A new health clinic and a family centre are set to be built as part of a major new housing development on the site of a Borehamwood school which closed last year.

Hertfordshire County Council will submit a planning application next week for the Furzehill School premises, one of three school sites in the town available for redevelopment.

The plan is expected to include new buildings for the health clinic and family centre now based in Elstree Way, but not accommodation for a bigger and better library.

The county council's plan is in response to the views expressed by more than 170 residents, business and organisations during consultation about the future of the three school sites.

County Councillor Brian York, who has been briefed about the proposal, said it was about finding a balance between building enough new homes and providing better public services.

"There is a limit to the number of community facilities you can get on the site and, realistically, this is a reasonable way forward."

He was particularly pleased that the Furzehill School plan included a new access road to serve the new 270-home estate to be built at the old Fire Research Station premises. Melrose Avenue residents had been campaigning for the access road, because they feared traffic congestion if all of the new estate's vehicles used their road.

Both the Elstree Way Clinic, run by the NHS, and the family centre, operated by social services, would benefit from improved facilities in coping with the town's growing population.

Beth Kelly, chairman of Hertsmere NHS Primary Care Trust, said: "We will be looking to see what we can do at the site and what opportunities we have we are very excited about it."

The county council expects to sell land at the Furzehill, Lyndhurst and Hillside school sites for the building of around 200 homes, to recoup money it spent on reorganising the town's schools.

Consultants have also been employed by the county and borough councils to look into the possibility of redeveloping publicly-owned sites in Elstree Way, including the library.

Town Councillor Bryan Stanley has proposed using a vacant council plot in Elstree Way, once earmarked for a theatre, to build a new museum and library complex.

"There is a great deal of compatibility between a library and a museum the building could even have a stage so it could be a central entertainment facility," he said.

The borough council is considering selling the land for a hotel development, although Mr Stanley suggested the building of such a complex could be part of any development deal.

The consultants' report on Elstree Way, due to be published next week, will be the subject of an exhibition and public consultation later this summer or in the Autumn.

June 13, 2002 10:00