A TEENAGER has launched an online petition against housing proposals on Green Belt land.

Nineteen-year-old Raj Gill, who lives in Chauncy Garden, Baldock, has created the petition to stop a proposed 214 homes being built south of Clothall Common.

The undergraduate history student, who has been living in the area for the past nine years with her mum and brother, has hit out at the proposals saying the development would “put a great deal of pressure on the local infrastructure, from roads, schools, doctor’s surgery and the environment”.

On Monday, North Herts District Council hosted a meeting at Baldock Community Centre where residents had the chance to voice their opinions on the proposals.

The meeting was part of a number of roadshows the council is holding across North Herts to consult on a target number of 10,000 homes which it says need to be built in the district over the next 18 years.

Sites, including seven larger sites which could contain more than 1,000 homes each, have all been proposed by landowners and the development industry.

The former Knights Templar student said: “I feel really passionate about this, Baldock is a character filled, historic little market town and the fact the land which is used by many, who enjoy taking their dogs for a walk, or even people who simply enjoy the fresh air and the views would all be destroyed is very concerning.

“It is an unreasonable proposal and one which we all feel very strongly about.”

So far, the petition has been signed by 142 people and will be submitted to district and ward councillor John Harris.

Cllr Harris said: “I am aware of the strong feeling expressed in the petition. This is just the first phase of the consultation, where North Herts District Council has set out land that landowners have offered as potential sites for house building.

“It is very important that the residents of Baldock East express their views during the consultation and I will make sure that once aired their views will be strongly heard.”