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SOS Needs Funds URGENTLY
Shottfield Approved
Shottfield Approved
Shottfield was approved at the DMC (planning committee) meeting on 30th September 2026
You can watch a recording of the webcast here and read a report in the St Albans Times here
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Urgent SOS Fundraising!
Urgent SOS Fundraising!
We are at the stage in the campaign where we need to pay for specialist advice and professional reports. Initially we are looking at raising £5,000.
No matter how large or how small, we appreciate every single donation received, and all funds will go directly towards independent specialist reports. It's the efforts of individuals and contributions of many, that will make a difference!
Please click the gold bag, or here to donate.
We are well on the way, as you can see on the gauge. Thank you!
Do you really want to lose these TWO green fields for ever?
Damian on DMC.mp4Damian Gaskin's report on the Development Management Committee meeting. Only ONE councillor, Dason Canning, voted against the plans!
We are at the stage in the campaign where we have to take legal advice about the Shottfield decision. This is incredibly expensive. Initially we are looking at raising £5,000. We are confident we have identified several procedural irregularities in how the Shottfield decision was made, but need this confirmed by a legal expert.
If you can, please donate to our fighting fund. Thank you.
Photo taken at 6am on Sun 06-Sep-2026 by a concerned local resident who values our countryside
Beautiful... for now
Beautiful... for now
A beautiful sunrise over Shottfield at 6am on Sunday 6th September. This is the green field where St Albans District Council has given permission for 84 houses. When our green belt is destroyed, it’s gone forever. Green, open spaces are worth protecting!
Please keep supporting Save Our Sandridge and find out how you can help.
Say NO to 133 houses on our GREEN belt
Say NO to 133 houses on our GREEN belt
Do we really want to lose these TWO green fields for ever?
Green Man (5/2025/1218) – 49 homes on Green Belt land
Shottfield Close (5/2025/1556) – 84 homes on Green Belt land
Green Man (5/2025/1218) – 49 homes on Green Belt land
Shottfield Close (5/2025/1556) – 84 homes on Green Belt land
Current status after 14 months! (both applications):
Current status after 14 months! (both applications):
Called in to the Development Management Committee (DMC)
Awaiting officer recommendation and committee date for Green Man
Shottfield approved at the DMC meeting on 30th September 2026.
Green Man: Latest document added to the portal on 5th August from the Lead Local Flood Authority, whose stance is now 'no objection subject to conditions'. Still awaiting several other statutory consultee responses, officer recommendation and committee date
There is still time for you to object to the development behind the Green Man! Follow this link for Green Man, or you can email your objections to planningcomments@stalbans.gov.uk with reference 5/2025/1218 and make it clear that you object, and remember to include your name address and postcode.
Save Our Sandridge continues to monitor developments and review newly submitted documents.
More News
More News
We have revised our Q&A Page and added Jargon Buster should you be bamboozled by some of the terminology!
YOU Can Help!
YOU Can Help!
Please send us any photographs, videos or records of wildlife from the Green Man site and surrounding areas. Records of skylarks, badgers, bats and other protected or notable species are particularly valuable. Please include the approximate location and date of any sightings.
Every verified wildlife record helps build a clearer picture of the ecological value of these sites.
We're also now looking to grow our core team and share some of the work amongst more people.
To see how you can help please click on the poster or go to our Help Us page.
Say NO to 133 houses on our GREEN belt
Say NO to 133 houses on our GREEN belt
Click the above image to see more about these and other developments proposed for the green belt around Sandridge
A map showing the various developments approved and proposed on green belt near Sandridge😢
(more information on our Maps page)
Even worse, as part of the latest Local Plan, the Council issued a "call for sites" in 2021 for potential housing locations, and Sandridge is practically surrounded!
How to solve the housing crisis for people, nature and the climate
How to solve the housing crisis for people, nature and the climate
1.5 millon+ derelict homes renovated.
1 million+ unbuilt homes already with permission, built.
1.4 million homes developed on brownfield sites, first.
165,000 empty commercial properties repurposed.
26 million empty bedrooms incentivised for rental.
Millions of homes left undisturbed for nature.
Country's entire carbon budget not used up.
The answer is black and white. Don't make the Green Belt a grey area.
The answer is black and white. Don't make the Green Belt a grey area.
Other Updates
Other Updates
Woollam Park - this outline planning application for 1,000 homes on the fields between Harpenden Road and the railway line will have a big impact on Sandridge - not just the extra road traffic, but also because they intend to close Sandridgebury Lane, forcing Sandridge residents who need to access North St Albans (eg STAGS and Townsend schools) to negotiate the two extremely busy junctions at the King William and Ancient Briton. There is still time to comment on the planning portal 5/2024/2271 - the plans are so vast that the Council made a separate website for all the plan documents here. We have now submitted an objection on behalf of Save Our Sandridge (SOS) - you can read it here.
NPPF - we have submitted our response to the Government's proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework - you can read it here. We copied our MP Victoria Collins on our submission, you can read her detailed reply to SOS here.
Publicity - We walked around both Sandridge sites with Matt Adams, the editor of the highly respected St Albans Times newspaper, and his in-depth article was published on 9th October 2025 [link]. With a follow-up on 26th January 2026 [link].
Alternatives to Development - We've added links to three organisations which ALL explain how to tackle the housing crisis WITHOUT destroying green fields!
Archaeology - We've added a section about the Sandridge Gold Hoard which was discovered in 2012. It illustrates how this is an important area to preserve and protect, not to build upon!
Sewage & Flooding - We've added a section about the sewage and surface water problem (see here) and have been in touch with our MP. You can read her reply here.
Community Planning Alliance
Community Planning Alliance
The Community Planning Alliance have published their Grey Belt Tracker results:
68,000 'grey belt' houses shown in our tracker
Of which 65% are at planning application, 14% at appeal and 17% in local plan review.
Sites are listed as mostly arable, meadow, pasture & paddock (plus 14 entries that are flood plain).
Not a disused petrol station or car park in sight.80% are for housing, 7% industrial and 7% solar (the rest other)
The three worst affected Green Belts are Metropolitan, North West and West Midlands.
AT LEAST 5,800 acres at risk (many submitting were uncertain about the amount of land at risk, for example during a local plan review).
Here are the sites mapped - you can click on each marker to find out more.
You can add any green belt applications you are aware of to the tracker here.
And here is the Greying the Green Belt Report: click here.
“Green Belt is often portrayed as unattractive ‘scrub land’, an argument used to say it is worthless and should be developed. But national planning policy states: ‘Once Green Belts have been defined; local planning authorities should plan positively to enhance their beneficial use.’ And Green Belt is increasingly needed to plant forests, help manage rainfall, moderate the urban heat island effect, provide habitat to address species decline, grow food locally to cities, and provide space for recreation.
Talking about building on Green Belt as a means to solving the housing crisis is a red herring, a distraction.” (CPRE, February 2025)
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This website was most recently updated on Wed 07-Oct-2026
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