Hertfordshire County Council plans to dispose of a piece of farmland in Ickleford have been given the go-ahead.

The site, which is currently occupied by two agricultural tenants, has already been allocated for the development of 150 new homes in the North Hertfordshire Local Plan.

On Wednesday (February 11), a meeting of the county council's cabinet determined that the land was surplus to council requirements and could be made available for disposal.

The terms of any disposal will be delegated to the council's deputy chief executive, in consultation with the council's executive member for resources and performance.

The farmland site was previously part of the county council's 'rural estate'.

The majority of the land is currently occupied by two agricultural tenants, with a report presented to the cabinet suggesting that they had been kept informed of the council's intentions for the site "for many years".

According to that report, a section of the council-owned land will not be disposed of, but will be kept by the county council in case it is required for a future primary school.

"The land to be held in reserve for the future primary school has been excluded from the proposed disposal site due to a potential requirement for it to be used to provide additional school place capacity in the area," it says.

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"North Herts District Council are reviewing their housing numbers, and there is an application for a windfall site nearby.

"Until there is greater clarity on local housing growth, the recommendation of the education team is to retain all the reserve primary school site, until the actual number of new housing growth in Ickleford becomes clearer.

"There are no current or anticipated requirements for the remaining site to be used to deliver county council services.

"The site is therefore considered suitable for disposal.

"The disposal of the site will contribute to meeting the housing needs of North Hertfordshire."