At Dacorum Borough Council we are intent on improving our places and tackling climate change. The Council recognises that it has an important leadership role to play in co-ordinating efforts and activities to improve Hemel Hempstead as a place, but we cannot do this alone.

We have a fantastic opportunity to grow our enterprise and commercial offer and to create a new residential quarters in Hemel. In addition, Hemel Garden Communities will help to transform Hemel through the provision of over 11,000 sustainable new homes and 10,000 jobs and we need to make the most of this opportunity. The town centre must be developed and repurposed, reflecting changes in shopping habits and the pandemic legacy, and there is a wonderful chance to create shared work space, studios and offices which will bring business into town. We also want to provide more reasons for people to visit Hemel and our arts and culture offer is high on our agenda.

Hemel is a green and sustainable place and we want this to be at the heart of our future plans. Given that people want more affordable, non-city dependent work options where accessibility to countryside, as well as London is possible, Hemel Hempstead is in a great position to be the place for business and commerce as well as sustainable living.

Claire Hamilton, Chief Executive