Old West Herts College in Kings Langley to be knocked down for flats

Millworks will be a collection of 65 one and two-bed homes on the former West Herts College campus in Home Park Mill Link Road, Kings Langley.

Bellway Homes received permission from a planning inspector on February 28 to go ahead with the scheme after a refusal decision by Three Rivers District Council was overturned.

The council had concerns about the plans being "overly dominant" and that 72 parking spaces was not enough but the inspector felt the proposal was not an "overdevelopment" of the site.

See more: Developer allowed to build flats on college site after council loses appeal

The building that will be demolished

Bellway has now confirmed demolition of existing buildings is now set to get underway, followed by construction of the new five-storey building.

Ali Maruf, managing director of Bellway North London, said: "This approval gives us the green light to forge ahead with our plans and means we can deliver on our promise to Kings Langley to provide much-needed new homes in the village.

"Our first job will be to undertake a six-month demolition programme to remove the former buildings of the college, which has moved to a new state-of-the-art campus four miles away in Hemel Hempstead.

"Once the demolition process has been completed, we can start on the groundworks which will see us repurpose this redundant college campus and convert it into an exciting new community."

Mr Maruf added: "We are well aware of the history of the site as a papermill and the legacy of milling in the local area, which is mentioned as far back as the Domesday Book in 1086.

"The Millworks name is a tribute to this heritage and to the college which previously occupied the site and specialised in engineering and building services."

CGI of the scheme. Credit: Bellway

Bellway says it hopes to launch the development in early 2023 and having residents moving in by the end of that year.