Policy information sourced from the Watford Local Plan 2021-2038.

CDA2.1: Watford Gateway Strategic Development Area

The Strategic Development Area will see co-ordinated change around Watford Junction railway station/bus station and the Clarendon Road area, creating a mixed-use urban quarter of high quality design and place-making, with excellent connectivity to support a mix of housing, employment and other subsidiary land uses and community orientated facilities. To achieve this, applicants will be required to demonstrate how proposals will make provision for and contribute towards the following criteria:

  • The regeneration of land north of Watford Junction railway station and how they will help transform the area into new, high density development providing homes, jobs and other uses;
  • In locations where new development is of a scale and is notably different in character to adjacent existing residential uses, proposals will need to be designed so that they demonstrate a transition of taller urban form to lower lying character and mitigate any significant impact on neighbouring residential or community amenity;
  • A site for a new primary school within site MU05 ‘Land and Buildings at 94-98 St Albans Road’, and a site for a new 3 form entry primary school within Site MU06 ‘Land at Watford Junction’, to meet demands generated by development;
  • Provision of a circa 1,300sqm of healthcare floorspace;
  • A high quality Sustainable Transport Hub located at Watford Junction connecting rail, bus, taxi, cycle and pedestrian facilities;
  • New development should contribute towards, and not compromise the delivery of the Eastern Mobility Hub to be located east of the Abbey Line;
  • New walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure will be required to contribute towards the Local Transport Plan and supporting strategies;
  • Prior to the implementation of a planning permission which includes residential uses on land east of the West Coast Mainline, a pedestrian and cycle bridge for commuters and residents from the east side of the Abbey Line to Watford Junction Station must be agreed. Development proposals will need to be designed to ensure they do not compromise delivery of the bridge;
  • As part of a comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment of the area in the second part of the plan period, a route for a pedestrian and cycle bridge that will enable access to Watford Junction station via Penn Road must be shown to be feasible and achievable when redevelopment proposals are submitted;
  • The land east of the West Coast Mainline will support a mix of uses including replacement car parking, new homes and employment uses;
  • On land east of the West Coast Main Line and within the Strategic Development Area, redevelopment of existing employment floorspace for replacement or other employment uses will be supported in the first part of the plan period. Where it is demonstrated that proposals for residential-led mixed-use development will contribute towards the delivery of the wider objectives of the Watford Gateway Strategic Development Area, and the proposed use will not undermine existing uses through the ‘agent of change’ principle, the loss of employment floorspace may be acceptable;
  • If a proposal is to include the loss of a child care facility, a replacement facility should be reprovided as part of the commercial floorspace;
  • In the first part of the plan period, employment redevelopment proposals will be supported as will further redevelopment that will enable a transition towards increased mixed-use schemes and supporting infrastructure in the second part of the plan period;
  • A new multi-storey car park as part of the Eastern Mobility Hub will be provided on land to the east of the Abbey Line. Proposals that include the loss of the existing multi-storey car park will be required to set out how the replacement facility will be delivered, including delivery phases, as part of the planning application;
  • New development will not compromise vehicle access from Clive Way via Colonial Way into the area and access to the Eastern Mobility Hub;
  • Future development in the Strategic Development Area will take into account the findings and recommendations of the Council’s Heritage Impact Assessment Screening Report for this area and where prepared for individual sites;
  • Specific mitigation measures will be identified through the preparation of further detailed Heritage Impact Assessments for all sites to be submitted prior to the determination of any application;
  • The concrete batching plant and rail aggregates depot, including its rail sidings and road access, will be safeguarded as significant mineral infrastructure, as shown on the Policies Map. Proposals for development will be required to demonstrate that the proposed use will not undermine the existing safeguarded uses through the ‘agent of change’ principle.

The Watford Gateway Strategic Development Area is defined on the Policies Map.

For more information, please see the Watford Local Plan 2021-2038.