Watford Heath Conservation Area
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Item 6 – Appendix 2 Leggatts Planning Brief (Draft For Consultation) Representations Received During Consultation: 16 July – 12 August 2007 The representations received have been summarised below for the sake of clarity and brevity. Abbreviations BECC = Bill Everett Community Centre WBC = Watford Borough Council S106 = Section 106 agreement SBD = Secured By Design HCC = Hertfordshire County Council 001: Mrs Holland TOPIC RESPONDENT’S COMMENTS WATFORD COUNCIL’S REPLY PROPOSED TEXT CHANGE Housing Favours carbon neutral buildings Agree in principle – scheme will Update text on pg 17 to replace design have to meet with standards in Code reference to “BREEAM for Sustainable Homes which now Ecohome Standards” with replaces the BREEAM Ecohome reference to the “Code for Standard as the standard to be Sustainable Homes” and used. specify need to demonstrate that homes will reach level 3. Housing Favours use of recycled water Agree in principle – scheme will Update text on pg 17 to replace design have to meet with standards in Code reference to “BREEAM for Sustainable Homes which now Ecohome Standards” with replaces the BREEAM Ecohome reference to the “Code for Standard as the standard to be Sustainable Homes” and used. specify need to demonstrate that homes will reach level 3. Page 1 of 44 Item 6 – Appendix 2 Housing Rubbish stores should be well designed and Agree with this and will be dealt with No change needed design discreet at detailed design stage once the application is submitted. Public Favours improved bus services and Agree with this and will ensure that No change to brief Transport measures to encourage their use by local this is discussed during the pre- people. application and application stage of any scheme. It is necessary to have more detail on the numbers and types of housing prior to having serious discussions on this. Options may include improved bus stops and enhanced services. 002: Mr A. Knight TOPIC RESPONDENT’S COMMENTS WATFORD COUNCIL’S REPLY PROPOSED TEXT CHANGE Road traffic Leggatts Way and North Western Avenue This needs to be discussed with Text added to page 12 requiring are not suitable for large volumes of traffic, HCC. The brief can make reference any applicant for planning and were not designed as through routes. to the need to discuss these issues permission to demonstrate that Traffic levels are already too high on these with HCC and submit agreed the issue of traffic on Leggatts streets, and any planning decisions should proposals as part of scheme. It Way has been discussed with avoid exacerbating these problems. would have to be included as part of HCC and appropriate off site a s106 agreement. It will be works agreed, necessary for the developers to submit a Transport Assessment as part of the planning application. Page 2 of 44 Item 6 – Appendix 2 003: Mr K. Walters (submitted two representations) TOPIC RESPONDENT’S COMMENTS WATFORD COUNCIL’S REPLY PROPOSED TEXT CHANGE Housing The brief’s proposals for flats and houses No comment No change needed. types are acceptable. Pedestrian The proposed pedestrian and cycle route The land needs to have an active Amend text of design and cycle from the middle of Leggatts Way (adjacent and managed use either as a well framework to reflect this and access to number 124) is not desirable. This route thought out route from the site to the amend concept plan. has been stopped up for at least 30 years, bus stops and Leggatts Way (it Page 20 Pedestrian Access and gates were fitted at the rear 10 years would need to incorporate section to read “Pedestrian ago to prevent trespassers, criminal appropriate security measures along access to Leggatts Way should damage, drug taking and other anti-social boundaries to minimise the either be improved and re- behaviour in that area. opportunity for anti-social behaviour) opened to include cycle use or or as part of a private property with be incorporated into private no public access and secure land of adjoining properties with boundaries. secure boundaries”. The alleyway could be used as a road and If the alleyway is to remain closed place traffic lights to stop fast moving then the developer must provide a vehicles along Leggatts Way or even sell pedestrian access to Leggatts Way the alleyway to stop use. at the southern end of the site on the land which they own; they must not There is no need for a pedestrian/cycle rely on pedestrian traffic using the access route over this land, particularly as it BECC access which is outside of is only 100 yards from the proposed main their ownership. entrance. It would be preferable to build housing on this site instead. Alternatively it might be desirable to use the Cannot do this without widening the passage beside 124 Leggatts Way as a access which would require Page 3 of 44 Item 6 – Appendix 2 vehicular access to the site if it could be purchasing private rear gardens. widened. 004: M. Sibley (Herts Constabulary, Police Architectural Liaison Officer, Watford) submitted two representations TOPIC RESPONDENT’S COMMENTS WATFORD COUNCIL’S REPLY PROPOSED TEXT CHANGE General Generally satisfied with the draft brief, the No comment No Change needed only point on which he disagrees being the issue of parking at the rear of properties – see below. Car The police prefer that parking be provided in The design details should show that No change needed Parking locations where owners are able to see their the rear courtyards can be vehicles from their homes i.e. within the adequately surveyed – there are curtilage of a house, or at the front. It has devices which allow this to happen been proven that parking in rear courtyards including the placing of units within is an encouragement to crime against the rear courtyards as has been vehicles. Once one such vehicle has been done at Newhall in Harlow, a targeted, residents tend to lose confidence Building for Life Award winner. in the rear courtyards, and tend to park on Brief refers to the need to comply the street at the front instead, which can be with Secured By Design standards untidy. which should ensure that car parking is provided in a secure way. Design Delighted to see mention in the Brief of the No comment No change needed Principles Secured By Design standards. Section Would like to see a police facility provided Need for police facility in this No change needed. 106 on site as part of a section 106 agreement. location has been superseded by This might for instance be a small enquiry Herts Constabulary plans, notified to Page 4 of 44 Item 6 – Appendix 2 office, or perhaps a lockable room to act as WBC since Mr Sibley's response a police office, possibly with CCTV was received. monitoring facilities, secure storage for police bicycles etc. 005: Mr & Mrs Stone TOPIC RESPONDENT’S COMMENTS WATFORD COUNCIL’S REPLY PROPOSED TEXT CHANGE Housing There is a service road that runs along the The existing access arrangements to Add text to brief to ensure that types boundary of the Leggatts Campus which is this road will be retained in the new this happens. accessed via Heather Lane. This should be scheme. made accessible at all times to allow access for vehicles and for residents to these garages. Trees There are a number of mature trees marking A tree survey should be submitted Add text on page 11 under Site the boundary of the service road and the as part of the application. constraints “ and the location of Leggatts Campus, and also on the Campus key trees on site” at end of first that are in need of protection by a sentence. preservation order. This needs to be done Add notation to constraints before any building work starts on the site. diagram. Transport Objection to the preferred option in the brief The developer of the site will have to Text added to page 12 requiring access and (principal access off Leggatts Way be via prepare a Transport Assessment for any applicant for planning road traffic the B.E.C.C. as the only logical option). the site. The content of this will have permission to demonstrate that They proposed the access from the A41 be to be discussed with HCC as the the issue of traffic on Leggatts reconsidered with the possibility of a Highway Authority and any Way has been discussed with lozenge shaped roundabout on the A41 ameliorative measure required HCC and appropriate off site Page 5 of 44 Item 6 – Appendix 2 including access to the Leggatts Campus agreed with them. works agreed. and to the mosque. The brief can make reference to the Overall reasons for objection to the need to discuss these issues with preferred option HCC and submit agreed proposals • Overloaded traffic problems coming as part of scheme. It would have to through from St Albans Road to the be included as part of a s 106 A41 and A405 agreement. • Ambulance travelling from the Ambulance Station on the Balmoral Estate to various points. • Fire engines, Police cars etc • The proposed nearly 500 vehicles from the new estate • Plus vehicles visiting the new small supermarket and delivery vehicles for the local centre Facilities The replacement of the Youth Centre that is Agree that some community facilities Add to development proposals currently located at the B.E.C.C. that is should be retained, but the types of section: proposed to be closed. facilities need to be determined and “Youth centre in BECC – should appropriate providers sought, which the BECC site be made A further consideration be given to the could be provided on site or with available for development, the supply of facilities for changing rooms and public transport access, and youth facilities currently housed showers for people using the playing fields.