Another land swap application has been made involving Therfield Heath – to “correct an oversight that occurred 44 years ago”.
The application to Hertfordshire County Council is to deregister part of the land at the A505 Baldock Road – north of Thrift Farm – and exchange it with land west of Pen Hills.
It was made by Clive Hall – who was elected to the Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens after the previous land swap inquiry. Mr Hall explained the application is to “include as part of Therfield Heath land exchanged in 1976 when the A505 was made a dual carriageway. As it stands the heath is 8500m² smaller than it should be as the exchange was not recorded in the commons register for CL92 – Therfield Heath.”
He said the swap “ensures the public interest in this land is properly recorded and thus protected.”
Conservators chair Clare Swarbrick said: “It appears that ‘common land’ status was not extended over this new land at the time.
“Local resident and conservator Clive Hall has examined many of the records at the time – including publicly available conservators minutes from the 1970s and has made an application in his own right to correct this apparent oversight.
“The land in question already forms part of the SSSI heathland and if Mr Hall’s application is successful it will also become common land.”
Ms Swarbrick was able to confirm that, along with other local groups, the conservators will be making favourable representation in support of Mr Hall’s application so that any necessary amendments may be made by HCC and the land concerned may be given the correct legal status.
She said: “Common land is a precious resource dating back to medieval times. The common land on Therfield Heath has a long and interesting history and conservators would welcome any additional common land so that it can be enjoyed by and protected for us all”.
The public can make representations about the application by December 14, You must send your name, address, interest and the grounds on which your submission is made to commons&greens@hertfordshire.gov.uk with reference CLP057A.
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