Planning Application Submitted for a New Garden Suburb for Radlett

Mac Mic Strategic Land has submitted an outline planning application for Radlett New Garden Suburb to Herstmere Borough Council.

This follows the community consultation held in March and April 2026. We would like to thank all who took part in the consultation on the emerging proposals. Your feedback has been invaluable, and we have carefully considered all comments received during the consultation, as well as through the team’s discussions with other technical consultees.

Radlett New Garden Suburb with Bridleway

What have we submitted?

During the consultation we presented emerging proposals for a masterplan that included up to 600 new homes, 50% affordable homes, custom and self build homes, new primary school, as well as a care home/later living and other facilities.

Since then, the Council identified the site with the potential for up to 1,040 homes. The project team was therefore required to consider if/how the site could accommodate that level of housing.

Having undertaken further assessments, the team considered that in order to continue with the Garden Suburb principles, which we feel is the most appropriate for the site, that the proposed uplift in housing numbers could not be wholly accommodated. However, the proposals have evolved to allow up to 650 homes, with the removal of the proposed carehome/later living element.

What happens next?

Now that the application has been submitted, Hertsmere Borough Council will run their own statutory consultation.

You can view the application in full and submit your comments to the Council by visiting the Council’s planning pages and searching for application reference 26/1236/OUTEI.

Engagement is an ongoing process, and our door remains open if you have any questions or would like to get in touch to speak to our project team.

Consultation Events

As part of our community consultation, we held consultation events at the Radlett Village Institute on Wednesday 18 March and Thursday 19 March 2026.

There are no planned upcoming consultation events.

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What is a Garden Suburb?

The Garden Suburb is a time-tested opportunity to deliver new homes in a way that prioritises green spaces, the protection of local character, and a strong sense of community.

The original Garden Suburb Concept was pioneered by Ebenezer Howard in 1889. Letchworth Garden City was the first town of its kind to follow the principles set out by Howard. It also inspired Hamsptead Garden Suburb. Set up by Henrietta Barnett, Hampstead Garden Suburb used the Garden City principles and has become one of north-west London's most desirable neighbourhoods.

What are the key features of a Garden Suburb?

Garden Suburbs are well-known for their focus on low-density housing, fostering a sense of community, and an abundance of green spaces. Another important feature is long-term stewardship, where residents protect the suburb's character through a Trust. Radlett New Garden Suburb will adopt this same approach, whilst taking the opportunity to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century, creating homes fit for the unique character of Radlett.

Below are the key garden suburb principles that would be a defining feature of Radlett New Garden Suburb.

Green Spaces Nature at the heart of the neighbourhood. Tree-lined streets, generous parks, and wildlife corridors.
Curvilinear Street Layout Streets follow the land’s natural contours, forming gentle curves that invite exploration and give the suburb its distinctive character.
More than Homes A residential community enriched with small local shops and community facilities, ensuring convenience without compromising tranquillity.
Respect for the Local Character Homes and buildings crafted with care, using local materials and timeless design principles to create a sense of beauty, continuity, and belonging.
Community Focus Schools, places of worship, and recreational spaces form the social fabric - fostering connection, identity, and a vibrant community life for all generations and abilities.
Transport Links Connected yet calm: rail and bus links integrate Radlett with the wider region, while car-light streets prioritise walking, cycling, and shared mobility.
Sustainability A future-forward approach with renewable energy, water recycling, and low-impact design - ensuring the New Garden Suburb treads lightly on the planet.
Biodiversity Wildlife-friendly gardens, biodiverse corridors, and dedicated habitats weave nature into every corner, creating a rich ecological network.
Social Inclusivity A place for everyone – with affordable homes, elderly living, and shared amenities, that nurtures diversity, belonging, and supports people with extra needs.

Our Vision

A place where community, nature and everyday life come together

Our vision for Radlett New Garden Suburb is to deliver new homes in a way that is rooted in the garden suburb principles. The new garden suburb will be a place where:

people feel they belong and have stewardship
nature is prioritised and integrated
community life can grow

Community Stewardship

A defining feature of the proposals is the commitment to community stewardship. Modelled on the governance of Hampstead Garden Suburb, where residents have protected the area's character for over a century through a Trust with strict design and alteration rules, Radlett New Garden Suburb would establish similar structures.

Residents would be empowered to govern their neighbourhood, enforce design standards and preserve its character in perpetuity.

What are we proposing?

Up to 650 new homes, catering for local needs
50% affordable homes helping local people, including the young with their first home
Custom and self build homes
New primary school and other facilities
Over 60 acres of green space, including a new country park, community orchard and gardens, and village green

Illustrative masterplan

Where is the site located?

The Radlett New Garden Suburb is proposed on land to the south of Radlett. The site is between Common Lane to the east and Watling Street to the west. You can see the area roughly outlined in the map below.

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Radlett FAQs

Thank you to everyone who attended the consultation events and shared their views.

These FAQs have been created following the consultation and are intended to help answer common questions about the emerging proposals for Radlett New Garden Suburb.

General

What is Radlett New Garden Suburb?: Radlett New Garden Suburb is an emerging proposal for a new neighbourhood to the south of Radlett, designed around garden suburb principles. It would provide up to 600 new homes alongside extensive green space, community facilities and everyday services. The aim is to create a place that feels rooted in Radlett’s character while meeting today’s housing and environmental needs.
Where is the site located?: The proposed site is on land to the south of Radlett, between Common Lane to the west and Watling Street to the east. The area being considered is shown as a white outline on the consultation maps. At this stage, the exact layout within the site is not fixed.
Why are these proposals being brought forward now?: Hertsmere Borough Council is required to plan for new homes to meet an identified housing need. At present, the Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply (something all local authorities are required to do), with less than one year available. Radlett has also seen very limited affordable housing delivery in recent years, making it harder for local people to remain in the village.

The site and its context

What is currently on the site?: The site is mainly farmland, with existing woodland, trees, hedgerows and water features and sits within the green belt. There are also public rights of way,

Planning process & consultation

Has a planning application been submitted yet?: No. This is an early-stage consultation and no planning application has been submitted. The purpose of this consultation is to gather local feedback before an application is made.
What is an outline planning application?: An outline planning application establishes the principle of development and the main access arrangements. It does not fix all the details of the scheme. Those details would be brought forward later.
What are Reserved Matters?: Reserved Matters are the later planning applications that set out the detail, such as layout, what the new homes will look like, the mix of homes, and landscaping. These would follow an outline permission and be subject to further statutory consultation and decision-making.
Who will decide the application?: The planning application will be submitted to Hertsmere Borough Council who will make a decision whether to grant planning consent.
How will feedback from this consultation be used?: Comments received during this consultation will help shape the proposals before an outline application is submitted.

The proposals (homes, design and place)

How many homes are being proposed?: The emerging proposals include up to 600 new homes. This figure represents a maximum at this stage and may evolve as the plans are refined.
Is the site the right location but the development too large? Can it be smaller?: Several people felt the site itself was suitable for development but questioned the overall scale. “Up to 600 homes” represents a maximum at this stage, not a fixed number. The final scale will be informed by wider further technical work, planning policy considerations, and ongoing feedback.
What types of homes could be included?: Whilst the exact details of the housing mix will be determined at a later stage, as part of the outline planning application we are proposing affordable homes, custom and self-build plots, and specialist accommodation such as care or elderly living. This element will form part of any outline planning consent.
What does “Garden Suburb” mean for Radlett?: A garden suburb is a time-tested approach to development that puts green space, community life and local character first. For Radlett, this means tree-lined streets, generous parks, walkable neighbourhoods and homes designed to sit comfortably within their surroundings. The approach is inspired by places like Hampstead Garden Suburb, updated for the 21st century.
How will the design reflect Radlett’s character?: The Garden Suburb design approach responds to Radlett’s low-density, green and spacious character. Future development would be guided by a Design Code, which will be submitted as part of the outline application. The Code acts as a set of rules to ensure buildings respect local materials, proportions and landscape features. Detailed designs would be brought forward at Reserved Matters stage.
Is the masterplan final?: No, the masterplan we are developing is still evolving. Once submitted, the masterplan will remain largely illustrative because an outline application is being prepared. The access points will be confirmed, and the general parameters of where development will go, but the internal street layout will be determined at the reserved matters stage, and exactly where new buildings will be situated will be determined at the reserved matters stage.

Affordable housing & who homes are for

How much affordable housing is proposed?: 50% of the proposed homes will be affordable. This is intended to help address local housing needs.
How can we be confident that affordable homes will actually be delivered?: There was understandable scepticism given the lack of affordable housing delivered in Radlett over the last decade. 50% affordable housing will be provided in accordance with national planning policy and would form part of any planning permission and be secured through legal agreements. Delivery would be monitored as the development comes forward in phases.
What do you mean by “affordable housing”?: Affordable housing is defined through national and local planning policy and can include different tenures, such as homes for rent or shared ownership. The Council oversees how affordable homes are allocated, in line with its policies, to ensure they meet identified local needs.

Green space, biodiversity & water management

How much green space is proposed and what will it include?: The proposals include extensive green space, with over 60 acres across the site. This would include a new country park, village green, community orchards and gardens, green corridors, and natural play and walking areas.
How will surface water and drainage be managed?: Water management is a key part of the design. Measures such as swales, rain gardens, permeable surfaces and attenuation ponds would manage surface water naturally, slow water flow and create new habitats. We are still undertaking detailed technical surveys, including in relation to drainage and flooding, this will inform the overall drainage strategy for the proposed development.

Transport, access & movement

How will vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists access the site?: A single vehicular access is proposed off Watling Street, with emergency vehicle access only from Common Lane. Walking and cycling routes would connect to existing networks in and around Radlett. The overall approach prioritises walking, cycling and car-light streets, while still allowing people to get around comfortably.

Community facilities

Do we really need another primary school? Isn’t a secondary school more important?: Many people told us they felt secondary school provision was a greater priority than a new primary school. The proposals currently include space for a primary school because this is typically planned alongside new homes to meet day-to-day local needs. Decisions on school provision are made with the county council and local planning authority, and further discussions will help confirm what is most appropriate as the plans progress. The applicant has appointed an education specialist who is undertaking a needs assessment for education, and there are several options we are exploring with regards to education provision.

Delivery experience

Have Mac Mic delivered similar schemes before? Are there examples of previous projects?

Mac Mic Strategic Land specialises in bringing forward large, complex sites through the planning process, working with local authorities, communities and landowners across the UK. Their role typically focuses on planning, design and engagement rather than building homes directly.

On previous projects, Mac Mic has promoted new neighbourhoods and housing schemes that include:

A mix of market and affordable homes
Significant green space and landscape led masterplans
New community facilities and local infrastructure
Early and ongoing public consultation

Each site is different, and proposals are shaped by local planning policy, technical constraints and community feedback. For Radlett New Garden Suburb, the approach being taken reflects lessons learned from past projects, while responding to Radlett’s specific character and needs.

Information about relevant experience and comparable projects will be shared as the proposals progress and further details are confirmed.

You can view an example of a Mac Mic project using the link below:
https://www.macmicland.co.uk/projects/nailsea-north-somerset

What happens next / how to have your say

What happens next?: Feedback from this consultation will be reviewed and used to refine the proposals. An outline planning application is being prepared for submission to Hertsmere Borough Council later this year. Further opportunities to comment will be available as part of the planning process.