Watford Borough Council is currently considering six planning applications that are designated as “major”.
When councillors come back from the August break, the development management committee will have decisions to make on some big schemes.
All of these proposals have been deemed “major planning applications”, meaning they will have to be decided at committee.
Greenhill Crescent
Plans to knock downs a large commercial unit which has multiple businesses inside it were submitted in late June.
The Greenhill Crescent site, opposite the junction with Caxton Way, would be replaced with two warehouses spanning 5,128 square metres - just under the size of a football pitch.
The most recent development is that Hertfordshire Highways has sought amendments to the transport plan documentation.
Bridle Path
A planning application submitted to Watford Borough Council in December, last year, would see Apex House, in Bridle Path, demolished to make way for the co-living space – which would also have offices on the lower floors.
There would be 363 flats capable of housing two people each, over 16 storeys, if it is approved.
The Health and Safety Executive is currently awaiting further information on the plans from the applicant.
Shady Lane
Residential developer McLaren Living applied to build three new buildings between four and 23 storeys tall on the former Watford Police Station site in Shady Lane in June.
Designs include 314 homes, a separate office building, retail space, and a children’s play area in a public ‘garden square’.
Yesterday (August 8), Hertfordshire Highways recommended that plans be refused, but there appears to be a way past its infrastructure fears through contributions towards improvements.
(Variation) Land north of Thomas Sawyer Way
As part of the 1,000-home Riverwell scheme, Watford Health Campus Partnership are looking to tweak a previously approved application for a neighbourhood with 192 homes and a community centre behind Vicarage Road Stadium.
It would replace the community centre with three more flats while reworking the main block’s interior to meet new building regulations.
The developer has assured the Watford Observer it is “still committed” to delivering the community centre elsewhere in the wider scheme and the plan was recently given the go-ahead from Highways.
Russell Lane
A field between Russell Lane and the A41, near the Hunton Bridge roundabout, has been earmarked for a 55-home development since plans were submitted in October, last year.
It would be accessed via the small Hempstead service road but the applicant and Hertfordshire Highways have gone back and forth over whether this is acceptable.
In July, the developer proposed its own solution to the problems - which differed from the council’s ideas. Today (August 9), the local authority came back recommending refusal and advising the applicant to look into the issues it raised again and address its concerns.
Kytes Drive
Care home provider Anchor submitted proposals to demolish 56 existing bungalows and build 63 houses, as well as a 71-home retirement apartment building, to Watford Borough Council in November.
As well as the new builds, Grade II Listed Kytes House would be used for 10 homes and 14 of the site's existing buildings would remain following the development.
Progress stalled, as both Highways and the lead local flood authority had issues with designs, before amended plans came in to address them in June. In the past fortnight both sets of experts have submitted documents maintaining their objections despite the changes.
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