Greenacres' 98-bed care home plan branded 'unjustifiable'

A planning application for a site in Heathbourne Road has received 33 public objections, one neutral comment and none in favour since it appeared on the Hertsmere Borough Council planning portal on January 23.

If approved, it would see the Greenacres house knocked down and replaced with a new care facility which would take up much of the nearly two-acre plot.

In a document seen by the Watford Observer, residents slammed the scheme's look, risk of over-development, and impact of additional vehicles on the area.

Eight people said it would be out-of-character with the existing homes, with one branding it “an ugly design that would further ruin a section of the road”.

Numerous responses called the proposal “over-development” of the site, which is close to the green belt.

The care home would have 75 bedrooms and 12 extra apartments across two blocks connected via an upper-level link.

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The bedrooms would be individual rooms with an en-suite, while the apartments would have two bedrooms, a bathroom, toilet, storage space, and an open plan kitchen/living room.

One neighbour felt this constituted “unjustified over-development” alongside other proposals to build 800 homes on land south of Elstree Road, known as Heathbourne Green.

3D visuals accompanying the proposal for Heathbourne Road (Image: Hertsmere Borough Council planning portal/Condylofthouse Architects)Residents also hit out at more staff and family cars, as well as ambulances and deliveries, being "highly disruptive” to surrounding roads.

There is provision for 47 parking spaces, but locals felt extra parked cars would overflow onto the nearby Clay Lane, potentially limiting it to only one car pass at a time.

3D visuals accompanying the proposal for Heathbourne Road. (Image: Hertsmere Borough Council planning portal/Condylofthouse Architects)While there have been no positive responses to the application so far, one comment was considered neutral as they requested the developers use “swift bricks” or integrated bird nest boxes in the walls of the new buildings.

The plans were submitted to the council by planning consultants Peacock + Smith on behalf of Greenacres Home Ltd, which is listed as a residential property management company.

Peacock + Smith has been approached for comment.