ARMSTRONG RIGG PLANNING
Site: Elstree Way Corridor, Borehamwood
Client: Taylor Wimpey
ARP has for a number of years been working with Taylor Wimpey to secure planning permission for land within and on the edge of the Elstree Way Corridor regeneration area in Borehamwood. The most recent of which have included a high density residential scheme at the former Affinity Sutton site and a mixed-used education and residential scheme at the former Oaklands College Campus.
Planning permission was secured on behalf of Oaklands College and Taylor Wimpey for a mixed-use scheme comprising a ground floor college building with apartments above. The site forms the last remaining part of Taylor Wimpey’s ‘Oaktrees’ development for which planning permission was secured at appeal for 125 dwellings and a 1,500m2 building for Oaklands College. While the dwellings were built out the education element was not delivered due to its failure to meet the changing needs of the College who required a smaller and more centrally located facility. However, after a number of years searching for an alternative facility, the College decided to proceed with revised proposals for their Elstree Way site. The planning application was supported by a detailed education needs assessment, which together with a high quality design, convinced the Council that a reduced education facility as part of a mixed use scheme was justified on the site and would meet the long terms needs of the College and its students.
Following extensive pre-application consultation with both officers and local stakeholders, ARP assisted Taylor Wimpey in securing full planning permission for the redevelopment of this former office building site located within Borehamwood’s Elstree Way Corridor for a high density residential scheme comprising 88 apartments. In this case the provision of a design of exemplar quality that would transform unattractive and underutilised urban land and act as a catalyst for the Council’s planned regeneration of the Elstree Way Corridor was found by the Council to be sufficient to justify below policy provision for affordable housing and open space.
