Supermarket car parks, high street shops, retail parks, garages and community centres are among 50 possible sites to be considered for housing in Watford.

Watford Borough Council is today launching the public consultation on its draft local plan, which sets out to identify future development sites for homes and businesses over the next 16 years.

Sites on the list include Waterfields Shopping Park, Lower High Street, land around Bushey station, Watford Junction station and the Dome Roundabout.

The council has been told by the Government it must build 12,000 homes by 2036 – the equivalent of 790 a year.

But the council believes it can only build 460 a year.

What is the local plan?

The 2020-2036 local plan is a document which sets out the growth strategy for Watford and identifies dozens of locations in the town which it believes demonstrates opportunities for redevelopment.

Watford currently has a population of just under 100,000 but this number is projected to increase to 110,000 by 2036.

The local plan helps aid decisions in the future - so when applications come forward, the council has a binding document which details whether a form of redevelopment would be acceptable or not in a particular location, and what would be necessary to make the scheme work.

It is not just a case of how many homes could be built - the local plan will help structure the delivery of a project such as infrastructure like transport, health, and educational facilities.

How many homes is the government asking Watford Borough Council to build?

The government has set Watford, the second smallest borough in England by size, a target of 12,000 new homes over the next 15 years (793 a year)- but Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor has described this target as “unrealistic” – instead the council believes it can only stretch to 460 new homes a year.

Where are the key development sites in the plan?

The council has outlined five major areas of Watford – strategic development areas - where it sees the most viable major development to take place.

These are:

Watford Junction – We already know Watford Junction is a key redevelopment area for the council. Last year, we revealed there were ambitious plans to transform the train station, including a new passenger bridge and entrance.

The council says it has the support of Homes England for a redevelopment scheme which could see 2,500 homes built. 

Watford Observer:

Bushey station – Situated next to Bushey Arches, one of the busiest junctions in Watford, Bushey Station provides easy transport links to London Euston.

The council believes land around the station offers a “significant opportunity” for redevelopment, with the station becoming a key transport hub.

Town centre – This area stretches from Watford High Street Overground station all the way up to West Herts College in Hempstead Road.

It also incorporates part of the cultural hub masterplan – a scheme to regenerate the top of the town centre.

Watford Observer:

Cultural hub masterplan - pictured Rickmansworth Road, Watford town hall and The Avenue car park which could be replaced by a multi-storey car park

Lower High Street – Perhaps the most eye-catching area of all with both Tesco and Waterfields Retail Park listed as potential sites for housing.

The area between Watford High Street station and Bushey station is considered by the council to be ‘ineffectively used’ and the retail parks are considered to provide “competition” to the town centre rather than “complement” it.

Watford Observer:

An aerial view of Waterfields, Watford, including Tesco Extra

Dome roundabout – Smaller sites have been proposed along St Albans Road near the Dome roundabout.

Sainsbury’s and Asda both fall within these area but the supermarkets are not under threat. However, redevelopment would be considered within other parts of the Dome roundabout area.

Where are the 50 sites in the local plan?

There are 50 sites in the local plan which have the potential to be developed over the next 16 years. All of these sites have been put forward with permission by the landowner.

It’s not yet clear exactly how many homes could be built on each of the sites, if redevelopment opportunities are taken up.

It is also important to note that the council has already dismissed a number of unsuitable sites across Watford, and the ones listed below are not considered to be unsuitable.

  • Land and garages at Lych Gate, Garston
  • Land and buildings at 275 Sheepcot Lane
  • Land and garages next to 1 Lavinia Avenue, Garston
  • Land and buildings at 5 Sheeptcot Drive
  • Land at the Badger Pub on the Meriden
  • Land and garages next to 1-7 Heronslea, Garston
  • Land at the former Meriden Primary School, Harvest End
  • Land at the Former Bill Everett Community Centre, Leggatts Way, North Watford
  • Land next to Callowland allotments
  • Land at Longspring car park (level of car parking would need to be retained)

Longspring

  • Land at 420 and 420A St Albans Road (opposite North Watford McDonalds)
  • Land to the rear of 53 Langley Way, Cassiobury
  • 16-18 St Albans Road, at the junction of St John’s Road
  • Land and garages between 139-149 Queens Road
  • Land to the rear of 125-127 The Parade
  • Land to the corner of Park Avenue and Rickmansworth Road
  • Land at 80 Cassio Road, (Enterprise)
  • Land and buildings at 87 Cassio Road (former Meadowell centre)
  • Land and buildings at 120-122 Exchange Road (ring road), Watford Velmurugan Hindu Temple

Watford Velmurugan Hindu Temple

  • Land at Lower Derby Road, off Water Lane, Watford town centre
  • Land and buildings at 176-186 Rickmansworth Road, near junction with Gade Avenue
  • Car park at junction of Vicarage Road and Exchange Road
  • Crown Passage car park, Watford town centre
  • Land at Waterfields Retail Park
  • Land at 18 Watford Field Road, former Palace Theatre Workshop
  • Land between 41-61 Brightwell Road, West Watford
  • Land and garages to the rear of 5-17Liverpool Road, West Watford
  • Land and garages to the rear of 2-24 Elfrida Road, Watford Fields
  • Land and buildings at 247 Lower High Street, Europcar
  • Land at Croxley View, Holywell
  • Land at Wiggenhall Depot, Wiggenhall Road

Wiggenhall Depot

  • 41 Aldenham Road, near Bushey Arches
  • Land at the car park Chalk Hill, Bushey Arches
  • Land at car park next to Chalk Hill, Bushey Arches (level of car parking needs to be retained)
  • Land at Bushey Station
  • Land at Kingsfield Court Garages, Oxhey
  • Land and garages at Riverside Road Garages, West Watford
  • Land at Woodside Community Centre, retention or reprovision of community centre required
  • Land at 453 St Albans Road, Beechwood Family Centre, St Albans Road, North Watford
  • Land at the Lemarie Centre, St Albans Road, North Watford
  • Land at 501 St Albans Road, North Watford (Herts Mind Network wellbeing centre)
  • Land at 94-114 St Albans Road, The Range/TK Maxx (school provision required)

Watford Observer:

An aerial view of The Range site

  • Land at Watford Junction
  • Land at Colonial Way/Clive Way (mixed use development, employment led)
  • Land at Centre Point Community Centre, off Radlett Road. (retention or reprovision of community centre required)
  • Land at the Telephone Exchange car park, Watford town centre
  • Land at Tesco Lower High Street, retail provision and a primary school
  • 44-56 Vicarage Road, opposite the cemetery. Reprovision of commercial uses on the ground floor
  • Land at Riverwell, near Watford General Hospital
  • 23-37 The Parade (JRC Global Buffet) residential alongside existing restaurant facilities

What does the Mayor of Watford say?

“The aim of the draft plan is to make sure that as our town changes, it continues to be a great place to live, work and visit.

“Having a well thought through local plan in place means that we have our say on where development should be located.

“It is clear that the government’s housing target of 12,000 new homes for our town is simply not realistic. Government ministers saying they will be ‘breathing down the neck’ of authorities that don’t meet their targets."

Watford Observer:

Peter Taylor

Mr Taylor added: “This is why our draft local plan sets out what we think is achievable for Watford, having evaluated available land over the whole borough.

“Local councils need more powers to insist on improvements to infrastructure before more homes are built and to make sure we have the right homes in the right places.

“Local communities must have much more power in this process, rather than being told what to do by central government and set unachievable and unfair targets.”

What’s happened so far and what’s the next stage?

The council received 480 responses following an Issues and Options consultation last year. The council has already dismissed some areas in Watford.

Residents and businesses are now asked to have their say on the 50 sites listed. Five public exhibitions will take place.

• Tuesday 8th October, Oxhey Community Hall, King Edward Road, 5:30pm-7:45pm

•Saturday 12th October, Cassiobury Hub, Cassiobury Park, 11am-2pm

• Wednesday 16th October, Café West, West Watford Free Church, Tolpits Lane, 4:45pm-6:45pm

• Tuesday 22nd October, Meriden Community Centre, Garsmouth Way, 5pm-7pm

• Thursday 31st October, Watford Central Library, Hempstead Road, 4:30pm-6:45pm

Visit https://www.watfordlocalplan.co.uk/ for in-depth detail and to make your comments. The consultation is open until November 8 2019.