Rickmansworth Road factory to be demolished for 94 flats

Under the proposal officially green-lit by Watford Borough Council today (February 20), three blocks totalling 94 flats will be created at the Fleet Laboratories site, in Rickmansworth Road.

Two commercial buildings would be demolished to make way for the five-storey replacements, alongside a community garden, play area, 46 car parking spaces and 159 cycle spaces.

The application had first been submitted in August 2022 and the final sign-off appeared to be imminent in November that year.

Borough councillors responded positively at a planning meeting, praising it as a “very attractive scheme” and deciding approval should be granted.

However, it was not until today that legal agreements over details including affordable housing were confirmed as being finalised and the official decision was published to the Watford Borough Council planning portal.

A CGI of the proposal to build flats on a factory site in Rickmansworth Road (Image: Wakelin Associates). (Image: Wakelin Associates)

During the delay, Hertfordshire County Council raised an objection over flood risks, adding its mapping service indicates a "historical flood incident 'hot spot' at the access to the site and to the southeast of the proposed development".

It called for mitigations to be put in place and Architect Wakelin Associates says these were addressed.

Of the 94 homes, 35 are one-beds, 45 are two-beds, and 14 are three-beds.

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Seven homes will be designated as affordable. Councillors questioned the low number, as it falls below council housing policy. However, the homes will be three-beds for social rent which there is apparently the “greatest need” for.

The application had received six objections with concerns including the level of parking, overdevelopment, overlooking, and pressure on local services.A CGI of the proposal to build flats on a factory site in Rickmansworth Road. (Image: Wakelin Associates)

When the plan was initially assessed, the council’s planning officer acknowledged the objections but concluded that it would not cause “significant harm” to the privacy and light of neighbours.

They added that it would “significantly improve the outlook” of the site for neighbours and that the proposed buildings would be “in keeping” with the area.

According to the minutes from the 2022 meeting: “There was high praise for the design, especially the green aspects, the buildings being limited to only five storeys and the habitat garden was also welcomed.”