MAJOR plans for the former International University in Bushey were pushed back last week amid accusations of “corporate greed” and a failure to hand over a promised field to residents.

The residential redevelopment of the historic site was approved by Hertsmere Borough Council in 2001 but, seven years later, Chantstream Ltd has put a revised plan before the council’s planning committee.

The majority of the committee’s councillors voiced at least partial preference for the new scheme but many criticised the addition of 50 apartments.

The design replaces an originally proposed six residential blocks with seven three and four-storey buildings, planning 118 two-bed, and 52 three-bed units and a total of 379 underground parking spaces.

A two-storey gatehouse and cycle path have also been proposed.

Instead of positioning the buildings on the Aldenham Road side of the site, the new plan has the residential blocks located around a quadrangle at the back in order to make them invisible to the majority of drivers and passers by.

Despite this aspect of the redesign gaining support from council officers and councillors, there were several other complaints.

Speaking against the development at last Thursday’s meeting of the Bushey and Aldenham Planning Committee, David Tunstall, of University Close, said the new units would cause further problems to already gridlocked morning traffic in The Avenue.

Residents have also complained about the site’s 1,000sq m expansion and the fact that neighbouring Manor Field has not been handed over to the community, despite being promised several times over the past seven years.

Bushey Heath Councillor Lynne Hodgson said: “This looks to me like a very much more developed site. This is a step too far. It’s nothing more than corporate greed.”

On Monday, Hertsmere Borough Council representative Catherine Feast said the long delayed transfer of the Manor Field was “progressing”.

She added that a legal clause needed to be agreed in the developers’ agreement with the council but could not say how long this would take.

Councillor Hodgson said: “We have been hearing ‘soon’ for years. When is ‘soon’? I have a feeling we’re being held to ransom.”

Since 2005 there have been 22 additional planning applications made by the developers.

Work on the redevelopment started in 2005, mostly concentrating on renovation and conservation of the site’s many listed buildings. One of 11 proposed new buildings has also been built.