Make Singlers Marsh a Village Green

Singlers Marsh is a much-loved and well-used area of nature and parkland used by Welwyn's residents for over a century.  It is under threat from development, and only one solution is available to protect it.  Rather than fight for that solution through an inquiry, WHBC has it within its power to grant this solution immediately.

This petition calls on WHBC to do the right thing, and also to save a vast amount of taxpayers' money, by changing its opposition to designating Singlers Marsh as an official "Village Green."

If you would like to help us fund our campaign, we have a JustGiving page which uses Gift Aid to boost any donations by 25%.  We would rather you donate via that page, rather than donate to change.org just to boost this post's reach.

WHBC can choose to voluntarily register the land as a Village Green at no further cost.  In doing so, it would be delivering on the wishes of the 86% of voters in May's local elections who endorsed candidates in favour of the Village Green process.

The signatories to this petition call on WHBC to do so now, before the Inquiry process restarts at huge cost to all parties.

What's the danger?

Since 2019, Singlers Marsh has been under continual threat of development.  The fields all around are ripe for building hundreds of new homes, and the only way to access them would be by putting a road across Singlers Marsh and a new bridge across the River Mimram.

Irrespective of whether Welwyn residents want hundreds of new homes built in their countryside, swamping already overloaded local services and infrastructure, the effect of this development on Singlers Marsh would be direct and severe.

Hundreds of cars would pollute the air and the precious ecology of the river's chalk stream waters.  The land lost to the road would deprive villagers of their regular activities, such as the entrance for the annual Fun Day and the course of the much-adored Duck Race every summer.  The noise from the cars and houses would drastically change the character of the land.

What can you do?

This petition can show WHBC the strength of feeling across our community.  There is an opportunity for the newly-elected team at WHBC to undo the decisions made by their predecessors.  Rather than oppose the Village Green application, they can support it.  Rather than spend tens of thousands of taxpayer money opposing it, they can register the land as a Village Green for free.

The past five years of attempts to develop the land has shown that none of Singlers Marsh's supposed protections (wildlife site, nature reserve, archaeological interest, chalk stream) are enough to protect it.  Only becoming a Village Green will help.

Making Singlers Marsh into a Village Green will not stop any of the current activities that take place on the land.  It will, however, protect it from development for generations to come.  It is a powerful and long-lasting protection.

Please sign the petition, and show WHBC that Welwyn wants to make Singlers Marsh into a Village Green.