An update from the OVEG committee on Oxhey Village planning applications, as of May 2017.
Bucks Meadow
Following a rigorously fought campaign from residents, ward councillors and OVEG, both Watford Borough Council and Hertsmere Borough Council refused the original application for 34 dwellings on the Bucks Meadow site. Both refusals were also dismissed at appeal. This development was deemed as overdevelopment, out of character with the neighbourhood, and harmful to the openness of the green belt.
The developer subsequently submitted two further applications, one for 27 dwellings and the latest one for 24 mainly detached and semi detached dwellings, on a much smaller overall footprint with limited public access.
Hertsmere Borough Council’s planning committee unanimously approved the 24 dwelling scheme on the 16 March 2017. This latest scheme is an improvement on the previous two applications. The plans can be viewed on Hertsmere Borough Council’s Bucks Meadow page.
OVEG was instrumental in negotiating a number of enhanced community benefits with the developer, including picnic benches, further tree planting, an additional pond, limiting delivery times to outside of the peak and lifting all restrictions on public access.
The WBC planning committee heard the access part of the application on the 19 April. Unfortunately, and despite opposition on safety grounds from local residents, OVEG and experts, the council’s committee voted in favour of the proposal. We are expecting demolition of the site to start towards the end of the summer.
9-13 Aldenham Road (next to The Railway Pub)
A ‘pre-application’ is being considered to convert this building into flats. We await the formal application submission before making further comment.
26-28 Aldenham Road (Harp Windows)
Planning permission for this site was granted by Watford Borough Council in 2015. There were 51 objections to this scheme by local residents. Despite this, the council’s planning committee approved the scheme. The latest proposal increases the number of flats to nine and parking spaces to seven. There does not seem to be any allocated parking for the retail premises below. Plans can be viewed and comments can be made directly on the Watford Borough Council planning portal.
Oxhey Park North
Kim Baxter (OVEG Planning & Environment Officer) will be attending the forum meetings organised by WBC to consult on the proposals for this site. Please email Kim Baxter if you wish to comment.