Bushey Hall Golf Club stadium plans rejected by council

Earlier this year, it emerged the private owners of Bushey Hall Golf Club had put the site forward as a new employment site as part of Hertsmere Borough Council’s upcoming local plan.

The grand plans included a 30,000-seater stadium for Watford FC, an indoor arena, hotel, conference facilities and more.

Local councillors and residents quickly rallied against the proposals but in June, the Observer learned at a public council meeting that planning officers had "thrown the proposal out".

Ross Whear, head of planning, said at the meeting plans to redevelop Bushey Hall Golf Club "were not being taken forward" but the council refused to say at the time whether it would definitely not be included in its local plan.

A masterplan created by the planning agents of the owners of Bushey Hall Golf Club. It shows where a stadium, arena, and other facilities would have been sited.

But yesterday, the council released a new planning document which details all of the sites in the local plan that will help meet housing targets of around 12,000 up until 2038, as well as sites that will provide new employment opportunities.

Bushey Hall Golf Club is not among the sites listed for proposed development meaning the green belt land has not been deemed suitable by officers to be redeveloped.

It essentially confirms any hopes Watford Football Club had of moving to Bushey Hall are now dead in the water.

The club never confirmed it was looking to move to Bushey but the Observer understood it was "scoping out the opportunity" of a move to Bushey Hall and that preliminary talks had been held with the council.

This stadium design was leaked last year. It was said it showed what a new stadium could look like for Watford FC on the Bushey Hall site

Golf club owners Veladail Leisure Ltd listed Watford FC as the proposed occupiers of the 30,000 carbon-zero football stadium.

With Bushey Hall now officially off the table, Watford’s stadium plans would be reliant on finding a different site or expanding its current Vicarage Road stadium, which the club has been exploring the possibility of doing.

Although Bushey Hall has been rejected, Hertsmere Borough Council has taken forward other employment sites.

Notable sites include land in Little Bushey Lane that has been mooted for a data centre, along with the Mercure hotel site on the A41 which has been earmarked for a warehouse-type development.

CGI of how the Mercure hotel site on the A41 could be redeveloped. Credit: UMC Architects/Regen Properties (Image: Regen Properties LLP/UMC Architects)

The council has also indicated its support for what could be the country's largest film studios.

Hertswood Studios has been taken forward in the draft local plan, which has been proposed to be built next door to the Sky Studios under construction in Borehamwood.

A public consultation will be held in October when residents in Hertsmere will be able to have their say on the proposed housing and employment sites that have been deemed appropriate by council officers to build on.

See more: Hertsmere development sites revealed in draft local plan