A planning application to knock down a former homeless hostel to make way for nine flats has been approved.

Despite a plan to demolish 41 Aldenham Road, near Bushey train station, and replace it with six homes being approved in May last year, the developer came back with plans for nine.

The new building was proposed to be part two-storey and part three-storey. It was designed to have two two-bedroom apartments and seven one-bedrooms, instead of three two-bedrooms and three one-bedrooms.

Watford Borough Council approved the updated plan on Friday (March 8).

The site is currently vacant and was last used as a hostel for homeless people.

Watford Observer: 41 Aldenham Road in 2012.41 Aldenham Road in 2012. (Image: Google Street View)

According to a design and access statement submitted with the plan, “the existing building lacks any design merit and appears to be in poor condition”.

It adds that there is a “generous” area of vacant land around the current building, some of which would be used for the new flats.

As with the previous plan it is proposed as a “car-free” scheme and would therefore have no parking.