Please consider attending this upcoming public meeting that will discuss the Baldock Development (3,200 new homes).
North Herts District Council has scheduled a “Baldock and Villages Community Forum” on the 15th September 2025 at 7:30pm. The venue is the Baldock Community Centre on Simpson Drive. This meeting is open to the public.
This meeting will cover public concerns regarding the Baldock Development.
Background
North Herts District Council plans to build 3,200 new homes on farmland to the north of Baldock on Bygrave Common. This will effectively double the size of Baldock and could have catastrophic consequences if Urban&Civic (the appointed developer) does not follow through on all the promises made to the local community.
The environmental impact on the upper River Ivel and Ivel Springs could be devastating. Building on such a huge area of farmland could dramatically impact the chalk aquifer that feeds spring water to the upper River Ivel.
Provision of enough drinking water and removal of additional sewage from 3,200 new homes must also be guaranteed by Affinity Water and Anglian Water before any construction work begins.
Your Questions
Please join this meeting and ask the local councillors the following questions:
- What guarantees are Urban&Civic providing to ensure that every commitment outlined in the Growing Baldock master-plan is funded and fully implemented?
- What will happen if Urban&Civic, and other subcontractors fail to adequately fund and implement all the development commitments?
- Has Affinity Water guaranteed to North Herts District Council that it has the current capacity to provide an additional 3,200 new homes with a sustainable source of clean water? And without the need to abstract additional water from the local over-stressed chalk aquifer?
- Has Anglian Water guaranteed to North Herts District that it can remove and treat the sewage from 3,200 new homes without any further spills into the Ivel Springs Nature Reserve. Note – The last reported sewage spill took place on the 6th July 2025.
- What guarantees has Urban&Civic provided to ensure that all rainfall onto the new development will be absorbed back into the aquifer and not allowed to become stormwater runoff?
It is crucial that the public participates on the 15th September. North Herts District Council holds these meetings to gather your input and feedback. Lack of participation is used as an indicator that the public agrees with the proposals of the local council. Your voice is important! Thank you.
The external link to this meeting is here: https://democracy.north-herts.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=391