Radlett Service Station on Watling Street is soon to be demolished and replaced with offices.
Staff at Esso Rontec Radlett petrol station confirmed to RadlettNews on February 10 that the petrol station building will be knocked down in the first week of March and soon afterwards, work will begin to turn the site into offices.
The planning application, granted by Hertsmere Borough Council back in 2019, is for the demolition of the existing building (Regency House) and the removal of the existing petrol filling station (Radlett Service Station).
Clive Freedman said: “Appalling. I was chatting with the team who are super friendly and part of our Radlett community. And they have said they don’t know their future and could end up at a service station in Heathrow slough or somewhere else very far from Radlett.”
Residents have taken to social media to express their disappointment at the loss of the villages only petrol station, which is currently open 24 hours a day.
Robert Goldstein said: “The new building is ugly and out of keeping with Radlett Village and why does Radlett need offices? Where is the demand? Affordable flats for first-time buyers, please. Otherwise, Radlett will be full of OAPs as nobody any younger can afford to move there.”
Jacqui Bowman added: “Radlett is being destroyed for flats and offices where will it end it. We have no fire station no police hub nothing that helps the people that live here. There are so many empty offices why more it is a great loss the petrol station and they were wrong to sell-off.”
Clive Glover said: “Permission to do this was granted nearly three years ago so they are taking action to start the work before the deadline this May when that permission will expire.
“Local views expressed to Hertsmere at the time was that the design was too modern (smoked glass) for that site and too large. I would wonder now if a huge new office block is what is needed in the new working environment of working from home.”
Chris Williams said: “For a company to go to such a huge expense in buying land and building their HQ isn’t a small one-trick wonder… I am sure the owners are making changes to the design and have already taken into account their local surroundings. The winners in all of this will be the local cafes and shops serving the contractors and then the future employees of the company.”
Andrew Willox said: “I worked there when I was 17-18 and I don’t understand why we can’t have a fuel station and a block of offices. All that infrastructure underground going to waste or being ripped out.”
To view the planning application search 18/0479/FUL on Hertsmere Borough Council planning portal.
Hertsmere Borough Council and the developer, TLC Radlett Ltd, were contacted for comment.
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