The next town litter pick
– The Hitchin Big Spring Clean – will be on Sunday March 29th from 10 til 12. Email hflitter@gmail.com if you want to join the fun!
Highover Farm Development. There is an amended plan available on the NHDC website – if you have difficulty with that link the Application number is 18/01154/OP. The Forum has been involved in a meeting with the developers and others and the meeting minutes are here. Comments on the plans are included in our January newsletter.
A new County Transport Plan! 
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has just produced new plans for consultation, part of which refers to Hitchin – the North Central Growth & Transport Plan – find it by clicking here. The Prospectus gives an explanation and the possible interventions for Hitchin (click again). This includes a statement that there is “a lack of safe and attractive cycling and pedestrian routes”, and “All new residential streets should have a design speed of 20mph. Where there is strong local support, or residential streets form a part of cross-town walking and cycling routes, consideration of a 20mph zone or limit should be brought forward.” All good intentions for the future. The consultation ends on March 20th – do have your say!
Hitchin Footpaths – How You Can Help 
For some years, Hitchin Forum members have worked in coordination with Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside Access Officer for our area. Read more here about what we do and what can be done for the town’s 100+ footpaths and bridleways. we produce reports for Herts County Council via Countryside Management Services – see them here
Churchgate Regeneration – see the latest in our October newsletter (under ‘Town Centre Meeting’) – here.
Much interest was stirred up by the Churchgate Resurgence PB last year – their website is here and their ideas were surfacing in the Town Centre meeting in September. NHDC seems to be working on options for the future and we look forward to good communications and consultations with the local residents.
Friends of Butts Close – latest newsletter here and more about the Friends of this valued green space here.
Air Quality in Hitchin – what is happening?
What else do we do? 
The Forum exists to develop and channel energy and enthusiasm for the town. We work to highlight things that we think need to change and improve the environment, and challenge developments that we think will damage our heritage and future. Information on all of our current and recent campaigns, issues and concerns are available here.
We have working groups to look at the main issues which arise 
– the town centre, transport, open spaces and recreation, planning applications, planning policies and, lastly, how we get the information out – communications. More details here with info on the planning system.
Hitchin Forum was formed in 1992 as a non-political umbrella to bring together people and organizations who want to maintain and enhance Hitchin’s special character. It enables the views of people who live and work in Hitchin to be presented in a co-ordinated manner to relevant bodies – more history is here.
Read more about Hitchin, its history and the changes here, where to find local footpaths here. Members are regularly updated on issues and meetings, by occasional emails and a 2 monthly newsletter – present & previous ones are here. We hold several members’ meetings through the year.
Do join us! Anyone with an interest in Hitchin can join the Forum, either as an individual or as a nominated representative of an organization in the town. If you do want to be more involved then tell us – we often need an extra pair of hands! But – there is no obligation to do more than sign up – that is support enough. It is important that we have a wide membership base, partly so that we can hear a wide range of opinions, and also that we hear about issues in all corners of the town – membership details here.