Rickmansworth

RICKMANSWORTH H47 – Affinity Water Depot, Church Street H47 – Affinity Water Depot, Church Street SHELAA Reference: CFS60 Size: 1.5ha Proposed use(s): Residential (with continued water treatment and utility uses) Indicative Dwelling Capacity: 75 Phasing: 0 – 5 years Greenfield/Brownfield: Brownfield Green Belt / Grey Belt N/A (not in Green Belt) Main Development Requirements: • Indicative dwelling capacity of 75 • Residential development will be delivered through the conversion of existing buildings only, with no residential uses at ground floor • The northern areas of the site will retain its current water treatment and utility uses • Play space/ open space would not be required given the brownfield nature of the site and proximity to open space and play space, however, a financial requirement to improve local open space/ play space may be required Site Constraints and Other Requirements and Considerations: Access, Highways and Sustainable Transport • There is an existing access from Church Street /London Road (A404) which should be utilised, although improvement works (such as widening) may be required Design • Residential development will be delivered through the conversion of existing buildings only, with no residential uses at ground floor level Historic Environment • Rickmansworth Conservation Area is located to the north-west of the site. There are Grade II Listed Buildings to the north -west of the Site (99 Church Street), as well as to the south -east and east (1 Batchworth Hill, 17 Moor Lane and Obelisk in Garden of 17 Moor Lane) respectively • The council’s high-level Heritage Impact Assessment stated that the complex of buildings within the site should be considered a non -designated heritage asset, as they form an important historic industrial complex. Furthermore, the assessment also stated that the site’s development would have a minor adverse impact on the historic environment. At the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage a Heritage Impact Assessment/ Heritage Statement would be required Flooding • The River Colne flows through the centre of the Site and the Grand Union Canal flows along the northern boundary. The whole Site is within Flood Zone 2. Flood Zone 3a also extends to cover the majority of the site. Flood Zone 3b is focused in the northern and eastern areas of the site and covers approximately 53% of the site area. The site is also at moderate to high risk of groundwater flooding, especially in the northwestern and central area of the site • The council’s Level 2 SFRA (2026) has concluded that the site is significantly impacted by fluvial flood risk, with the majority of the site in Flood Zone 3b. A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) must be submitted at the planning application (and preferably pre -application) stage. For the FRA, detailed site-specific hydraulic modelling will be required, building on the recent River Colne model and incorporating culvert and sluice blockage modelling, as well as groundwater monitoring, due to the shallow groundwater in the area, for example. To ensure safe access and egress during the 1% AEP fluvial and surface water flood events, works outside of the boundary of the site may be required. Subsequently, early discussions will be required with relevant bodies • The SFRA advises that the site will only be appropriate for the reuse/conversion of existing buildings, or the redevelopment of buildings on the same footprint (subject to heritage impacts) and that any development should only have commercial uses (non-residential uses) on the ground floor, given the high flood risk across most of the site • A Flood Risk Assessment must demonstrate that the site would be safe for the proposed residential use, with provision of safe access and escape routes • The site is wholly within GSPZ1 which may limit the use of SuDS, deep foundations and below ground development. A preliminary risk assessment is required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage to determine whether there is contamination of the site, and whether remediation works would be needed Environmental Health and Pollution • Potential noise and vibrations caused by the use of the remainder of the site for commercial purposes would need to be addressed through mitigation measures. Relevant assessments and reports (such as Noise Assessments) would be required at a planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage Mineral and Waste • HCC Mineral and Waste stated that a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be required to support any proposal at the planning application stage H48 – Andrew Leys Farm, Harefield Road H48 – Andrews Ley Farm, Harefield Road SHELAA Reference: ACFS10 Size: 0.5ha Proposed use(s): Residential Indicative Dwelling Capacity: 18 Phasing: 0-5 years Greenfield/Brownfield: Mixed Green Belt / Grey Belt: The site is still located within the Green Belt. Given its brownfield nature and that it is not edge of settlement, the site was retained within the Green Belt Main Development Requirements: • Indicative dwelling capacity of 18 Site Constraints and Other Requirements and Considerations: Access, Highways and Sustainable Transport • The existing access is via Harefield Road, which should be utilised, although improvement works such as widening will be required Flooding • The eastern half of the site is at high risk of surface water flooding. Suitable mitigation to address surface water flooding would be required • The council’s Level 2 SFRA (2026) has concluded that development should be steered outside of the area of surface water flood risk in the eastern part of the site. Flood depths of between 1.2m and 2m metres are predicted within the eastern site boundary between the 3.33% and 0.1% flood events. A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) must be submitted at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage. Detailed surface water modelling will be required, building on the national broader scale mapping. This may reduce the extent and depth of surface water flood risk, however, it is still possible that a reduction in site capacity may be required following detailed modelling (as avoidance may be a more appropriate response to higher flood risk) Green Infrastructure, Biodiversity and TPOs • There are protected trees adjacent to the western boundary of the site (TPO636), which future development will need to take account of. Depending on the proximity of future development to the protected trees (woodland) to the west of the site, an Arboricul tural Impact Assessment may be required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage Mineral and Waste • HCC Mineral and Waste stated that a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be required to support any proposal at the planning application stage H49 – Land on London Road (Care Home) H49 – Land on London Road SHELAA Reference: CFS59 Size: 1.1ha Proposed use(s): Residential Care Home (C2) Indicative Capacity: 75 bedrooms (40 dwelling equivalent) Phasing: 0 - 5 years Greenfield/Brownfield: Greenfield Green Belt / Grey Belt The site is considered to be grey belt. Given it’s not located at the edge of settlement and its grey belt categorisation, the site has been retained in the Green Belt Main Development Requirements: • Indicative capacity of 75 bedrooms (equivalent to 40 dwellings) • Provision of open space / amenity area for care home is required Site Constraints and Other Requirements and Considerations: Access, Highways and Sustainable Transport • There is an existing access off London Road towards the northeast of the site, however, this consists of a rural -style farm gate. Improvement works to this access would be required or a new access created along London Road Historic Environment • Moor Park Registered Park and Garden s is located to the east of the site opposite London Road (and behind existing residential development) . The council’s high-level Heritage Impact Assessment states that the site’s development would have a neutral impact on the historic environment. However, Historic England state that a Heritage Impact Assessment /Heritage Statement may be required at a planning application stag e given the proximity of the site to the heritage asset Flooding • The site is located within GSPZ1 which may limit the use of SuDS , deep foundations and below ground development. A preliminary risk assessment is required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage to determine whether there is contamination of the site, and whether remediation works would be needed Mineral and Waste • HCC Mineral and Waste stated that a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be required to support any proposal at the planning application stage H50 – Former Police Station, Rectory Road H50 – Former Police Station, Rectory Road, Rickmansworth SHELAA Reference: H17 Size: 0.29ha Proposed use(s): Mixed- use Residential and Retail (supermarket) Indicative Dwelling Capacity: 18 Phasing: 0 – 5 years Greenfield/Brownfield: Brownfield Green Belt / Grey Belt N/A (Not in Green Belt) Main Development Requirements: • Indicative dwelling capacity of 18 • A mixed-use of residential and retail development (supermarket). The retail floorspace should be at ground floor level, with residential development above Site Constraints and Other Requirements and Considerations: Access, Highways and Sustainable Transport • The existing access to the site is via Rectory Road, which should be utilised. Improvement works may be necessary to facilitate the proposed mixed -use development. Early engagement with HCC Highways is strongly encouraged Historic Environment • Two conservation areas, namely Nightingale Road Conservation Area and Rickmansworth Town Conservation Area are located to the immediate west and east of the site respectively. Given the close proximity to the conservation areas, a Heritage Impact Assessment/ Heritage Statement would be required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage Flooding • The site falls within Groundwater Source Protection Zone (GSPZ) 1 which may limit the use of SuDS, deep foundations and below ground development. A preliminary risk assessment is required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage to determine whether there is contamination, and whether remediation works would be needed • There is a risk of surface water flooding , particularly within the western portion of the site. Suitable mitigation to address surface water flood risk and groundwater flood risk on the site would be required • Groundwater levels are particularly close to the surface in some areas, just 0.25m below ground level, which could preclude below ground development and deep foundations Environmental Health and Pollution • Potential noise and disturbance towards the occupiers of the residential development resulting from the retail use must be fully considered and mitigated against. Relevant assessments and reports will be required at a planning application stage Mineral and Waste • HCC Mineral and Waste stated that consideration must be given to the use of material on site through opportunistic extraction, in order to reduce the need for material to be imported • A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be required to support any proposal at the planning application stage H51 – Depot, Stockers Farm Road H51 – Depot, Stockers Farm Road SHELAA Reference: H22a Size: 0.76ha Proposed use(s): Residential Indicative Dwelling Capacity: 40 Phasing: 0 – 5 years Greenfield/Brownfield: Brownfield Green Belt / Grey Belt (N/A) Not in the Green Belt Main Development Requirements: • Indicative dwelling capacity of 40 • Provision of open space / play space will likely be required Site Constraints and Other Requirements and Considerations: Access, Highways and Sustainable Transport • The existing access from Stockers Farm Road should be utilised • A Public Right of Way runs through the southwestern part of the site, which should be accounted for during the design of any proposal Historic Environment • Stockers Lock and Farm Conservation Area is located to the west of the site and several Grade II Listed Buildings are situated within the conservation area. A Heritage Impact Assessment/ Heritage Statement may be required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage Flooding • Although most of the Site is in Flood Zone 1, there is a small area at the southwestern corner within Flood Zone 2. The northwest area of the site and part of the western and eastern boundaries fall within Flood Zone 3a. Areas in Flood Zone 3a would only be suitable for open amenity space, biodiversity net gain area, or similar uses within the site. Groundwater levels are between 0.5m and 5m below the ground surface. Furthermore, there is a small area in the southern -central part of the site is at high risk of surface water flooding. Suitable mitigation to address surface water flood risk and groundwater flood risk on the site would be required • The council’s Level 2 SFRA (2026) has concluded that there is significant risk of surface and fluvial flooding, with the majority of the site at risk in both surface water and fluvial design flood events, so development will need to avoid the higher risk areas and provide resilience and mitigation in the lower flood risk areas. A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) must be submitted at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage • Safe access and egress is not possible in the design flood event, so a flood warning and evacuation plan must be prepared to assess how residents can be safely evacuated or shelter safely on site. It is possible that given the size of the site and extent o f flood risk, that site capacity may need to be reduced following a detailed FRA, that should include more detailed surface water and fluvial modelling • The site is in GSPZ1 which may limit the use of SuDS, deep foundations and below ground development. A preliminary risk assessment is required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application stage ) to determine whether there is contamination of the site, and whether remediation works would be needed Green Infrastructure, Biodiversity and TPOs • A Local Wildlife Site (Stockers Farm Meadow) is situated to the immediate west and north of the site. Given the proximity to the Local Wildlife Site, an Ecological Impact Assessment would be required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage Mineral and Waste • HCC Mineral and Waste stated that consideration must be given to the use of material on site through opportunistic extraction, in order to reduce the need for material to be imported • A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be required to support any proposal at the planning application stage H52 – Meresworth (Care Home) H52 – Meresworth Care Home, Rickmansworth SHELAA Reference: NCFS26 Size: 0.33ha Proposed use(s): Care Home (C2) Indicative Dwelling Capacity 51 bed care home (27 dwelling equivalent) Phasing: 0 – 5 years Greenfield/Brownfield: Brownfield Green Belt / Grey Belt N/A (Not in Green Belt) Main Development Requirements: • Indicative number of care home beds is 51 (27 dwelling equivalent) Site Constraints and Other Requirements and Considerations: Access, Highways and Sustainable Transport • The existing access is via Dellwood branched off from Field Way which should be utilised Historic Environment • 179 – 181 Uxbridge Road, a Grade II Listed Building, is located to the south of the site across Uxbridge Road. Given the proximity to the Listed Building, a Heritage Impact Assessment/Heritage Assessment may be required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage Flooding • The site falls within Groundwater Source Protection Zone (GSPZ) 1 which may limit the use of SuDS, deep foundations and below ground development. A preliminary risk assessment is required at the planning application (and preferably pre-application) stage to determine whether there is contamination, and whether remediation works would be needed Green Infrastructure, Biodiversity and TPOs • There are protected trees within the site, along the boundary of Uxbridge Road and Field Way (TPO616 and TPO709). F