The first glimpse of how 42 new apartments will fit into Rickmansworth High Street has been released by the developer, as demolition of the old office building gets under way.

The removal of the old office block at 3 and 3a High Street has started today, after Three Rivers District Council granted planning permission for the scheme at a meeting last Thursday.

Construction of the 28 one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom sheltered apartments for the elderly will start in November, and Churchill Retirement Living expects the first occupants to move in a year later.

Spencer McCarthy, Churchill chairman and group managing director said: “We are delighted to have been granted planning permission on this site, which we only purchased in January.

“Following negotiations with the council a contribution of £200,000 is to be made towards off site affordable housing and I consider this to be a substantial amount.”

In May The Watford Observer reported how Churchill Retirement Living had submitted plans to Three Rivers District Council.

Council planning officers recommended that the application was rejected, mainly due to the loss of a silver birch tree in the High Street.

However, the plans were withdrawn before they could be discussed at the June meeting of the development control committee, attended by the Watford Observer.

After alterations were made, a new scheme was submitted to the council, who delegated the decision the director of community and environmental services.

This was to allow a more comprehensive section 106 agreement, a contribution to the local infrastructure by the developer, to be drawn up.

Speaking at last Thursday's meeting, councillor Chris Hayward called the application a “flagship” development.

He added: “Great progress has been made, we've got our cash and two more parking spaces, which I'm not sure we would have got had we just rubber stamped this.”