An vacant care home has faced multiple attempted break ins and vandalism sparking an “urgent” need for CCTV.

Hertfordshire County Council owned 51-bed care home Margaret House in Abbots Langley shut in October 2020, with places provided elsewhere.

A planning application has now revealed that since it returned to the council’s control the authority has now been forced to install 360-degree security cameras to keep it secure.

“Unfortunately, since the property has become vacant there have been a number of attempted break-ins and acts of vandalism,” the application explained.

The proposal specifically sought "urgent" permission from Three Rivers District Council for trees around the site to be cut back or removed to allow the cameras to have a 360-view around the site.

This was approved last week after being submitted earlier in the month.

Watford Observer: Margaret House.Margaret House.

The county council’s own development subsidiary Herts Living Limited (HLL) has already drawn up plans for 27 new homes on the land. These would include four two-bed houses and six three-bed houses, as well as 11 one-bed flats and six two-bed flats.

The plan is currently being considered by the district council.

At the start of this month HCC agreed to consider the site surplus and it could now be sold to HLL for up to £3 million.