Plans to build extra flats at Watford’s biggest redevelopment scheme look set to receive the go-ahead at the second time of asking.
On May 17, members of Watford Borough Council’s planning committee deferred plans for 53 more flats at Berkeley Homes’ Eight Gardens project in St Albans Road.
The council’s planning officer says councillors had concerns about the number of studio flats being proposed (101 out of 703) after Berkeley Homes made some changes to the housing mix in four of its 11 approved buildings.
A recommendation to approve the application was lost by five votes to four but the application was deferred rather than refused.
Read more: Council defers plans for 53 more flats at 1,214 homes scheme in St Albans Road
Committee chairman Peter Jeffree told the Observer deferment provided an opportunity for the council to go to Berkeley Homes to see whether any amendments could be made to “satisfy” members.
However, Berkeley Homes has declined to make any changes and the exact same application is due to be re-discussed by the planning committee on June 7.
Members of the committee have since been emailed by the council’s head of governance and democracy setting out the matters they need to take account of when deciding planning applications.
She says the council risks paying out appeal costs if they lose an appeal and said members need to have “substantiated, specific, precise and relevant” reasons for refusal, based on the council’s adopted local plan policy.
Council officers, who had recommended the plans be approved, remain of the view the application provides an “appropriate and acceptable” mix of housing sizes and complies with council policies.
Berkeley Homes already has permission to build 1,214 homes on the former Range site in St Albans Road near Watford Junction.
Eleven buildings will be constructed including towers of 28, 24, and 22 storeys.
To incorporate the 53 extra homes, no changes are planned to the height or size of the towers. However, some one-bed flats are being turned into studios in order to fit in the extra flats.
The housing mix alteration will also see an increased number of two-bed flats, with the number of three-beds remaining unchanged.
Along with at least 1,214 homes, The Eight Gardens is also set to include commercial units, a pub/bar, takeaway, energy centre, outdoor square, primary school and nursery.
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