Hitchin: 43 new homes proposed for land at OughtonHead Lane

Planning permission has been lodged to build 43 new homes on OughtonHead Lane

Cala Homes (North Home Counties) has submitted a planning application, with 40% - 17 homes - classed 'affordable'.

Cala say they will be supporting more people onto property ladder, with the development an opportunity for sustainable development to benefit wider community.

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Cala says the plans would bring a choice for people looking to move to or stay within the area, including two- and three-bedroom affordable homes and three-, four- and five-bedroom open market houses, insisting that the mix of options means there will be suitable homes for first-time buyers, larger families, and downsizers.

Cala said: "The site is allocated for housing in the North Hertfordshire Local Plan.

"In addition to providing more vital new homes, Cala's approach for Hitchin provides an opportunity for a sustainable, well-connected development that can become an important part of the wider community."

Cala say their plans allow for air source heat pumps in each home, a new children's play area, pedestrian routes to the open space beyond the site, biodiversity enhancements such as wildflower planting, bat bricks and bird boxes; and the provision of electric vehicle charging points.

Part of the broader benefit also includes a significant financial contribution towards local community services and education, explain Cala.

The plans also come with a revised access proposal from Lower Innings following feedback from local residents during the public consultation.

Cala sought local people's views to help shape the plans for this next phase, reflecting input Cala received through a public consultation held in December 2021, where nearly 1,000 people had a chance to review the plans.

Neil Farnsworth, Head of Planning at Cala Homes (North Home Counties), said: "We're excited to grow the community we've created in Hitchin, bringing forward more much-needed new and affordable homes to help tackle the acute housing shortage in the area.

"The feedback we've been given through our engagement with the local community is really important to us, and our plans reflect this – with our access proposals for this development being amended following the feedback from local residents at consultation stage.

"The scheme also provides a new play area for local residents to enjoy, and a range of sustainable measures to deliver further benefits to both residents and the wider local area."

This scheme will strengthen Cala's presence in Hitchin, with the homebuilder's community, Hurlocke Fields, sitting on the opposite side of town. Hurlocke Fields boasts a collection of one- and two- bedroom apartments and two-, three- and four-bedroom houses that are about a 10-minute walk from Hitchin train station and a little over a mile from Hitchin town centre. 

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