Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has published proposals for its Local Plan, detailing where within the borough it will locate 12,000 new homes that are required to be built between now and 2036.

In its previous proposed plan, 67 new homes were suggested for Welwyn village.  But that plan was rejected for not meeting the target.  In the new proposal, Welwyn would build 315 new houses, with the extra homes being built on a cluster of rural land that will fundamentally change the nature of the village.

The tranquil rural cemetery will, literally, be surrounded by houses.  The traffic from these 248 extra homes will be routed down Fulling Mill Lane and over Singlers Bridge.  The lane and the bridge are currently single track, and the plans include widening them both by building on the adjoining Singlers Marsh.

Singlers Marsh is a designated nature reserve, and is a local parkland used by the whole village.  It is the focal point of many village events, including the yearly Fun Day during the hugely popular annual Welwyn Week.

Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of building so many new homes in Welwyn, one thing is clear: WE DO NOT WANT SINGLERS MARSH TO BE BUILT ON.