History of Plotlands
In 2002 agricultural land was marketed and substantially sold as potential development plots in various sizes (0.25 to 5 acres). The Land Registry has details of over 200 separate plots.
Initially, post and wire fences identified some of the plots, but East Herts District Council made an ‘Article 4 Direction’ prohibiting any further fencing without specific planning permission.
The whole rural area between Tewin and Welwyn Garden City is Green Belt – a statutory planning policy preventing most forms of built development but over time there have been ‘adjustments’ to Green Belt boundaries.
From time to time new plot owners have applied for planning permission for various uses/developments. To date none has been successful. Nevertheless, the threat remains and the fragmented ownership means there is little immediate prospect of a return to beneficial ‘rural’ use of the land.
Landscape History of the Mimram Valley
The landscape history of the Mimram Valley from Digswell to Panshanger has been documented and the Parish Council has identified ‘an area of historic landscape and environmental importance’.
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