CAMPUS EAST CAR PARK 

Welwyn Garden City: Campus East car park development plans under fire

13th February

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

PROPERTY

WELWYN GARDEN CITY

 

By Gopika Madhu Trainee Journalist

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Campus East development plans under fire. (Image: Newsquest)

A Welwyn Garden City community group has "major concerns" over the planned scheme to develop the Campus East car park with 313 homes.

The application for the Campus East development has been submitted by Bellway Homes.

Keep the G in WGC has expressed its concerns regarding a number of areas of the development.

On its website, it states that: "There is no social housing included. All of the units are flats, most of which are one or two bedrooms.

"This does not make provision for the council waiting list, much of which is for family accommodation."

 

A spokesperson from the group, Martin Norman, said: "It is noticeable that the proposal has no plans for social housing in the 313 homes planned.

"This is despite the site being owned by the council who have around 3,000 people on its housing waiting list.

"It looks like a major missed opportunity, and we question why the council did not write into the lease agreement that a suitable proportion of the homes should be social homes."If they are not to be built on a council-owned site, where on earth will they be provided?"

In regard to the plans, Martin said: "It is noticeable that the council's own Environmental Health department have raised a strong objection over the nearness of some of the blocks to Waitrose, where noisy delivery takes place through the evening and into the night.

"Similarly, it is worrying that other of the homes will be close to the railway sidings where noisy operations take place."

The community group also brought up the issue that the recommended design uses brown inconsistently sized windows, balconies that are unsuitable for practical usage, and large/flat brick expanses.

"The design on this key town centre site leaves a great deal to be desired, and it is worrying that two standards of design are shown, one for the part of the site in the Conservation Area, and a lower standard for the part outside; this two-tier approach strikes at the heart of the town being designed for all its citizens. Though neither measure up to its location fronting on to The Campus," Martin added.

The fourth issue raised was that the application only includes small flats, and a very small area has been allocated for active play and leisure, with nowhere for older children to play ball games.

Martin said: "It is very disappointing that yet again, so many of the council’s policies and guidelines – height, density, houses versus flats, number of units – are being flouted.

"We hope the planners will therefore recommend rejection to the councillors."

A spokesperson from Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council said: "A live planning application is currently under consideration by the Council as Local Planning Authority.

"A range of comments have been received from the public and other stakeholders following the consultation, and these will be made available to the applicant and public, together with any views from planning officers.

"It is important to note that the application has not yet been determined and will be assessed against the local development plan and national planning policy and guidance in the normal way, with all consultation responses taken in to consideration. "It would not be appropriate for the Council to comment further at this time and any officer report and recommendation will be published in due course."