Mixed-use factory redevelopment at Former Shredded Wheat Factory, Welwyn Garden City

What was proposed

The application proposed 578 homes, a 180-room aparthotel, commercial and leisure uses, public spaces, parking, access and cycle facilities.

“- 180-room aparthotel, including an ancillary public café. - Restored Grade-II listed silo complex, including a rooftop restaurant, a bar, a co-working space, and a rock-climbing facility within the body of the silos forming approximately 1,810 sqm of Use Class E / F2 space, and 215 sqm Sui Generis (drinking establishment) space, with Goodman Square to the south.”

“The site will be accessed using several routes, including pedestrian only access from the west via the footbridge from the Town Centre and Railway Station. The footbridge, owned and managed by Network Rail, will be shortened to provide an ‘arrival experience’ into the site. A single storey building will be added to the eastern end of the footbridge, creating a public viewing platform accessed by a stairway and a lift.”

Officer report

The site and its setting

The 5.2-hectare former factory site lies beside the railway, town centre and station, with retained listed factory buildings and much of the site cleared.

“The approximately 5.2 hectare, rectangular shaped application site is located in a commercial area to the east of Welwyn Garden City Town Centre and Railway Station. The site is bounded by Bridge Road to the north, Broadwater Road to the east, Hyde Way and a footbridge to the Town Centre and Railway Station to the south and the East Coast mainline railway line to the west, with the Howard Centre immediately west of the railway line.”

“To the south of the footbridge to the Town Centre and Railway Station and the application site, within Strategic Allocated Site SDS3, is the Pall Mall site. It comprises a large distribution warehouse, with a footprint of approximately 175m by 50m, and space for external parking and loading for several heavy goods vehicles on the north and west sides of the warehouse building.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the benefits of regeneration, housing, specialist accommodation and employment would not be significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the identified harms.

“There is a critical and growing need to provide appropriate housing for older people within the Borough. Currently, only 89 units of housing with care are available. The Council’s assessment of future demand draws on multiple sources, including the Housing LIN’s SHOP@ toolkit, Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) updates, and the 2018-based population projections.”

“However, Paragraph 11 (d) is clear that in such a scenario that Paragraph 11 (d) (ii) is engaged which requires a balancing exercise between the identified harms and the benefits of the scheme. If the identified harms do not “significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits”, then permission should be granted.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The applicant, a local civic society representative and the ward member addressed the committee, supporting progress while identifying concerns about heritage, parking, design and infrastructure.

The vote and decision

The committee voted 11 for, 1 against and no abstentions, granting planning permission subject to the conditions in the report.

“That Planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions set out in the report.”

Minutes