London Colney residents will “pay the price” after a council U-turn means major expansion plans to extend an out-of-town shopping centre by 9,000 square feet could go ahead.
Developer Ramheath Properties, applying on behalf of site freeholders Sainsbury’s, will knock down temporary university accommodation on Barnet Road and extend the Colney Fields shopping park after permission was granted by St Albans District Council.
The plan to build five non-food retail units, which could be around 10m high, and provide 146 parking spaces, was originally refused five months ago on the grounds that it would be an overdevelopment of the site.
The site of the expansion is just beyond Next to the north of the car park on land currently occupied by Ridgeview, the former hostel for the homeless which is currently rented by the University of Hertfordshire for student accommodation.
At a planning meeting at the Civic Centre on Monday night resident Elliot Hill spoke against the application on behalf of his mother - who lives in Halsey Park.
He said: “Even with the minor amendments the proposal is still a significant overdevelopment of the site. The height, bulk, scale and mass are still grossly out of context with the adjacent neighbouring residential properties.
“This road already impacts my mother’s life significantly with the deliveries early in the morning and late at night.”
Mr Hill also cited loss of light, increase of traffic and loss of privacy as reasons for refusal.
The plans included road network improvements, including traffic lights operating during peak times at The Bell roundabout and an additional vehicular entrance from Barnet Road.
Alterations to the existing Colney Fields Retail Park were also proposed, including an extension of the car park to provide an extra 146 parking spaces and a new roundabout at the junction of Barnet Road.
The proposals were criticised by councillors Jacob Quagliozzi, Dreda Gordon and Katherine Gardner, London Colney Parish Council, St Albans Civic Society, Hertsmere Borough Council and Watford Plc which runs Watford's intu shopping centre.
Concerns centred around the size and bulk of the development impacting negatively on the 300 neighbouring properties.
Speaking after the meeting dstrict councillor Jacob Quagliozzi said: “I'm very disappointed with the decision and particularly disappointed local concerns have been ignored.
“Now local people will pay the price of the retail park incurring further into London Colney and into their lives.
“Some councillors said the site was not suitable for residential use, despite it being used for residential for the last twenty years.
“In addition to the effect in London Colney and our housing supply in the district as a whole, there will be a significant retail effect on the city centre with shops such as Next and Monsoon/Accessorise have already left the city centre for Colney Fields. Grithiths Way Retail Park already has many vacant units on site.”
Councillor Dreda Gordon, councillor Katherine Gardner and councillor Jacob Quagliozzi
Martyn Elkington, development manager on behalf of Ramheath Properties, said residents opinions had been taken on-board. He said: “We are pleased that the committee has agreed on this point and we are now committed to working with the council and the local community on the delivery of our plans.
“Colney Fields is already a very popular shopping location and we look forward to building on this success by providing even greater shopping choice and new jobs for the area.”
The decision will now go to the Secretary of State for communities and local government Eric Pickles to approve.
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