St James’ Park at centre of boundary battle between Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and Thorley Parish Council

St James’ Park is at the centre of a tug-of-war between Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and Thorley Parish Council.

As part of a community governance review, East Herts Council has issued a draft recommendation that the southern boundary between Stortford and Thorley should be shifted to run along the A1184 St James’ Way and parallel to Thorley Street.

That means all of St James’ Park – the 750-home Bishop’s Stortford South development – would be part of the town.

However, the town council would like to go further and “absorb the entirety of Thorley parish into Bishop’s Stortford”.

It says its push is “not aggression but an appeal to commonsense”.

However, nine Thorley residents have told East Herts they object to any boundary change which moves them into Bishop’s Stortford.

Currently, 80% of the estate’s planned properties sit in Thorley. The parish council wants the whole estate within its jurisdiction, arguing it is better placed to advocate for the new community.

When the town council was updated on progress at a meeting on Monday (March 24), Conservative Cllr John Wyllie said that East Herts should keep all options on the table and the town council’s leader, Liberal Democrat Cllr Miriam Swainston, agreed it was “sensible” to do so.

Both are also members of East Herts Council, where Cllr Diane Hollebon, who represents Bishop’s Stortford South, has also backed the absorption option.

If approved, Thorley would become a Bishop’s Stortford Town Council ward, giving residents an elected voice.

Town council chief executive Huw Jones said that the change would increase its council tax revenue.

“With that added money, the town council would be better placed to provide more and better services to all the people in the town,” he said.

Lib Dem Cllr Calvin Horner added that after Labour’s proposed reorganisation of local government, Thorley residents would have a more powerful voice if they were part of a larger council.

Labour’s Cllr Yvonne Estop, also an East Herts district councillor, said that St James’ Park was a strategic expansion of Stortford and it was “logical” that the whole site transferred to the town.

She said: “This is a consultation. Thorley Parish Council will be speaking out very clearly.

“We are not used to blowing our own trumpet, but we have to promote our point of view to members of the public.”

She said residents should be encouraged to respond to the consultation on the community governance review and support the town council’s stance.

East Herts is to formulate final recommendations by July, with implementation anticipated by May 2026.