Streets of new Bishop's Stortford estate St James' Park could honour Second World War pilots
Streets on Countryside Properties' Bishop's Stortford South development could evoke the area's Second World War past.
East Herts Council has asked the town council's planning and development committee to come up with around 40 fitting names for the residential roads on the new estate off Whittington Way, which is called St James' Park.
At their latest meeting, members discussed a range of options inspired both by the settlement's location and local history.
Street signs at Stortford Fields, north of Hadham Road, already bear the names of the men who died for king and country and who are commemorated on the town's war memorial in Castle Gardens.
The town council's leader, Cllr John Wyllie, suggested that names of Royal Air Force bases and their wartime personnel or aircraft, such as Spitfires and Hurricanes, could be used.
He said: "The site is close to RAF Sawbridgeworth and there may be names of pilots they wish to use."
Street signs at Stortford Fields bear the Royal British Legion Remembrance poppy symbol and Cllr Wyllie said this practice should be adopted at St James' Park if military names were used.
Cllr George Cutting has already asked for the town council to ensure the project at the northern estate is completed as house-building continues.
The initiative was introduced by former town and district councillor Colin Woodward, still a Herts county councillor, who liaised with the Legion and overcame East Herts Council opposition to ensure the poppy was added to signage.
He welcomed the town council's moves to continue the commemoration: "The poppy signs have proved very popular with residents and others so far, without exception, and I've been asked by some residents 'When can we have ours changed?' That has made the effort worthwhile.
"Any support from Bishop's Stortford Town Council to fund replacements would be great. It is disappointing not to have had all in place by 2018's centenary of World War One."
As well as Cllr Wyllie's military naming suggestions, Cllr Diane Hollebon asked for "more parochial" names which "have a meaningful relationship with Thorley" while Cllr David Snowdon suggested names of former vicars of St James the Great Church could be used.
New mayor Cllr Keith Warnell suggested a farming or agricultural theme, using plant names for the 750-home estate, which will also incorporate a neighbourhood centre with shops, the relocated Bishop's Stortford High School, a primary school, a care home and employment space.
The committee was also asked to suggest names for a block of nine flats being built at the former Walden Court site in Parsonage Lane. The development sits alongside Limetree Court and Peartree Court, and members suggested plum, apple, elderberry and blackberry as options.
