Neighbours in opposition to plans for a gypsy site have formed a group to fight the proposal and are calling on the village to get behind them.
Bovingdon householders united after learning about a planning application for Green Belt land next to the Bobsleigh Hotel in Hempstead Road.
The proposal – put forward by Michael Cash – is for eight families to set up on a field.
Each family would have two caravans and the site would be complete with a utility building housing two toilets.
Brad Gunn, who is heading up the Bovingdon Action Group, said: “We all agree that gypsies need places to live and the council is required to find those pitches, but we don’t feel that the Green Belt is the right option or the right way to solve this problem.”
He said that other options, such as brownfield sites, need to be fully investigated before precious Green Belt land is considered.
The group, which is also mulling over plans to demolish the Bobsleigh and build a bigger hotel, as well as concerns about motor racing on the village airfield, has created a website – www.savebovingdongreenbelt.org – and will be sending out flyers to drum up support.
“There is a lot of concern across Bovingdon,” said Mr Gunn, of Hempstead Road.
Neighbour Katrina Bond said: “We are trying to get village support and wider support from people that support the Green Belt because it has implications for the whole of Dacorum. If the Green Belt is released for residential properties it gives the green light for lots of other Green Belt land being developed.”
To comment on the planning application {http://site.dacorum.gov.uk/planonline/AcolNetCGI.gov?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=208282|click here}