Homes bid to unlock development of key Maylands jobs plan
12-425 Maylands Gateway site, Hemel Hempstead.
A council will be submitting a planning application to itself for 170 homes in a bid to unlock stalled development in a key employment area of Hemel Hempstead.
Councillors had been hoping the private sector would step forward with plans to redevelop the southern part of Maylands Business Park.
But the recession has put paid to a high-quality office-led development of the 30 hectare Gateway area, which stretches from the former Royal Mail site the northern part of Breakspear Way.
Dacorum Borough Council’s cabinet was told on Tuesday (October 23) that private sector investment in offices was unlikely in the short to medium term because of the “oversupply of office space within the south east and the wider M25 area.”
So the council has come up with a scheme which, if it’s own planners agree to housing in the northern part of the Gateway, could release £2million of Growing Places Fund cash held by the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The LEP has given the council until December to come up with a planning application, full development appraisal, a contract of works and a brief for a development partner. Most of the land is in public sector ownership, held by the Homes and Communities Agency.
Councillors were told if the money is released by the LEP, it will be used to build road infrastructure.
A report to councillors read: “It is intended to send a clear message to the development and investment community that Dacorum and Maylands are open for business.”
The council has also rejigged its development brief in order to welcome more kinds of businesses into the area. The report read: “It is hoped that new investment and development can be captured within the Gateway with an emphasis on building and landscape quality to provide a both positive and bold impression to Maylands and Hemel Hempstead, as the town is accesses from junction 8 of the M1 motorway.”
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 19 C
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