A scathing report into the appearance and commercial viability of South Oxhey's shopping centre said many of the buildings were “derelict, redundant and defective”.

Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) was commissioned to write a report on the suburb's centre, the precinct, focussing on the potential for repair and refurbishment.

It said the rent the council collects from the shops was set deliberately low, in an effort to keep as many shops open and trading as possible, and avoid empty units.

Current rents range from £4 to £15 per square foot, compared to St Albans Road in Watford, where rents are more than £17 per square foot, despite being close to ASDA and Sainsbury’s.

Three Rivers District Council said it could no longer afford to subsidise the precinct in this way.

The report described the town as “in poor condition from an obvious lack of financial investment” and the buildings were “derelict, redundant and defective.”

It went on to suggest “the quality and character of the tenant is representative of the low rental being charged, a large number of discount style outlets are present.”

Focussing on the houses in the town centre, mostly occupied by Thrive tenants, the report said there was a “lack of pride and ownership” and that “little by way of routine, planned or reactive maintenance appears to have been undertaken.”

The report suggested new shops, with little competition from supermarkets, could be charged £18 to £20 per square foot, a 25 per cent increase on current levels.

The consulting company estimated the total cost of a refurbishment project would cost up to £15 million, plus VAT, and it was unlikely this money could be found.

“The viability of realising the proposals is therefore, a considerable question” it concluded.

Three Rivers District Council voted for the report's preferred option, redevelopment, which is cheaper and makes compulsory purchase orders, which can be used to buy shops from business owners who refuse to leave their shops, an option.

LSH said the redevelopment scheme would be commercially viable only if the existing Thrive Homes tenants were re-housed, and the existing residential leaseholders agreed to the purchase of their properties.

A supermarket measuring 3,250 squ'are metres, about half the size of the pitch at Vicarage Road, as well as a 2,000 square metre “Community Hub” could be built.

It also suggested 110 units of social rent housing and 270 units of private housing for sale, and that “there is a tangible possibility certain families and businesses will leave the area, never to return.”