Most of you will know by now that last night Watford Borough Council’s Development Management Committee voted 5-4 to approve the application to build 3 houses in the back gardens of 4-6 Lower Paddock Road.
Steve Clarke who lives opposite where the new development will be, spoke eloquently about the nonsense of a conservation area allowing the building of three unwanted houses, whilst denying a young family in a neighbouring house the chance to make it warmer and safer through a small porch. Steve told the committee that he had 28 letters from developers seeking to buy his back garden and that approving this development would set a clear precedent.
Steve was strongly supported, not only by Councillors Peter Taylor and Iain Sharpe, but by forty local Oxhey residents who left the Town Hall disgusted and angry. Clearly the decision of the Council raises many questions about what the point of the conservation area is, but we want to listen to the views of our members and take advice on this.
We also believe that this is not the end of the matter and it is possible that the developer may sell the property with its planning approval and we may be faced once more with an even worse application than the current one.
There are no minutes to the meeting available at the moment, but we will publish the voting record of the Committee members for those who are interested. Please do let us know what you think.
Members might also like to know that the Committee passed the plans for the cafe and skate/cycle/play facilities in Oxhey Park North. They also approved the construction of a 17 storey tower block that will overshadow the Estcourt conservation area in central Watford.
The planning application can be viewed HERE
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