We all know how overcrowded the Manor can be sometimes; it’s not just on festival days that people have to sit and eat in the corridors.  So we are pleased to say that Hertsmere Borough Council is putting forward proposals that could help us expand our facilities in future.

The Council has produced a report, called a Planning Brief, which accepts additional space is required to reduce the stress on the Manor building.  It sets out a number of options for introducing a Haveli building on the site.

As Councillor Harvey Cohen, portfolio holder for planning at the Council, has said:

“Bhaktivedanta Manor is an important site for ISKCON and the borough of Hertsmere with huge cultural, religious and historical significance. This planning brief aims to forge a path forward that will meet the needs of ISKCON, residents of Letchmore Heath and the wider community of Hertsmere, and ensure that all future development on the estate is sustainable and suitable.”

The Council’s Planning Brief is not a planning application.  It deals with the principles of development rather than the specifics.  But it should set a framework within which we can expand the facilities and reduce overcrowding in a sustainable way.  We are grateful for the support of the Council in bringing the proposals forward.

A public consultation on the proposals will now run from 9 July until 10 September.

See the Planning Brief and respond to the consultation by going to the following page.

You can also contact the planning team by emailing planning@hertsmere.gov.uk.

There is no intention to intensify our use of the Manor and any future planning application would simply be designed to meet current demand from our community. This is an exciting opportunity to ensure our important spiritual site can meet our needs while recognising the constraints imposed by the listed manor building and our green belt location.