The Newsletter for July & August is here. 
Read about planning issues, Churchgate and much else. Pictured right is what Safeway & Wilko & Poundland replaced in Bancroft. An update on Churchgate plans is included, while waiting for the council’s next step. A judicial review on Luton Airport expansion is due, a previous account can be found here.
The background to the Churchgate saga is here.
email litter@hitchinforum.org.uk 
if you would like to join our next townwide Litter Clean Up on Sunday October 12th.
Do we need a Town Council? Hitchin Initiative are promoting this and North Herts Council are asking for residents’ opinions.
20 mph in Hitchin – does it work? Our November/December newsletter reflected on changes to Bearton Road to support this.
Highover Farm Development. There is an amended plan available on the NHC website – if you have difficulty with that link the Application number is 18/01154/OP. The amended plan is NTS2d Illustrative Masterplan (received 24.01.2023) under Related Documents/View associated documents. The Forum had been involved in a 2019 meeting with the developers and others and the meeting minutes are here. Comments on the plans are included in our January 2022 newsletter. North Herts Council Planning Committee approved the amended plan at its meeting on October 12th 2023, despite representations against this, and despite an excellent commentary on the plans in this video! Work on site looks set to start….
The North Herts Local Plan The Inspectors final verdict arrived on September 8th and was adopted at the Council’s Cabinet meeting on November 2nd 2022 and at Full Council on November 8th 2022 – the full report is here.
Hitchin Footpaths 
– How You Can Help For some years, Hitchin Forum members have worked in coordination with Hertfordshire County Council’s then 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.
Friends of Butts Close – Butts Close is the oldest open space in Hitchin. The Friends help take care of it, do some extra litter clearance and even some planting. Their latest newsletter is here.– and more about the Friends 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 town. Information on all of our current and recent campaigns, issues and concerns are available here. We have organized working groups to look at the main issues as they arise 
– eg. the town centre, transport, open spaces and recreation, planning applications and planning policies 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 to challenge developments that we think will damage our heritage and future- more history is here.
Read more about Hitchin, its history and the changes 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.
Contact the co-chairs at chair@hitchinforum.org.uk