Discover Hertford Online Forum

I wrote to Wrenbridge last week and am copying the correspondence here: ‘Being a local resident I am writing to ask if the company could consider, in the interest of community relations, providing regular (?monthly) updates on your project site/Twitter on progress with the demolition and development? At present many of those I talk to have difficulty understanding why the first part of the project seems to spend so much time moving piles of demolished building back and forth around the same plot when you have closed the car park to move to the next phase’.
Wrenbridge responded: ‘Yes we have had a short period of not communicating on the basis that following council refusal for an application we needed to further consider our strategy. We did not want to communicate unclear or incorrect information. We will soon be communicating again’

TcfL wrote: ↑

Wed 23 Jan, 2019 6:27 pm

At present many of those I talk to have difficulty understanding why the first part of the project seems to spend so much time moving piles of demolished building back and forth around the same plot when you have closed the car park to move to the next phase’.

It probably would have helped if Wrenbridge had explained that the reason for moving piles of demolished building back and forth is to allow archaeologists access to lower ground.

I think we are fortunate that the development is going ahead at all.

Thank goodness for the pre-let hotel element which is kick starting the development.

Hopefully we will look back in a few years and be happy with the result. If the landlord can find enough retail tenants.

Is it known what the archaeologists are looking for/found?

leo densian wrote: ↑

Sat 26 Jan, 2019 8:31 am

Is it known what the archaeologists are looking for/found?

It's standard practice for archaeologists to be given access to sites of interest when demolition takes place. I doubt they were looking for anything specific - just taking the opportunity to see if the site clearance unearths anything. It can take several months before a formal report is completed.

The elusive Knights Templar tunnels?

Presume this article from the Mercury https://bit.ly/2NJYAbh means we have a stand-off between Planning and the developer with the latter citing a 'fragile market'? Does he mean profit margin? If they can't go forward because it was such a badly put together project why not look for new short-term tenants for the units lying vacant? Seems to me that Wrenbridge believe everything they write about their projects.

TcfL wrote: ↑

Wed 06 Mar, 2019 2:13 pm

Presume this article from the Mercury https://bit.ly/2NJYAbh means we have a stand-off between Planning and the developer with the latter citing a 'fragile market'? Does he mean profit margin? If they can't go forward because it was such a badly put together project why not look for new short-term tenants for the units lying vacant? Seems to me that Wrenbridge believe everything they write about their projects.

I'm not going to defend Wrenbridge for their last minute changes but EH Planning need a rocket put under them. They still haven't issued a final decision notice 20 months after Aldi applied for permission for the store in Gascoyne Way.

Following your 8 Mar news item I and many I know are getting a little fed up with trying to walk and shop in Hertford. We have the Maidenhead St/Bull Plain issue which appears to be the slowest build ever and Bircherley Green having ground to a halt. How traders feel I do not know but must commend them on their patience when there is so much lack of urgency in both projects. Regarding the latter and understanding that EHDC have issues over the Wrenbridge amendments I can’t help but wonder is the build delay due to EHDC not allowing it to start due to material amendments not being approved. As for the last application being delayed until after the May elections, my understanding of LGA guidance is that you may “Continue to discharge normal council business - including determining planning applications, even if they are controversial” during purdah. Surely we deserve better as it is now over a year since shops started closing and I would expect EHDC and Wrenbridge to meet face-to-face and resolve the issues or is Hertford to be left as a building site?

TcfL wrote: ↑

Mon 11 Mar, 2019 9:47 am

As for the last application being delayed until after the May elections, my understanding of LGA guidance is that you may “Continue to discharge normal council business - including determining planning applications, even if they are controversial” during purdah.

I think the issue here is that there will not be a Development Management Committee meeting in April, due to there not being a constituted Development Control Committee, it having been effectively dissolved. There may well be a planing officer's recommendation by then but no committee to discuss it.