Affordable housing development signals start of Hatfield regeneration

July 07

On Friday 13 July, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council celebrated the first stages of the £80 million redevelopment of Hatfield Town Centre. The event took place at the Metropolitan Housing Partnership (MHP) affordable housing development on the former Forum theatre site, Lemsford Road, which will bring 84 affordable new homes to Hatfield.

Children from year six at Briars Lane School in Hatfield attended the event and buried a time capsule containing items such as a school jumper, a local newspaper and photograph of the whole school that will give Hatfield young people in the future an insight into childrens’ lives in 2007. Cllr Carl Storer, Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the development and the first stage of the town centre’s regeneration.

Councillor Roger Trigg, Executive Member for Housing for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, said “I am delighted that the first block of the affordable homes on Lemsford Road is nearing completion. Properties in the borough are very much in demand and over the next three years the council plans to build 800 more homes with our partners, which includes MHP. The council supported the project by transferring discounted land which, together with grant funding from the Housing Corporation, enabled the scheme to proceed. The project has been recognised by the Housing Corporation as an “exemplar” regeneration project which is testimony to the hard work and innovation of officers working for the council and the strength and success of our partnership with MHP.”

The former Forum theatre site, which is being developed by MHP in partnership with St Modwen, comprises 84 flats – 46 for affordable rent, 28 for Shared ownership and ten intermediate rented units for key workers – will be completed by August 2008, with the shared ownership properties offered for sale from March 2009. The mix of homes reflects local housing demands, and will offer opportunities for those on low incomes to rent accommodation, or through low cost home ownership schemes purchase a home of their own. Also for the first time in Welwyn Hatfield there will be homes available to an intermediate market where rents are below the current private market rate but above social housing rents.

Tony Shoults, Chief Executive Officer of MHP, said: “We are proud to be working with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council to provide high quality homes that will meet the needs of the local community and contribute to the overall regeneration of the town centre. As Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s preferred housing association partners, MHP looks forward to this being the first of a number of attractive and well-designed schemes that meet the Council’s requirements to provide affordable housing to local residents.” 

High levels of insulation are built into the homes which will give future residents low fuel bills. Sustainable issues are high on the agenda for the housing scheme which will meet the ‘very good’ eco-homes rating. The scheme was designed by PRP architects and has been built by Mansell PLC.

The key elements of the redevelopment of Hatfield town centre will include modern shopping with restaurants and bars, a new town square, increased car parking, improved pedestrian access and new bus interchanges in an attractive environment. Subject to a successful Public Enquiry, construction will begin on the main town centre redevelopment scheme by the end of 2008.