Revised plans to build warehouses will be allowed despite “regrettable” concerns about its expansion into the green belt.

Five warehouses will be constructed on the Mercure hotel site on the A41 in Bushey after approval was granted by Hertsmere Borough Council last night (November 17).

The hotel will be demolished along with some neighbouring buildings while woodland will also be built over.

Read more: Mercure hotel set to permanently close

Watford Observer: The Mercure hotel, which has been described as coming to the end of its life and is mostly in use at this time by the Home Office, will be demolished.The Mercure hotel, which has been described as coming to the end of its life and is mostly in use at this time by the Home Office, will be demolished. (Image: Google Street View)

Applicant Regen Properties already had permission to create around 15,000 square metres of logistics space on land where the hotel is but returned to the council seeking to double its proposal.

Although no objections were received from the public, members of the council’s planning committee did share concerns that the latest scheme included development on protected green belt land.

Labour member Christian Gray said: “My real concern is the loss of green belt and woodland that is there. [I’m] struggling to justify the very special circumstances.”

Liberal Democrat member Jerry Evans described it as a “sizeable” wood and referenced this site had appeared in the council’s local plan, which he said was “thrown out” following 20,000 objections.

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Watford Observer: The development site outlined in redThe development site outlined in red (Image: Google Maps)

Conservative councillor Farida Turner said it is “regrettable” that the green belt would be impacted but added: “There will be so many jobs….and it is a wonderful position for a distribution centre”, citing major roads such as the M1 and M25.”

The application was approved by Conservative members of the committee with the three Labour and Lib Dem representatives voting against.

Earlier, planning consultant Marie Jasper told the committee the scheme was a “significant” investment in Hertsmere creating around 536 jobs, including for construction and operational phases.

Councillors wanted more assurances about exactly how many jobs there will be once the warehouses are ready to be occupied but were not given any definitive answers.

Watford Observer: This smaller scheme for two warehouses on the site of the hotel was previously approvedThis smaller scheme for two warehouses on the site of the hotel was previously approved (Image: Regen Properties LLP/UMC Architects)

Ms Jasper added the need for such facilities has been driven by the rise in online shopping.

A more detailed planning application will need to come back for final approval before any building work takes place.

There are also plans to create a cycle and pedestrian crossing on the A41 and make highway improvements at the junctions of Sandy Lane and Hartspring Lane.

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