The future of a NHS facility for the homeless in Watford has been safeguarded after a plan to knock it down and build 25 flats in its place was thrown out by council planners last month.
Meadowell Centre on Cassio Road has been supporting rough sleepers for the last 15 years and members of Watford Borough Council’s Development Management Committee decided that the flat scheme would not compensate for the loss of the centre or the area of open space where it is situated.
Peter Jeffree chairs the committee and said he believes the correct decision was taken.
He explained: “Meadowell is an established and much-needed NHS service, providing expert specialist support to people with complex needs. To bulldoze such an important community facility which helps some of the most vulnerable people in society, without providing suitable alternative accommodation, would be completely unacceptable.
“Ultimately, the proposed scheme failed to offer enough benefit to the community to compensate for the loss of the Meadowell Centre and the permanent loss of designated open space which would result from a residential development on the site. The Committee did the right thing in stopping this development from going ahead.”
The application proposed a part five storey and part four storey building providing 25 flats, with no on-site parking included.
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