New plans for a five-storey block of flats have been tabled after earlier designs were withdrawn amid fears of polluting water.

Developer Nazmo has submitted plans to Watford Borough Council for 36 one and two bed flats in Lower High Street, Watford, at the junction of Local Board Road.

At present, the site is occupied by a two and three-storey building known as ‘Jessa House’ which is vacant having previously been in office use.

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The brownfield site was once used for education purposes and then for a company to store its cars.

Prices are expected to range from £255,000 to £525,000 for the homes, which will be near Watford High Street station and Bushey station.

Five of the homes are expected to come with their own front door, some will have balconies or a terrace and one will come with a roof terrace.  

To keep in line with the local policy to encourage the use of public transport, the development is expected to be car-free with only one disabled parking space.

However, there would be 60 cycle parking spaces in a secured cycle store at ground level.

Two previous proposals, one in October 2020 and then one in May 2021, were submitted and then withdrawn.

The Environment Agency objected to the May 2021 plans due to concerns of a potential contamination risk to the chalk aquifer beneath the site.

Watford Observer: Watford High Street Station. Picture: Google Street View Watford High Street Station. Picture: Google Street View (Image: Google Street View)

Structural engineering company Westlakes Engineering says it has undertaken an initial review to minimise the potential of contamination of the ground.

And a further investigation has revealed that the likelihood that contaminants are present within the ground soils covering the site area is low.

The 2021 application was also withdrawn because of design and layout issues, not sticking to standards for future residents and a lack of justification for building affordable housing off-site.   

A planning committee report said councillors would also have rejected the plans because of loss of light and privacy to neighbouring dwellings, impact to on-street parking and an unacceptable risk to controlled waters. 

A date for a decision on the new application has yet to be confirmed.

To view the plans, visit https://pa.watford.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RIJSLRQWN3200. 

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