Croxley Green Red Cross building rebuild with flats discussed

The British Red Cross centre in Barton Way, Croxley Green, has been mostly out of use for four years after the charity stopped using the site when its review found it was “too large for our needs” and required “a considerable amount of resource” to manage hiring it out.

Today (August 1), Three Rivers District Council and Croxley Green Parish Council released a joint statement announcing that “productive” talks were held on July 14.

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They added that different options have been investigated, including building a new “modern” community space on the ground floor of a three-floor building with up to nine units of residential accommodation above.

“No final decisions have been taken and any redevelopment of the site will require planning permission,” the statement continued.

Councillor Chris Mitchell outside the British Red Cross centre in Croxley Green

Croxley Green Parish chairman Cllr Stephen Crabtree said he was pleased to have received an updated and looked forward to further discussions. Borough council leader Cllr Sarah Nelmes added that the meeting was “productive” and the district council remains committed to achieving the best outcome.

It owns the land, but the British Red Cross was granted the 99-year lease for the premises it now wants to surrender after it was built in 1966.

The Croxley Green Welcome Club, as required by the lease, still uses the building once a week and it is also used by the Red Cross to store and provide mobility aids.

The British Red Cross centre in Barton Way, Croxley Green (Image: Three Rivers District Council)

The charity is restricted by the requirement to find a new home for the Croxley Green Welcome Club within six months of an agreement to surrender and a legal obligation to obtain maximum value for its assets.

Green Party district councillor Chris Mitchell demonstrated against the potential loss of the building.

Today, he said the plan involving nine homes over a new centre wouldn’t be his ideal option, as he fears it may not work at the small site, but added he was glad open discussions are now taking place.

A petition started by Croxley Green Parish Council in 2021 gathered 653 signatures with the intention of stopping plans for the building to be replaced entirely by six homes.

In the petition, the parish council said it had made an offer to take over the centre itself, but this was not accepted.