PLANS to transform the centre of Hatfield from a windswept desert into a bustling hive of activity were unveiled by the district council on Friday.

The development brief for the main shopping area between Lemsford Road, The Common, Wellfield Road and Queensway envisages a new covered market area and a bus station in the current market place.

All the buildings on the Wellfield Road side of the town centre would be demolished, in favour of four-storey buildings, containing ground-floor shops and three floors of flats, accommodating up to 100 extra residents.

The shops would extend out the back, with car-parking space on top, effectively doubling the overall retail area to 120,000 square feet.

Welwyn Hatfield Council's environment committee chairman Colin Croft said: "We need to have a town centre in which people can feel comfortable and safer.

"It has to be attractive, clean and lively, and somewhere for everyone to be proud of."

After a period of public consultation, the council will ask potential developers to submit plans broadly along the lines suggested by the brief, although alterations will be open to discussion.

The preferred developer will have to buy the land, which currently belongs to more than 50 land owners, and the council will apply to the Government for compulsory purchase orders if necessary.

Chief planning officer Mr Chris Conway said: "It is time to grab the bull by the horns.

"The general view of the public is we should have done it years ago. We need to find a way of giving a decent environment to the people who live there.

"The buildings around White Lion Square are quite low. To give it some focus we need to go up in height.

"We need to create a range of shops at the moment they are all quite small units. The trick is going to be to hide the car parking and the service yards."

Director of environment Mr David Irvine said: "There is nothing in the town centre in the evening.

"If we put residential properties in, there would be more people around."

Other aspects of the plans include encouragement for leisure outlets such as restaurants, pedestrian walkways aligned with the railway station, some office space, and a vehicle loop for taxis and disabled drivers.

The brief is available for inspection at the council offices at The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, the housing office on Lemsford Road, the Qeensway Library and the town council offices.

The deadline for comments is December 21, and if all goes smoothly, building could commence in late 2003.

November 7, 2001 12:44

Alex Lewis