New village projected for old university site

1:31pm Wednesday 25th July 2001

A new village is likely to be established on the site of a University of Hertfordshire campus near Aldenham which is due to close next year.

The university has decided to shut its 56-acre Wall Hall campus, just north of Aldenham village, in order to provide most of its services at Hatfield.

Hertsmere Borough Council recently agreed a draft planning brief outlining how the Green Belt-protected site should be developed in the future.

The brief suggests that the development should have no greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the campus at present.

The site's listed buildings, including Wall Hall Mansion and its folly, will be kept, and any development must enhance its parkland setting.

Octagon Development Ltd, on behalf of the University of Hertfordshire, has already applied for planning permission to build homes on the land.

The council, which will ultimately approve or reject any applications, believes a range of homes should be built to avoid a 'suburban' appearance.

Councillors were expected to rubber-stamp the planning brief today, after considering the responses received during three weeks of public consultation.

*A plan to build a three-bedroom house in Radlett Park Road, Radlett, has been turned down by the borough council.

Councillors felt that application, for land next to 12 Radlett Park Road, would result in a new building which was out of character with the rest of the street.