Berkeley Group intends to appeal Dacorum Borough Council’s decision to block its application to build 476 private and affordable homes on the derelict Hemel Hempstead Gasworks site.
The local authority refused permission for the scheme last week despite the council’s planning department recommending approval of the plans.
The 9.2-acre site has been largely derelict for more than 60 years and has been allocated for housing development in the council’s local plan since 2013.
Rob Perrins, chief executive of Berkeley Group, said: “The government has made a hugely positive start to fixing our dysfunctional planning system and decisions like this shows what they are up against at local level.
“Councils with severe housing shortages can block new homes on sustainable brownfield sites they have allocated for housing in their own local plans. It makes no sense, and we encourage the government to keep up the pressure and continue doing everything it can to break down the barriers and get homes built.”
