Denham approves brewery redevelopment despite traffic concerns

Communities secretary John Denham has allowed on appeal a mixed-use scheme for the McMullen’s brewery site in Hertford even though his decision letter acknowledges that the proposals would breach development plan and national policies by increasing local traffic congestion.

The proposal to build a Sainsbury’s store on the site of a former brewery in Hartham Lane was approved by East Hertfordshire Council’s development control committee earlier last year.

However, the project was called in by the Secretary of State for consideration alongside plans to expand the Ware Road Tesco – a plan that was later withdrawn and replaced with a smaller-scale development.

During the public inquiry last September the local Civic Society argued that the local planning authority had not done enough to find an alternative use for the brownfield site and voiced concern about traffic congestion, an issue which also worried the county council.

The decision letter acknowledged the traffic issues meant that aspect of the proposal was not in accordance with development plan or national policy but pointed out that any use of the site would add to local traffic congestion.

It said it was “desirable that efficient use is made of this largely derelict, previously developed site which is located on the edge of the town centre”.

The letter went on to say that the secretary of state gave significant weight to the fact that the development would potentially contribute to the vitality of the town “and bring back onto beneficial use a historic building for which it would be difficult to find other uses”.

The SoS concluded that those benefits, which including the anticipated enhancement of the Conservation Area affected, outweighed “the conflict with the development plan and national policy on transportation matters”.

Read the East Hertfordshire Council press release and the Secretary of State’s decision letters

Roger Milne
28 January 2010