Victory for Hertfordshire Community following Dane End Lagoon Appeal

A local community is celebrating its victory, after the dismissal of appeal over the plan for a biofertiliser lagoon near Ware, Hertfordshire. The appeal followed planners’ earlier rejection of the controversial scheme.

Applicant Indegro Ltd sought approval for an agricultural storage lagoon at Dane End, near Ware, containing up to 10,000 cubic metres of biofertiliser for eventual use as fertiliser on agricultural land.

When the plan first emerged, locals formed a community group, Stop Lagoon At Dane End (‘SLADE’), to highlight their concerns. Deeply worried SLADE supporters pointed out that the lagoon would be unsightly and polluting, cause odour and generate many HGV movements.

In order to focus their objections on legally admissible planning points, SLADE sought help from town and country planning specialists at regional solicitors Attwaters Jameson Hill. The firm’s Planning head Salvatore Amico agreed to take the case forward on their behalf.

Following the appeal on 9th February, the Planning Inspectorate has dismissed the plea from Indegro Ltd to overturn the initial refusal and proceed with the storage lagoon. Many legal objections were raised by Salvatore Amico at the appeal hearing, on behalf of the local community, particularly over the issues of highway and public safety.

Speaking after the result of the appeal, Salvatore Amico said: “The SLADE group and I are delighted with the outcome following the appeal. We have been fighting this proposal since the applicant’s plans first emerged and were extremely passionate about the issues an agricultural storage lagoon would have posed”.

Carolyn Marlow, who headed up the SLADE group, said on hearing the appeal result: “We could not be happier with the result of the appeal and cannot thank Salvatore enough for his dedication and perseverance to fight our case to victory. We would also like to thank every member of the community who has committed their time and money in fighting this appeal”.

The appeal process prolonged the uncertainty for local residents, who believe that Kevin Steptoe, East Herts Head of Planning and Building Control, was right when he said in the Planning Application Refusal Notice issued on behalf of the Development Control Committee:

“[the scheme] would have a significantly harmful impact on the rural character of the road, the residential properties along it and would lead to potential conflict with other road users. Contrary to policy TR20 of East Herts Local Plan 2007 and the National Planning Policy Framework”.