Policy information sourced from Dacorum Core Strategy

CS33: Hemel Hempstead Town Centre

New development will:

  • contribute fully to the achievement of town centre uses, movement and design principles; and
  • meet relevant opportunities for character zones within the town centre.

The principles guiding development are to:

  • use:
    • secure additional retail stores in the Marlowes Shopping Zone and a new food store;
    • deliver a mix of uses to support the prime retail function;
    • encourage an attractive evening economy along Waterhouse Street;
    • deliver a range of new homes;
    • create new offices;
    • deliver new leisure, education and cultural facilities, including a primary school and library;
    • keep a public sector presence;
    • restore the Water Gardens, and retain and create other public spaces;
  • movement:
    • secure an integrated public transport hub and circulation within the centre;
    • provide better east-west links, particularly for pedestrians;
    • continue the riverside walk from the Plough Zone to Gadebridge Park;
    • improve cycling provision;
  • design:
    • emphasise pedestrian movement gateways through bold building design, height and landscaping;
    • provide active frontages;
    • apply a co-ordinated approach to building and streetscape design;
    • use high quality materials and public art to complement the existing palette of materials and features;
    • restore artwork and create new complementary pieces of art; and
    • deliver district heating and additional large-scale / high capacity renewable energy generation technologies.

Specific opportunities for each character zone are identified in Figure 17: Town Centre Character Zones and Development Opportunities.

A Town Centre Masterplan will elaborate this policy.

For more information please see the Core Strategy