In an e-mail to the 'Have Your Say' section of this site he said it was, “outrageous and downright ridiculous”, for the Society to propose building on green belt land, “to the detriment of all who live nearby”.

Members of the NMGBS recently visited the Royal Veterinary College in Hawkshead Lane to see for themselves the site of a proposed extension.

“Apart from our duty to protect the green belt from any incursions, we have written to the council joining in with the RVC's concerns at the existing and projected traffic of heavy vehicles along this lane. We have asked for a bypass to the south of existing houses in Hawkshead Lane to carry the RVC traffic and vehicles using Hawkshead Lane as a cut-through to the M25 South Mimms roundabout,” he wrote.

But that decision has been criticised as being made just to serve the needs of the RVC.

In his e-mail to this site the local resident said that two years ago he and others campaigned and won against proposals put forward by Hertsmere district council to build a road across green belt land joining Swanland Road. This, he said, was supported by the Green Belt Society.

"There are other ways to deter traffic of particular size and that is by enforcing restrictions on the road which exists NOT building another one. Have some thought for those of us who live here," he wrote, going on to warn that the decision to call for a bypass would be fought.

Another correspondent to this site has suggested an alternative could be to build a new road NORTH of Hawkshead Lane to cope with the projected extra traffic if the expansion plans were to go ahead.

The author said access should be by a short road running west to east just south of the water treatment works, from Swanland Road, crossing Warrengate Road and entering RVC property to the rear of their buildings.

The RVC expansion plans, number S6/2000/39/FP, are available for inspection at Welwyn Hatfield Council until Tuesday, February 15, the last date for local residents to make objections.