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Welcome to our exhibition on the emerging plans for Watford Riverwell, an exciting new neighbourhood that will provide homes, jobs, open spaces and community facilities - all that is needed to create a thriving new community within Watford.

We’ve made significant progress since beginning on site in 2015. We’ve begun the extensive clean-up of the former industrial land, there’s a new road to Watford Hospital and ‘Trade City Watford’ will open in 2017, creating around 180 new jobs.

We are delighted to share the emerging plans with you and look forward to hearing your thoughts.

WELCOME

Riverwell-regeneration.com

WELCOME TO WELLBEING

A sketch of the Waterside part of the scheme

The Watford Riverwell project is transforming a large area of land to the south of Watford Hospital and Watford Football Club. Through effective partnership, Watford Borough Council and Kier Property are delivering an exciting new destination and working closely with West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure the plans allow for the Hospital to bring forward its plans to improve health facilities in Watford.

By calling the project ‘Watford Riverwell’, we are reflecting the importance of the River Colne that runs through the site and the names of the neighbouring areas of Holywell and Brightwell.

On top of this, the river itself is being cleaned up as part of the development’s environmental improvements.

ABOUT US



A sketch of the Waterside part of the scheme

OUR VISION



Much needed new homes, including affordable homes.

Better access and modern infrastructure, including a new road to the hospital.

Regenerating derelict and contaminated former industrial land.

New business and work opportunities, creating up to 1,300 new jobs.

The opportunity for West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to develop facilities at Watford Hospital.

4.5 acres of green, open spaces for the whole community to enjoy.

Community facilities including a new 2 form entry primary school.

Watford Riverwell is an ambitious long-term regeneration that will take 15-20 years to complete, and which will deliver substantial positive change to this area of Watford.

The clearance and opening up of the banks of the River Colne.

WATERSIDE

TRADE CITYOXHEY PARK

TESCO

TOYS R US

B&Q

WOODLANDS

NORTHERNDEVELOPMENT

ZONE

WATFORDGENERALHOSPITAL

WATFORDHIGH STREET

STATION

VICARAGE ROADSTADIUM

WATFORD TOWNCENTRE

WATFORDHIGH STREET

SAINSBURY’S

Watford Riverwell emerging plans.

Historically, the land at Watford Riverwell has been subjected to intensive industrial use, which has left much of the site with contaminated substances and in urgent need of a comprehensive clean-up. In the past, the site has been used as a coal power station, sewerage works, and been subject to unlicensed landfilling and illegal fly tipping.

Prior to beginning development, we will need to remove all structures and extensively clean the soil of the chromium and asbestos that currently contaminates it.

It’s a huge job, but the clean-up has already started with 18,000 cubic metres of earth excavated from the site of the new road. This is equivalent to 7 Olympic sized swimming pools.



A CHEQUERED HISTORY

The key to the success of Watford Riverwell is the community. We are committed to actively engaging with the community to ensure Watford Riverwell delivers positive change. Feedback from the community has shaped Watford Riverwell already.

What people told us was important:



WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY

We have already incorporated these ideas and we are keen to hear yours. Collect your feedback form at the end of this exhibition.

Improved open spaces, including new green space and public areas that are easy to walk through and successfully link the different parts of the site.

Opening up opportunities for Watford Hospital so that it is not confined by its current footprint.

A new primary school to provide places for existing and new families in the area.

Previous consultation on Watford Riverwell



NORTHERN ZONE

We want Watford Riverwell to be a vibrant, welcoming space, and the northern zone will be an exciting hub for Watford Riverwell.

It will include a dynamic commercial hub with a pedestrian friendly central square from which you’ll be able to wander down to the banks of the river.

Having listened to the community, we are proposing a diverse mix of uses for leisure and convenience that will serve Watford well. Shops, restaurants, supermarkets, a hotel, better hospital parking (and more of it), and flexible work space are all proposed.

Family housing is something that we know is extremely important. Plans include the provision of affordable family housing, a primary school and centre for the community.

WATERSIDE

TRADE CITYOXHEY PARK

TESCO

TOYS R US

B&Q

WOODLANDS

NORTHERNDEVELOPMENT

ZONE

WATFORDGENERALHOSPITAL

WATFORDHIGH STREET

STATION

VICARAGE ROADSTADIUM

WATFORD TOWNCENTRE

WATFORDHIGH STREET

SAINSBURY’S

Watford Riverwell emerging plans.



WOODLANDS AND WATERSIDE

Woodlands and Waterside will be the residential heart of Watford Riverwell, and will also open up access to the river bank, creating riverside walks linking to natural open spaces.

It will create a new neighbourhood – approximately 500 new homes, including affordable housing. The clean-up of the River Colne, regeneration of the woodlands and creation of open spaces will bring beautiful new views.

Plans for 95 homes at Woodlands have been approved by Watford Borough Council’s planning committee. We are now preparing detailed plans for the next phase of residential development at Waterside.

A sketch of Woodlands.

A sketch of Waterside

A landscape plan of Woodlands and WatersideWaterside



CARE COMMUNITY FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Watford Riverwell has teamed up with Mayfield Villages, a specialist care community developer and operator, to deliver a 250 unit care community. Around 40 per cent of people in Watford will be over 65 by 2030 and so demand for care/retirement accommodation is high and increasing rapidly. Part of the Audley Group, Mayfield will provide high quality care accommodation with a mix of onsite facilities, including a dining room, lounges, health and wellbeing club. There will be 24 hour on-site care and gardens will be provided for the residents. From Mayfield’s experience of other developments, we expect that 70% of residents will be local and currently living within ten miles of the site. Others will move to be nearer family. The new care community will be provided within the Waterside part of the scheme.

A landscape plan of Mayfield



DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE

29 acres of under-used, significantly contaminated land, which had developed piecemeal over the previous century.

LAND ACQUIRED

Road application approved.DECEMBER 2013

Outline planning permission for a mixed-use scheme approved.JANUARY 2015

Preparation work begins on site.FEBRUARY 2015

· Permission received to include allotment land into the scheme.· New road for Watford Hospital, Thomas Sawyer Way, opened.

NOVEMBER 2016

Full planning application for “Woodlands” - the first phase of residential development.

MARCH 2017

Design works starts on the Northern Zone.SPRING 2017

· Engagement begins on detailed masterplan.· Start of clean-up of River Colne.· Launch of Watford Riverwell.

DUE JULY 2017

Trade City opens, creating around 180 new local jobs.DUE AUGUST 2017

Engagement on the second phase of new homes at Waterside.DUE AUTUMN 2017

Site decontamination works begin.DUE 2018

First new homes to be completed at Woodlands.DUE SUMMER 2019

Full planning application submitted for Waterside.DUE LATE 2017

Construction begins on new homes at Woodlands.DUE AUTUMN 2017



WATFORD HOSPITAL

Watford Riverwell has been working closely with West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure that the scheme helps the Trust bring forward its plans to improve health facilities and services at its Watford site.

These plans will completely transform Watford Hospital. Many of the facilities at the Watford site are past their best and significant changes are needed for the Trust to deliver its vision of improved healthcare for the south west Hertfordshire region.

To future-proof Watford Hospital, the Trust wants to rebuild rather than refurbish wherever possible, which will be done in phases. Work could start as soon as 2020.



RIVER CLEAN-UP

We believe that the River Colne is a resource that all of Watford should be able to enjoy.

Over the summer, working with the local community, we have started the clean-up of the river to bring it back into public use.

Thank you for attending the exhibition. For updates on the progress being made at Watford Riverwell and to give us your feedback, please fill out one of the feedback forms available today or visit our website www.riverwell-regeneration.com.

Images from the clean-up event in the summer

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