Concern Lee Valley park faces damage by 1,000 dogs from new homes

The group overseeing Lee Valley Regional Park has objected to plans for 1,800 new homes amid fears the site could be harmed by increased footfall plus newcomers' pet dogs.

The 10,000-acre, 26-mile long linear park runs across Hertfordshire, Essex and Greater London.

The proposed development, known as WARE2, includes houses for northern and eastern edges of Ware, Hertfordshire.

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said it needed more information on the plan.

The group - responsible for the preservation and management of the park - said it wanted to know how the site's ecology would be protected.

Councillors representing the areas that contain the park sit on the authority. Members include Camden councillor Heather Johnson who said the project would have a "forever effect on the park".

Plans for the new homes - yet to be considered by East Herts District Council - aim to "deliver a comprehensively planned extension to the town, meeting the needs of a growing community", developers said.

But Ms Johnson, Labour, said: "A development of 1,800 homes could mean an extra 1,000 new dogs visiting the Lee Valley Regional Park.

"That's going to have an effect - a long-term effect with implications for habitats."

Conservative Gordon Nicolson, from Broxbourne Borough Council, said he shared concerns about "irreparable damage" caused by increased leisure visitors to the park, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The authority is to submit its holding objection to East Herts District Council, following a meeting on 23 March.

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has already objected and Natural England also said it "may need to object to the proposal".

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]