The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the district's housing need and sets out the housing allocations policy. The plan runs from 2026 to 2041 and uses the Government's standard method, which gives a need of 832 homes a year and a target of 12,480 homes. After counting existing planning permissions and an allowance for windfall sites, 10,312 homes must come from allocated sites. The policy safeguards allocated sites for housing, expects development broadly in line with each site's stated capacity, and only allows earlier release of sites if the five-year housing land supply falls short.
OpenConsult / Three Rivers Plan Explorer
Croxley Green
10 sections of the plan, in document order.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains what the Local Plan is and how it was prepared. The Local Plan is the council's main planning document, setting the strategy for homes, jobs and infrastructure in Three Rivers up to 2041. It must follow national planning policy and, once adopted, replaces the Core Strategy (2011), the Development Management Policies document (2013) and the Site Allocations document (2014). Work began in 2017 with several rounds of public consultation, backed by technical studies. The plan comes in two parts: Part I contains planning policies and Part II sets out site allocations.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes the district and the issues the plan must tackle. Three Rivers covers about 88 square kilometres on the edge of London, with around 93,800 residents in 2021, projected to reach 98,919 by 2041 alongside a fast-growing over-65 population. It is among the least deprived areas in England, though pockets of deprivation exist, notably in South Oxhey. House prices averaged £594,000 in October 2025, making affordable housing a pressing need. Around 76% of the district is Green Belt, car dependency is high, and the council declared a climate emergency in 2019.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the vision for Three Rivers as a desirable, prosperous district with sustainable settlements, a resilient economy and a high quality environment moving towards zero carbon. It lists the strategic objectives needed to deliver this, including a range of new homes with priority for rented affordable and family-sized housing, matching new jobs to new homes at a 1:1 ratio, making best use of previously developed land, and integrating infrastructure and sustainable transport. Other objectives cover heritage, climate change, biodiversity, open space, the district's rivers, good design, an ageing population, health and safeguarding the Green Belt.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the site allocations for Croxley Green. Five housing sites are allocated with a combined indicative capacity of around 300 homes. The largest are Land at Croxley Station on Watford Road (163 homes) and Cinnamond House (80 homes), alongside smaller sites at garages off Grove Crescent (19), Land at Barton Way (8) and Land South of Scots Hill (30). Each site table lists size, phasing, whether land is greenfield or brownfield, Green Belt status and detailed requirements for future applications.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the employment site allocations. Evidence in the South West Herts Economic Study (2024) found no need for new office sites, and recommends resisting any loss of office space. Four existing employment areas are safeguarded: Croxley Business Park (E1), Tolpits Lane (E2), Maple Cross/Maple Lodge (E3) and Kings Langley Employment Area (E4). Two small extensions to Croxley Business Park are allocated as E5 and E6, and Leavesden Park (E7) is allocated as an employment site, protected by an Article 4 Direction that stops offices changing to homes without planning permission.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy governs the design and layout of residential development, requiring all schemes, including extensions, to meet the Design Criteria in Appendix 1. Development must not harm an area's character through tandem or backland building, poor access, excessive traffic or layouts out of keeping with plot sizes and street patterns. Tall buildings, meaning four or more storeys, over 12 metres, or substantially taller than neighbours, will be refused unless strict criteria are met. Converting a house into flats normally needs three or more bedrooms, and all homes must meet or exceed national internal space standards.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects the district's heritage, including 352 listed buildings, 22 Conservation Areas, Scheduled Monuments, registered parks and gardens, and locally important buildings. Applications affecting a designated heritage asset must include a Heritage Statement explaining the asset's significance and the proposal's impact. Substantial harm to or loss of listed buildings and other designated assets will be refused unless substantial public benefits outweigh the harm. In Conservation Areas, development must preserve or enhance character and appearance, with strict tests for demolition, and reuse of historic buildings to help tackle climate change is supported where significance is not harmed.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out the retail hierarchy and centre allocations. Rickmansworth Town Centre is the principal shopping and service centre, serving the whole district. South Oxhey, Abbots Langley and Chorleywood are district centres, while Croxley Green (Watford Road and New Road) and Mill End (Money Hill Parade) are local centres, with smaller parades serving day-to-day needs. New retail development will be directed to the primary shopping areas of the town and district centres first. The boundaries of these centres are set out in the allocations.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets the district's parking standards for cars, disabled parking, cycles, electric vehicles and powered two-wheelers. Standards vary by use, for example one space for a one-bedroom home and 2.5 spaces for homes with four or more bedrooms, and can be adjusted with robust evidence. In zones near stations, provision drops to 60% in Zone 1 around Rickmansworth station and 80% in Zone 2. For most uses, 20% of car spaces must have working electric vehicle charging, with a further 30% wired ready for future points.