This is what Watford will look like in 10 years

The town has a number of exciting projects under way or planned that will completely transform it over the next decade - costing more than £1.5 billion.

There are hugely ambitious projects in the pipeline from the £150 million scheme to redevelop Charter Place to the six million pound scheme the restore Cassiobury Park.

Here we take a look at some of the big developments.

Cassiobury Park

The £6.6million Heritage Lottery and Big Lottery funded restoration of Cassiobury Park will celebrate the history of the park whilst bringing its facilities into the 21st century.

Watford Borough Council is creating an eco-friendly new hub building that will become the heart of the park, and provide improved changing facilities for the pools, sports changing rooms, a new kiosk and upper floor café.

They have also imporved the Café Cha tea pavilion, redesigned the pools, returned the historic listed bandstand, restored the historic Lime Avenue and provided an on-site park manager, community park ranger and education officer.

The park is open as normal during the works. The money for the restoration has come from lottery grants.

The work should be finished this year.

intu Watford

This £150million scheme will see the council-owned Charter Place Shopping Centre redeveloped and integrated with the existing refurbished intu Watford shopping centre, transforming it into a single, vibrant 1.4million sq ft destination.

The project will generate 500 construction jobs leading to 1125 direct new jobs in retails, catering and leisure.

New public spaces for entertainment and events will be created, along with large modern retail units, a restaurant hub and cinema.

Cineworld will run the new 40,000sqft cinema multiplex, with approximately 1,500 seats and nine screens, one of which will be a high definition IMAX. The project should be finished by 2018.

Rembrandt House 

Watford Housing Trust is creating 31 homes with a combination of six houses and 25 flats.

Meriden Estate

Watford Community Housing Trust’s proposal to build 133 new homes and a new shopping parade was voted through despite the fact it will “stick out like a sore thumb”.

The contractor is expected on site this month. The first activities are likely to include drainage and utility diversions. 

Croxley Park

A large office block has been demolished in Croxley Park, formerly known as Croxley Green Business Park, to be replaced with bigger offices.

Building 1 was pulled down to make way for the new 65,000 sq ft building.

The new building will be completed later this year.

Medical technology firm Smith and Nephew signed a deal to take up 58,000 sq ft of office space, marking the biggest commercial property deal in Watford in 15 years.

Metropolitan Line Extension

The Met line extension - which was given to go-ahead by government five years ago - will create new links to Watford General Hospital and the new health campus, Croxley Park and Cardiff Road Industrial Estate.

Despite disappearing from the London Mayor's travel plans, Transport for London (TFL) said they were still committed to the plan and were looking for a contractor.

Two new stations will be created at Cassiobridge and Watford Vicarage Road, served by new walk-through air-conditioned trains every ten minutes to and from central London during peak hours.

The existing Watford Metropolitan station will close to the public following the opening of the new stations. The line should be finished by 2020.

Watford Health Campus

Watford Health Campus is the town’s major regeneration project. Over the next 15 – 20 years, the £350million project will transform 65 acres of land surrounding Watford Hospital, much of which is currently unused, derelict and contaminated.

The scheme will create a new, vibrant community that will provide around 1,000 new jobs and 750 homes,; local retail, leisure and play facilities, and lots of public green space for everyone to enjoy. All building should be finished by 2035.

Lincoln Court, Haines Way Development

The 22 new homes should be ready for occupation in early 2017.

St John's Church of England Primary School

Watford’s newest primary school is now in the process of securing a permanent home after being situated in a church hall since it opened earlier this year.

St John’s Church of England Primary School, currently running from within temporary lodgings in the St John’s Church Hall on Estcourt Road, welcomed its first cohort of pupils in September.

To accommodate the pupils, the large hall was transformed into classrooms with access to a kitchen, an outdoor space, and other rooms necessary for the running of the school.

However a permanent site on Clarendon Road has now been secured, just around the corner from the school’s current location.

A planning consultation was held at St John’s Church on December 19 so the community could share their views on the new school designs prior to the submission of a formal planning application.

If all goes to plan, the school will move from its temporary site to its permanent home in 2018.

Long Lane

A permanent school facility for The Reach Free School will be built after Three Rivers District Council approved plans.

The school will have up to 840 students and will be situated in Long Lane, between Maple Cross and Mill End.

The Reach Free School was set up in 2013 by parents and teachers in response to the shortage of school places in Rickmansworth and surrounding areas.

It currently teaches 396 students and was rated ‘Good' by Ofsted after its first inspection in 2015.

The plans include a new building, a sports hall and outdoor sport pitches.

They also involve an investment in highway infrastructure including new walking routes and safe crossing points, along with a drop-off area within the site to help ease congestion.