Policy information sourced from the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan

SADM 23 Acceptable uses outside the Core Retail Zone - The Common and Queensway Opportunity Areas

Within Hatfield Town Centre outside the Core Retail Zone the Council will allow proposals for changes of use or development for office, hotel, residential, leisure, community or education uses provided that the proposal would:

  1. Support the regeneration of Hatfield town centre and its vitality and viability;
  2. Not harm the amenities of the occupiers of nearby residential areas;
  3. Be properly integrated into the retail core of the town centre, including the provision of good pedestrian linkages; and
  4. Provide adequate highway access and servicing arrangements and would not be detrimental to the highway network including highway safety.

The Common Opportunity Area

Proposals for new civic, cultural, community or leisure facilities or to modernise, extend or re-provide the existing facilities will be supported. Proposals which result in the loss of such facilities will only be permitted if up to date evidence shows that there is no longer a need for the facility or the existing facility can be satisfactorily relocated within the development proposals or replaced by a facility of equivalent or better quality in an appropriate alternative location.

Queensway Opportunity Area

Proposals for new community facilities or to modernise, extend or re-provide the existing facilities will be supported. Proposals which result in the loss of community facilities will only be permitted if up to date evidence shows that there is no longer a need for the facility or the existing facility can be satisfactorily relocated within the development proposals or replaced by a facility of equivalent or better quality in an appropriate alternative location.

Where the site currently provides car parking which serves the needs of the town centre as a whole, this must be replaced within the development proposals or in an appropriate alternative location.

For more information please see the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan