A developer says it wants to make a planned 23-storey tower block a place "people are proud to live in".
Property development and investment company Orion Land and Leisure has applied to build 485 new homes in buildings including a 23-storey tower block close to Ascot Road in west Watford.
The plans for four buildings, which include 169 affordable homes as well as a retail park, are due to be debated at Watford Borough Council's planning committee next Tuesday.
The designs include a garden and woodland walkway, and the developer says it wants to encourage independent shops and restaurants to take root in the area.
Orion Chairman Richard Olsen said: “We are not a developer who just build it and run. We take care of what we build.
“We want to make a place that people are proud to live in and that people take pride in visiting.
“Some people may not see the benefits yet, but we want to make this a destination in its own right."
The brownfield site, close to the proposed Metropolitan Line Extension station, was bought in 2014 and the application was submitted to Watford Borough Council in January.
Neighbours objected to the plans, complaining that the tower would spoil the view, be out of keeping with the area, and the number of homes would be a strain on infrastructure.
But the developer says the modern design will look similar to the nine-floor building behind it and will create an extra 430 permanent jobs in the area.
READ MORE: Letter: Ascot Road Concerns
In light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the company says it has gone beyond legal requirements to ensure the safety of future residents by adding sprinklers in every flat as well as tamper-proof smoke alarms.
The cladding will be made of flame-retardant materials and all flats in the high-rise building will be privately owned, so people are not forced to live there.
Mr Olsen added: “If people don’t want to live there, then we have failed.”
A petition to stop the building had reached more than 1,000 signatures in support back in May.
READ MORE: Opposition to planned 23-storey 'residential quarter' grows
Previous projects that the company have worked on include the Cardiff International Sports Village.
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