This is a critical moment for our community. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has not approved Brett Aggregates’ application to build a quarry on Ellenbrook Fields.
Instead, the Secretary of State has ordered the Planning Inquiry to be reopened.
This is a major victory for resident activism and gives our community a vital second chance to protect our Green Belt from this 32-year quarry plan.
What This Means for Ellenbrook
The fight is not over, but the tide has turned.
In November 2025, the Secretary of State reviewed the report from the 2024 Planning Inquiry. He concluded that the developer’s proposal “has not effectively struck a fair balance” between mining and protecting the amenity of residents and park users.
Specifically, the plan failed on key issues that EARA and other resident groups have fought for:
- Was unable to provide “convenient cross-park access” for residents.
- Failed to “integrate the restored phases” of the park on time.
The inquiry is now reopening to re-examine these issues and ensure “procedural fairness,” giving all parties a chance to respond.
This is our opportunity to ensure the Inspector and the Secretary of State get the message: Ellenbrook Fields is a vital park, not a mine.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
This is the most important part. We need every resident to be informed and ready to act.
1. STAY INFORMED (ESSENTIAL) This is the single most important action you can take. Dates and deadlines for the new inquiry will be announced suddenly.
- Click here to sign up for the official EARA Newsletter. This will be our primary way of sending you urgent alerts, dates, and how to submit your comments.
2. PREPARE TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. We will need to show the Planning Inspector, again, what Ellenbrook Fields means to the community.
- Check this page often. We will post all official dates and deadlines for public comments here.
- Prepare your comments. Think about why the park is important to you—for health, well-being, wildlife, or as a safe place for families.
3. SUPPORT THE FIGHT EARA is run by volunteers, but fighting a planning appeal requires funds for expert advice and legal representation.
- The EARA donation page link will be added here. In the meantime, if you would like to donate to EARA, please contact us.
Background: How We Got Here
For new residents, here is a summary of this long-running campaign:
- Initial Rejection (2024): Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) initially refused Brett Aggregates’ application to extract 8 million tonnes of sand and gravel over 32 years.
- The Appeal (2024): Brett Aggregates appealed this decision, triggering a full Planning Inquiry in late 2024.
- The Inspector’s Report (2025): The Inspector sent his report to the Secretary of State in August 2025.
- INQUIRY REOPENED (Nov 2025): The Secretary of State found major flaws in the plan (related to public access) and has refused to approve it, sending it back to a new inquiry.
Official Documents & Links
- Read the letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is shown here, detailing the reasons why the inquiry is to be reopened.
- Read the Welwyn Hatfield Times article on the reopening
- Read Hatfield Town Council’s Statement
- View the 2024 Appeal Documents Archive
Check this page regularly. We will update it as soon as new information is available.