The Crown Estate submits plans for major East Hemel development

The scheme, which will deliver thousands of new homes and jobs, has been shaped by over a year of collaboration and engagement with local communities 

The Crown Estate has submitted a planning application for East Hemel – a landmark proposal with potential to deliver transformational change in the area – to both St Albans City & District Council and Dacorum Borough Council. 

Set across 975 acres to the east of Hemel Hempstead, East Hemel will deliver up to 4,000 high-quality new homes with a mix of ownership types – including a significant number of affordable homes – alongside health and community facilities, up to four new schools, new transport links and significant green spaces that support the natural environment, including a new 63-hectare country park. 

It is a significant project for The Crown Estate, which is looking to demonstrate how development across the country can have a positive impact on communities; providing sustainable homes that will benefit generations to come, alongside employment and public spaces that will boost local economies and growth. 

East Hemel forms a key part of the Hemel Garden Communities (HGC) programme – a long-term commitment to transform Hemel Hempstead through the delivery of up to 11,000 new homes and thousands of new jobs by 2050.   

Rob Chesworth, Head of Strategic Land, at The Crown Estate, said: “East Hemel marks a rare opportunity to create a place that will serve the people of Hertfordshire for generations to come, providing quality homes and jobs, and supporting the wider ambitions of the area. 

“The vision for the development is to create a place that will be vibrant and resilient, responding to the changing needs of the community well into the future. Over the past 18 months, we’ve been encouraged and sustained by the enthusiasm of local residents, stakeholders and our partners, who have helped to shape this vision through their passion and ideas.  

“We are committed to reflecting that sense of passion and innovation in our plans, as we look to the next stage of the development.” 

The vision for East Hemel has been shaped by the local community following an innovative and collaborative engagement programme over the past 18 months. As part of this, the project team was challenged to design a place that would be vibrant and welcoming for a hundred years. Nearly 1,400 people have attended a range of engagement events, which included site visits, study tours and design workshops as well as stakeholder sessions, school engagement and public drop-ins. The Crown Estate received hundreds of pieces of feedback – all of which have been considered by the project team and fed into the design process. 

The Crown Estate’s vision for East Hemel 

The plan is for East Hemel to deliver two distinct neighbourhoods which will provide a diverse mix of housing types and tenures for people at different stages of life, including a significant amount of affordable housing. 

At the heart of these neighbourhoods will be vibrant local centres with four new schools, health facilities, play spaces and shops to help support thriving multi-generational communities.  

Reflecting the site’s rural nature and topography, networks of parks and open green spaces will shape and link the new residential neighbourhoods, while a sustainable transport route running through the East Hemel area will encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport.  

Overall, more than a third of East Hemel will be publicly accessible open space, including a new 63-hectare country park in the north of the site and a valley park in the south – creating new wildlife habitats as well as spaces for people to reconnect with nature. 

As well as providing new homes, East Hemel will deliver 1.8 million sq ft of employment space, including a dedicated employment zone and innovation hub in the centre of the site. This will generate thousands of new jobs and training opportunities to significantly support the local economy and drive growth more widely across the region.  

Long-term stewardship is central to the vision for the site.  Working closely with local stakeholders, The Crown Estate is developing an approach to stewardship which places community participation at its core, giving new and existing residents genuine influence over what happens in their communities. It is also working closely with local, regional and national stakeholders to ensure that East Hemel is delivered for the long-term benefit of Hertfordshire and the wider UK.  

The Crown Estate has submitted an Outline Planning Application for East Hemel to both St Albans City & District Council and Dacorum Borough Council.  The Outline Application will agree the principle of development and fix certain elements (known as ‘parameters’) of the proposals – including the scale of development and locations of different uses across the site.   

For more information on East Hemel and further details on the engagement process, please visit www.easthemel.co.uk