Bishop's Stortford News
The latest Bishop's Stortford news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Bishop's Stortford's Green Belt Edges Rated Fit for Homes by Council Planners
East Herts planners rate 12 Bishop's Stortford sites suitable for homes, 11 of them in the Green Belt. Councillors see the assessment on 11 November.
More stories
Takeley
Garnetts Works Should Have Been Avoided, Councillor Says
Takeley's county councillor says the Garnetts disruption should have been avoided at the planning stage. A resident has escalated a complaint to the county.
Roads
Stortford's North Street: One-Way 9 Nov, Car-Free Weekends
North Street goes one-way southbound from Monday 9 November and shuts to cars every weekend from 13 November. Parking, bus, taxi and Blue Badge changes.
Planning
Birchanger and Stansted 480 Homes: Inquiry Opens 3 Nov
An eight-day public inquiry opens on Tuesday into 480 homes refused at Birchanger Lane and south of Stansted. The Housing Secretary will make the final decision.
Takeley
Garnetts, Takeley: Councillor Calls for Works to Pause
Takeley's county councillor told Affinity Water to pause its Garnetts works; hours later its letter said work starts 9 November with the permit in place.
Parking
Bishop's Stortford Parking: Worker Permits Save Up to £200
Up to 100 cut-price Northgate End permits for town centre workers from early November, from £799 a year. The Causeway car park may reopen for Waitrose.
Buses
East Herts Bus Franchising: County Could Set Fares From 2028
Hertfordshire has formally begun assessing bus franchising for East Herts. It could cost £2.5m to £6.9m a year, and a decision is due in late 2027.
Takeley
Garnetts, Takeley: Works Now 23 Nov, Exit via Trinity Green
Affinity Water has moved its Garnetts works to about 23 November, with access through Trinity Green, days after a notice said no diversion was available.
House prices
East Herts house prices fall again: growth halves to 1.9%
The East Herts average fell £1,018 to £455,973 in August, a second monthly drop, and annual growth halved to 1.9%. Broxbourne rose again. Full figures.
Jobs
East Herts claimant count: 1,950, rise slows to 1.6%
1,950 East Herts residents claimed out-of-work benefits in September, up just 1.6% in a year. August's jump has been revised down, and Broxbourne fell.
South Mill Arts
Nicola Anthony Sculpture Now Permanent at South Mill Arts
The Stories that Shape Us, a word sculpture by Stortford artist Nicola Anthony, is now on permanent show at South Mill Arts. Josh Dean MP cut the ribbon.
Takeley
Garnetts, Takeley: Closure Signs Up, Plans "Not Finalised"
Signs for a 2 November to 18 December closure went up in Garnetts, Takeley, hours after Affinity Water told a resident the plans were not finalised.
Roads
M11 Junction 8: 10 Months of 40mph and Night Closures
M11 junction 8 and the A120 to Stansted get 40mph day and night from 9 November, with phased 8pm to 5am closures for about ten months. Diversions listed.
Planning
Gilston Village 7: 276 Homes Approved by East Herts
East Herts has approved the detailed design of 276 homes in Gilston Village 7, near Hunsdon, with the decision issued on 27 October. 65 are affordable.
South Mill Arts
South Mill Arts to be bought by town council for £2.97m
The town council plans to buy South Mill Arts for £2.97m and lease it back to the charity for 125 years. About £1.5m goes to reserves. What changes.
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden Royal Visit: Duke of Gloucester on 28 October
The Duke of Gloucester visits Saffron Walden on 28 October to hand Enterprise East its King's Award for helping adults facing barriers to work into jobs.
Sawbridgeworth
Sheering Mill Lane: Council Asks Rayner for Arrest Powers
East Herts asks the Secretary of State for arrest powers over breached stop notices and a presumption against retrospective permission. Council votes 14 Oct.
Sawbridgeworth
Sawbridgeworth Parking Petition: 1,622 Names Go to Council
1,622 people signed a petition on Sawbridgeworth's parking charges and roadworks. It goes to East Herts Council on Wednesday 14 October. What Bell Street costs.
Takeley
Garnetts, Takeley: 47-Day Road Closure Faces 68 Homes
Garnetts in Takeley faces a 47-day closure from 2 November to 18 December for Affinity Water works. One way in, about 68 homes, and no confirmed access yet.
Flooding
Bishop's Stortford Flooding: Stansted Road Tops East Herts
Stansted Road has more reported flooding incidents than any other road in East Herts, a new council study says. The streets, river banks and sewers it flags.
Business
Bishop's Stortford New Companies: 37 Formed in September
37 new companies registered a Bishop's Stortford office in September 2026, up from 25 in August. A tyre hub, a playbarn, a bakery and the rest of the list.
Crime
Bishop's Stortford Crime Figures: Shoplifting Up 41%
Shoplifting reports in central Bishop's Stortford rose 41% in a year, to 311, and July set a record for all crime. The full police.uk figures.
River Stort
River Stort Sewage: Stansted Works Spilled 313 Hours in 2025
Thames Water's Stansted works spilled storm sewage into the Stort 28 times in 2025. Six overflows around Bishop's Stortford ranked; none had a fix logged.
East Herts Council
East Herts Villages Ranked: Much Hadham 4th of 55 Places
East Herts has scored 55 villages on shops, buses and schools. Much Hadham ranks 4th; Spellbrook and High Wych slip. The Executive adopted it on 6 October.
East Herts Council
East Herts Housing Register: 12-Month Residency Rule Planned
East Herts plans to shut its housing register to new applicants who have not lived in the district for 12 months. Full Council votes on 14 October.
Sawbridgeworth
Mackay Property, Sawbridgeworth: £468,920 Owed to Creditors
Two Mackay Property companies were wound up on 8 September owing £468,920, with HMRC owed £257,956. The Bell Street office now trades as Muvin.
East Herts Council
East Herts Community Assets: Buyers Get a Full Year
Councillors decide on 29 September whether community groups get 12 months, not six, to buy a listed pub. Sawbridgeworth Library joined the register in May.
House prices
East Herts house prices: terraces hit a record £415,559
Terraced homes set a record £415,559 in July, the only East Herts type that rose. The district average slipped £732 to £457,417. Full figures.
Planning
Sheering Mill Lane injunction stays, trial listed for 2027
The High Court kept the Sawbridgeworth injunction and its arrest powers, and the council has served a notice to restore the site. Trial after 1 January.
Jobs
East Herts claimant count: over-50s up 11% in a year
East Herts over-50s claiming out-of-work benefits rose 11.3% in a year, three times the England rate, and the district's total rose fastest in Herts again.
East Herts Council
East Herts Local Plan: new call for sites opens 15 October
Landowners get a second chance to offer fields for housing, 15 October to 26 November, after the new NPPF opened up Green Belt near stations. 283 came in 2024.
East Herts Council
East Herts complaints doubled to 228, and bins drove 61%
Complaints to East Herts hit 228 in 2025/26, the most on the council's record, and the waste rollout accounts for 61%. Just 53.5% were answered in 10 days.
East Herts Council
East Herts Merger Paused: May 2027 Election Back On
The government has paused the East Herts and Broxbourne unitary. Shadow authority elections are off, and East Herts votes as usual in May 2027.
East Herts Council
£76,100 Backs Brompton Bike Hubs at Hertford and Ware
East Herts has signed off £76,100 for Brompton hire hubs at Hertford East and Ware stations, and up to £57,000 for solar panels on BEAM in Hertford.
Bishop's Stortford
Old River Lane: 171-Home Scheme No Longer Viable
Cityheart has told East Herts the 171-home Old River Lane scheme cannot be built as proposed. An all-affordable option is now on the table, with no timetable.
East Herts Council
East Herts Taxi Cap: 210 Allowed, Just 175 Licensed
East Herts wants to remove its 210-vehicle hackney carriage cap after the fleet fell to 175. Nine taxi policy changes go to committee on Wednesday 9 September.
Bishop's Stortford
Water Lane Hall: Council Asked for £22,500 to Proceed
East Herts is asked to spend £22,500 on legal work towards handing Water Lane Hall to a community company. The Executive decides on Tuesday 8 September.
East Herts Council
East Herts £440k Overspend: BEAM Deficit Hits £302k
East Herts is three months into the year and £440,000 over budget. BEAM in Hertford is forecast to lose £302,000, and planning agency staff add £297,000.
Planning
Sheering Mill Lane: how the injunction cleared the site
An amended injunction served at 12.30am on 31 August cleared the site, with police attending and no arrests needed. The order was continued on 15 September.
Housing
Scholars Walk Bishop's Stortford: Prices From £482,500
Bellway's 208 homes on the old Bishop's Stortford High School site are on sale from £482,500. First residents move in early 2027, and the travel plan is now in.
Housing
Sele Farm Hertford: Council Land Could Go at Nil Cost
East Herts has signed a three year deal with landlord SNG at Sele Farm. It lets the council hand over plots at nil cost, and says it is not legally binding.
Local government
East Herts and Broxbourne Council: 75 seats, 2027 vote
The council replacing East Herts and Broxbourne has a legal name, 75 seats and a May 2027 election. Neither council says so; the government's letters do.
Jobs
East Herts benefit claims rise fastest in Hertfordshire
East Herts recorded 1,930 unemployment-related claims in July, up 7.8% in a year, the steepest rise of the county's ten districts. Waltham Cross ward is on 5.1%.
House prices
East Herts June house price record revised to £458,149
Land Registry has cut its June East Herts average by £2,629, to £458,149 and +3.4%. It is still the record month. Broxbourne gained just £1,786.
Arts
Arts in East Herts 2026: 28 groups share £19,503
East Herts Council has awarded £19,503 of lottery money to 28 artists and groups for September and October events. Here is the full list of who got what.
Bins
East Herts bins a year on: rubbish down 36% from a 43% start
A year after the three-weekly bin switch, non-recyclable waste is down 36% and East Herts has caddied 6,500 tonnes of food waste. Defra's last full-year recycling rate for the district was 43.2%.
Planning
Buntingford Business Park: 112-job plan set for approval
Four industrial units and up to 112 jobs at Buntingford Business Park go before East Herts councillors at 7pm tonight, with officers recommending approval.