"Dead Heat" in Great Debate on Building on the Green Belt

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 4th Oct 2007

The Hertfordshire Association of Architects "Great Autumn Debate" on building in the Green Belt took place last night at Ware Arts Centre.

Peter Trevelyan, Chairman of St Albans Civic Society, and Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for St Albans, proposed the motion that "We do not need to build in the Green Belt."

They were opposed by Harpenden-based architect and planner Roger Shrimplin and local planning consultant Michael Fearn.

Peter Trevelyan and Sandy Walkington both argued that the Green Belt is crucial in preserving the historic identity of St Albans and its villages. "I believe that those who advocate relaxation of Green Belt policy, for whatever particular ideology or parochial reason, have simply no idea of how substantial the pressure is and how difficult it would be to avoid submerging St Albans in a sea of undifferentiated urban concrete," Peter Trevelyan said.

Sandy Walkington condemned the plans to turn the area round St Albans into London Arc West. "Lets be clear, we are not talking about minor incursions here or there but the wholesale destruction of the most valuable single protector of the distinctive identity of our county and region. We don't want to live in a suburban desert," Sandy said.

There was a robust and good-natured debate about the difference between Green Belt and countryside generally, current development pressures in the region, changing patterns of households, and the quality of any likely development - all in front of a large audience mostly from the architectural and planning professions.

At the end of the evening, a vote was taken and the result was a dead heat. Sandy Walkington recalled that exactly the same result happened when he last proposed this motion against Brian Briscoe, then deputy county planning officer, twenty years ago at St Albans Debating Society.

ENDS

For further information please call Sandy Walkington on 07802 177317 or Peter Trevelyan on 01727 843656

Simone Bloom for Hertfordshire ssociation of Architects can be called on 07968 274685

Calling notice for debate:

HAA'S

GREAT AUTUMN DEBATE

Wednesday, October 3rd 2007

Ware Arts Centre

Kibes Lane

Ware

Herts.

MOTION: "WE DO NOT NEED TO BUILD IN THE GREEN BELT".

Speaking for the motion:

PETER TREVELYAN, Chairman, St. Albans' Civic Trust SANDY WALKINGTON, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for St. Albans and instigator of the "Hands Off Herts" campaign.

Speaking against the motion:

ROGER SHRIMPLIN, architect and planner in private practice, member of the RIBA Council and the RIBA Planning Group MICHAEL FEARN, planning consultant and "concerned parent".