Local residents are invited to a public meeting called to discuss plans to build 10,000 new homes in the borough.

The meeting, on Wednesday 14 February, has been organised by Welwyn Hatfield Council (WHC), in conjunction with Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

The aim is to give local residents the opportunity to learn more about the East of England Plan and find out how they can comment on the recommendations.

Just before Christmas, the Government published its proposed changes to the draft plan, prepared by the East of England Regional Assembly.

Consultation on the proposals finish on 9 March 2007.

The Secretary of State has supported recommendations to increase housing development in the county to 83,200 new homes before 2021.

A Welwyn Hatfield news release says this will include large-scale development around Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield.

According to WHC, the recommendations for Welwyn Hatfield are:

• An increase in dwelling allocation by 4,200 as previously proposed, bringing the total figure to 10,000
• A need to carry out a Green Belt review looking up to 2031 and beyond, in order to accommodate further development in the borough. If that was to take into account the current rate of housing development it would suggest that the borough could be allocated a further 5,000 dwellings.

According to Councillor Mandy Perkins, Executive Member for Planning, the meeting is an opportunity for local residents to learn about the proposals and make their views known.

"Time is running out on the consultation process and I urge you to attend as this is the final opportunity we all have before the plan is finalised," she said.

The public meeting takes place at 7.30pm on 14 February at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City.

You can find out more about the plan by visiting the Go East website.

You can discuss this issue in a thread running in this site's forum.

4 February 2007