An appeal has been launched after an application for a development of 25 houses in Woolmer Green was rejected earlier this year.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council turned down the proposal made by Wattsdown Development for build on land off London Road back in January.

The developer has now appealed the decision, with hopes it will be overturned.

Wattsdown Development's original application face plenty of objections from residents, with those who live on London raising concerns that the development would merge Woolmer Green and Knebworth into one village.

"This plan would stop Woolmer Green and Knebworth being independent villages. This gap is vital to protect the boundary of these villages," one wrote. 

"I bought a house here to live in a village, and this would no longer be the case if this development goes ahead. We need more green spaces not more houses."

READ MORE: Appeal launched against refused 24-home Welwyn development

Another wrote: "Building here would mean coalescence of Knebworth and Woolmer Green, which has always been rejected by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in the past."

Other residents raised serious concerns about increased traffic caused by the development, with one saying: "With an increase of potentially over 50 cars on the site there would be an increase in traffic including potential for accident.

"This follows recent development in Woolmer Green which has already exacerbated the traffic problems and this increase will only make this worse."

With the neighbouring village of Knebworth lying in North Herts, while Woolmer Green is in Welwyn Hatfield, some residents in Knebworth are concerned about the development putting pressure on services in their district.

"When we moved to Knebworth we loved the quiet nature of it and wide open spaces," one resident said.

"Although the proposed development sits within another local authority, the extra burden on services in Knebworth and North Herts in terms of traffic flow, public transport usage and other public services such as medical practice will be detrimental."

To view the application, visit planning.welhat.gov.uk/Planning/Display/6/2022/0787/OUTLINE.