A landowner has officially submitted a proposal to de-register a village green despite thousands of objections.

Taylor Wimpey wants to take village green status away from Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood, and build a new green space next door.

But residents and members of the Woodcock Hill Village Green committee are ready to "fight" to save the current green, which has been eyed up for potential residential development.

More than 3,000 people signed a petition titled 'Save Woodcock Hill Village Green' after Taylor Wimpey began consulting on plans to de-register Woodcock Hill's village green status, which has been maintained as a nature reserve since 2008.

Borehamwood Times:

Woodcock Hill

A notice published in the Times newspaper earlier this month confirms Taylor Wimpey has submitted a formal application to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs to de-register the land.

The notice adds: "The purpose of this application is to enable the delivery of a new, larger, and improved village green for the community alongside the promotion of the release land (existing Woodcock Hill village green) through the Hertsmere local plan-making process for potential future residential development."

The application will be considered by the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Borehamwood Times:

Elstree & Borehamwood town councillor Sandra Parnell, who is also a member of the Woodcock Hill Village Green committee, told the Times earlier this year she "will fight to her last breath" to save Woodcock Hill.

She added: "We do not want Woodcock Hill to be deregistered. It is a beautiful place, and especially during lockdown, it has been the perfect place to visit. We have been protecting it since 1996."

Banners were put up during the consultation period in the summer and fellow town councillor Pat Strack, who is also on the committee, says posters are being created to put around Borehamwood warning of the "threat" to Woodcock Hill.

Borehamwood Times:

The poster says: "Help! We need your help to object to the deregistration of Woodcock Hill by Taylor Wimpey.

"Tell the planning inspectorate why we want to keep our local treasure".

Any comments to the planning inspectorate can be made by emailing commonlandcasework@planninginspectorate.gov.uk by December 10 2020.

For more information, visit https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/proposed-developments/england/hertfordshire/borehamwood/woodcock-hill

Borehamwood Times:

Earlier this year, a Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: "We understand the concerns of local residents as we prepare an application for the de-registration and exchange of the village green land at Woodcock Hill in Borehamwood.

"We would like to reassure the local community that our proposals include the creation of a new, improved and larger area of village green land adjacent to the existing village green.

"The new village green will be easily accessible for all local residents and will not only provide ecological enhancements to existing habitats, but also create new habitats, as well as providing improved areas of public open space for the community to use and enjoy."