The heart of this area is dominated by commercial and industrial functions that are well-developed, having been carefully planned and established over time. The three main industrial estates - Peerglow, Vale, and Moor Park - successfully meet the needs of the local community, as well as those of wider commercial service industries, with the broad range of skills, goods and services that they offer. This ranges from building supplies, to car repairs, security and even information technology. Whilst the dull metal and concrete of the industrial estates may not suit all tastes, a softer, calmer presence is brought to the area through its unique location between the three rivers of Colne, Gade, and Chess. It also benefits from being situated in an area surrounded by trees, fields, and a lake, which all contribute to the positive experiences that can be had in this space. This locality is also fantastically accessible, offering visitors an easily identifiable and comprehensible point of access from the surrounding areas of central Watford.

This connectivity is facilitated by Tolpits Lane, which is a prominent feature of the area and runs along the southern edge of the industrial estates, bisecting the neighbourhood area. In 1896, at one end of this lane, an isolation hospital was built to care for those with diseases seen as particularly infectious including smallpox, diphtheria, and scarlet fever. This hospital was in operation until 1982, and during this time Tolpits Lane acted as the primary means of accessing the institution, with patients being driven through in a brown ambulance. Local people who were treated here during its years of operation describe their trips along the road, detailing that between Moor Lane and the hospital, the area lacked any housing or signs of life, making it the perfect location in terms of its physical isolation.

As you may already know, this neighbourhood area is home to three rivers, hence why the region is called the ‘Three Rivers District’. A little-known fact about the River Gade though is that it was used to create power for the John Dickinson paper mill. At the time, John Dickinson Stationery was a leading English stationery company, and was seen as a leading innovator of paper, who came up with all sorts of new techniques. Ever wondered where gummed envelopes come from? Well it’s all thanks to this company, who produced it here in this very neck of the woods!

Due to the area’s proximity to three rivers (Colne, Gade, and Chess) it has been identified as having a slightly raised flood risk. Much of the land to the north of Tolpits Lane is within Zone 1, however, the land to the south and Tolpits Lane itself, rest within Zone 3, which means there is a higher risk of flooding within this particular area.

In January 2017, planning permission was given for a new residential development off Tolpits Lane, in the area neighbouring Latimer Close. The project is now completed and reported to have delivered 40 dwellings for temporary accommodation and 36 affordable rental apartments, both of which will be a mixture of one- and two-bedroom homes. The development was undertaken by Hart Homes as part of a joint venture with the local authority. This form of partnership is newly established, but its success has set a precedent. Both Hart Homes and the Three Rivers Local authority have expressed their excitement to move forward with more development proposals that would be completed through such a partnership, bringing more housing to this area and its surroundings.