Bircherley Green traffic plans draw criticism

Plans to allow delivery and service vehicles to use pedestrianised areas in and around Bircherley Green have been condemned by local residents.

Owners of the Lea Wharf development at Bircherley Green are proposing a Delivery and Servicing Management Plan that would see vehicles using public realm areas for delivery of goods and servicing such as refuse collection. Vehicles would exit the site via Green Street past shops such as W.H.Smith, Holland & Barratt and Specsavers. 

Green Street, also known as Bircherley Green, is commonly regarded as a pedestianised area and steps have recently been taken to prevent motorists using the area as a car park.

Chase New Homes have submitted plans for vehicles to access and exit the site:

... access internally within the site will create a 'loop' ...

This allows access from Bircherley Street to become 'one-way' once fully operational, egress only onto Railway Street via Bircherley Green. The riverside frontage and pedestrian retail area will have restricted delivery hours so as to control the hours in the interests of minimising the effects of noise on the local residents. The owner and Applicant propose hours of delivery for commercial units to be restricted to 07:00 - 11:00 and 16:30 – 19:30 Monday to Sunday. This is considered reasonable and proportionate to facilitate the functioning of the commercial units while also ensuring a pleasant environment for visitors and residents.

Allowing two delivery slots through the day should also assist in avoiding commercial vehicles idling and waiting to deliver goods, which has the potential to cause nuisance to residents and neighbours with engines and refrigeration units running.

Removals vehicles for residential apartments will be un-restricted between 07:00 – 19:30 to reflect the realities of moving home and the occasional nature of their visits.

:: Chase New Homes

Responses to the proposals have been overwehlmingly negative.

"This is a pedestrian area and vehicles should not be allowed. There will be health and safety risk issues."

"Commercial vehicles should not be allowed in a pedestrianised zone at any time"

"I feel the amenity value of the Riverside cafes will be much reduced if delivery lorries are allowed along there in the early evening."

"This proposal flys in the face of creating a new pedestrian hub for Hertford."

"The importance of creating public realm that is safe and and virtually traffic free is of the utmost importance."

"The vision for this area when the permission was granted did not include vehicles driving through it."

Local councillors have also voiced their concerns, including highlighting that Green Street is used by the Saturday Market.

As of 8pm on Saturday 27th January there have been 78 objections posted to the council's planning portal. Anyone wishing to view and comment on the Bircherley Green proposals can do so online at the East Herts Council planning portal.

Updated 10pm 27/1/24 with most recent number of objections