an unsympathetic intrusion into the RPG and a negative alteration to the setting of Aldenham House and Stable. The development would thus result in harm to designated heritage assets.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Consultees raised heritage and landscape concerns, while highways, ecology, drainage, environmental health, sport and the parish council supported approval or raised no objections.

“Consultee Date Consulted Ecology 20 January 2026 Conservation Advice-Place Services-Essex County Council 20 January 2026 Landscape Consultant-Place Services-Essex County Council 20 January 2026 Arboriculture- Place Services- Essex County Council 20 January 2026 HCC Highways 20 January 2026 HCC Archaeology 20 January 2026 Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) SuDS 20 January 2026 HBC Environmental Health & Licensing 20 January 2026 The Gardens Trust 20 January 2026 Historic…”

“Landscape Consultant- Place Services - Essex County Council Not supportive on landscape grounds. Advise that the 3G pitch would represent an encroachment into the existing landscape setting of open playing fields with a rural character, and would result in the erosion of the historic landscape. Arboriculture- Place Services - Essex County Council No objections subject to conditions.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent spoke in support of the application, and members received clarification about the major-development process and off-site biodiversity provision.

Members’ discussion

Members supported the application and welcomed community access to the pitches.

“Members supported the application and welcomed the 3D pitches being accessible for community use.”

“It was proposed by: Councillor P Morris, seconded by Councillor C Gray that the recommendations as set out in the report be agreed.”

Minutes

Vote and decision

Thirteen members voted for the recommendation, with no votes against or abstentions, and permission was delegated subject to conditions and a section 106 agreement.

“For: (13 total) – Councillors L Silver, M Handley, A Kaza, P Morris, G Briski, C Gray, H Green, D Lambert, M Allen, N Susman, M Amron, B Rosehill, L Smith. Against: (0 total) – No votes. Abstain: (0 total) – No votes. Total votes cast: 13”

“RESOLVED that the application be Delegated to the Head of Planning, Economic Development and Climate Change to GRANT planning permission subject to the following conditions and following the completion of a suitably worded section 106 Planning Agreement.”

Minutes