Plans for flats in Wellstones car park in Watford submitted

A total of 89 homes are proposed in a building of up to eight storeys in Wellstones.

The land is currently a pay and display car park but has been eyed up as a redevelopment opportunity.

Read more: Lidl confirms South Oxhey store opening date

A mixture of flats ranging from one to three bedrooms are proposed in a building of four parts of five, six, seven and eight floors backing onto the ring road.

A commercial unit is proposed on the ground floor.

The scheme is designed to be car-free with just three blue badge holder spaces. Around 140 cycling spaces would be provided.

Applicant Telereal Trillium, a property company, has not committed to providing any affordable housing yet but says an independent viability test will help determine what levels of affordable housing could be provided.

An outlined of the proposed development site. Image: Google Maps (Image: Google Maps)

Also included is a plan to introduce a signalled pedestrian crossing for the ring road by the junction with Marlborough Road. 

Read more: Mixed reaction for plans for new crossings on Watford ring road

The applicant says its plans represent a “unique” opportunity to bring forward “high-quality” redevelopment of a “sustainably” located site.

The applicant has held several rounds of pre-application talks with Watford Borough Council and a public exhibition.

Previous ideas have included a development of 137 flats in a building up to 12 storeys.

But after council officers raised concerns about height and the impact on neighbouring buildings such as Grade II listed Holy Rood church, Telereal has settled on a smaller revised scheme.

The new building and how it would look from the ring road, shown by the arrow. Image: Telereal Trillium (Image: Telereal Trillium)

Steve Akeju, senior development manager at Telereal Trillium, said: "We would like to thank the residents and stakeholders who took part in the consultation and provided us with their feedback.

"We’re really pleased to have reached the milestone of submitting this planning application. As a brownfield site in a sustainable location, close to local amenities and transport, this is the perfect site to provide much-needed housing. 

"It will also improve the street-scene on Exchange Road and add additional vitality to the town centre with new commercial space."

The proposed development site as seen from the ring road now. Image: Google Street View (Image: Google Street View)

The site forms part of the council’s Local Plan, which was adopted this week, and outlines which sites are most appropriate to development to meet Government housing targets.

Read more: Watford Borough Council approves new Local Plan

The planning application can be found on the council planning portal via reference 22/01226/FULM.

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