Health campus decision delays?

12:23pm Friday 11th April 2008

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A final decision on the fate of the Watford Health Campus could face yet more delays after it emerged the project's transport assessment has been rejected by the Highways Agency.

A planning application for the new 510-bed new hospital on the existing Vicarage Road site was submitted in July last year.

The 2,000 page planning document did come before Watford Borough Council's development control committee on December 11, 2007.

However, due to the size of the application the committee opted to make a decision on the giant project over two meetings.

After several delays that second meeting is due to be held next month. However, it now looks like it could be pushed back yet again.

Watford Friends of the Earth group say the latest delay is because the Highways Agency has put a "holding objection" on the scheme.

They say the Highways Agency is concerned about the impact the Health Campus will have on motorway traffic and specifically junction five of the M1.

Friends of the Earth has always criticised the application for being too heavily focused on people getting to the hospital in their cars.

The group say too little work was done on making sure the hospital had good public transport links. The Friends also oppose the building of a new link road on part of Oxhey Park.

The group say traffic consultant, Gifford, whose transport assessment was submitted as part of the application, is now frantically trying to carry out more work to back up the scheme.

Watford Friends of the Earth's planning campaigner, Alina Congreve, said the fact the Highways Agency shared their concerns is proof the group had been right all along.

She said: "This must be the first time in history that the Highways Agency and Friends of the Earth are on the same side.

"But we can both spot a really poor quality piece of work when we see it."

Alina said she was now challenging the Health Campus partners to carry out a fresh transport assessment.

She added: "For a project of this size just counting cars at junctions is simply not good enough.

"The Highways Agency have seen right through Gifford's flimsy work.

"It is not too late to do the job properly and carry out a full and comprehensive assessment of how the project can be served by public transport to make Watford a leading example of how major new developments can reduce car travel."

The matter is further muddied by the May local elections, which will see a new development control committee appointed.

One councillor currently on the committee, Councillor Mohammed Ajab, has already said he will be standing down following the May 1 elections.

Another member who oversaw last December's meeting is Councillor George Derbyshire, who is also up for re-election next month.

Under council rules the same committee has to have overseen both meetings.

The Health Campus application is pencilled in for a final decision on Thursday, May 15, before the new committee is formed.

However, another delay would see the application pushed back yet again could send it back to square one.

Councillor Alan Burtenshaw, said: "It is one of the things we are going to have to discuss. It has been so long now that members might say we have to have this information back so we can go through it again.

"It is something we have spoken about."

Stuart Thompson of the Highways Agency confirmed it had requested a better transport assessment from the Health Campus partners earlier this year.

He said: "They went away in January and we haven't back from them yet.

"We are waiting for the developers to come back to us with a more detailed study."

A spokesperson for the Watford Health Campus said: "The Highways Agency has requested additional information, which has pushed back the timing of the planning application meeting.

"The decision is now expected after the local election."