350-home plan for Bushey Hall Golf Club sparks objections

The former Bushey Hall Golf Club's landowner and developer Griggs Homes last month submitted an outline application for the site, which closed in 2019.

It would include a mix of housing types and tenures with up to 70 per cent designated as affordable, while Scotts Wood and part of existing green space would be opened up to the public as a community park.

But North Bushey Liberal Democrat councillors Alan Matthews, Louise Nicolas and Paul Richard have hit out at the scheme in a letter to around 2,000 residents.

Bushey North councillors Louise Nicolas, Paul Richards and Alan Matthews. (Image: Hertsmere Liberal Democrats) “Developing this site would cause environmental damage, loss of trees and wildlife habitats, and permanently harm North Bushey’s character,” they wrote. 

“Arguably, it could also close the important crucial green belt buffer separating Bushey from Watford.”

Although the former golf course is allocated as green belt land, the applicant has claimed the application’s “extensive public benefits” outweighed any potential harm.

An overview of the proposed estate. (Image: Griggs Homes)

Griggs Homes said the range of different properties would also allow first-time buyers to get on the property ladder as well as families looking to upsize or downsize.

The plans have also sparked a backlash among residents as they have garnered 70 objections so far and just two submissions in support.

If approved, the new estate would consist of 72 one-bedroom flats, 93 two-bedroom homes, 136 three-bedroom houses and 49 four-bed properties up to three storeys-high.

The proposed medical centre would also help meet local need for additional and improved healthcare facilities as well as reducing pressures on existing facilities, according to the developer.

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The site boundaries. (Image: Google Maps/Canva) Councillors have raised concerns over access to the site as they said it would mean “hundreds of extra cars”, but Griggs said the access to Bushey Hall Drive would only serve the residential parts of the scheme to reduce traffic movements.

A smaller application on the previously developed clubhouse would be an "acceptable compromise", the councillors said.

The land had previously been earmarked for 400 homes and a secondary school, which were removed over concerns raised in the public consultation over traffic impacts and housing density.

Bushey Hall Golf Club, which closed in 2019 after the clubhouse was demolished for 32 flats. Bushey Hall Golf Club closed in October 2019 after planning permission was approved for 32 flats on the site of the clubhouse, although the development was never started after it was demolished.

Griggs Homes has been contacted for comment.