The Tesco-owned site in London Road, St Albans is set to be ear-marked for housing development and commercial use following talks between the retailer and St Albans City and District Council.
The Council’s Chief Executive, Daniel Goodwin, its Head of Planning and Building Control, Heather Cheesbrough, and Leader, Cllr Robert Donald, have met with representatives of Tesco to explore the future use of the London Road site as part of the Council’s work on the emerging Core Strategy for the Local Development Framework (LDF) for St Albans City and District.
Tesco has made it clear that it no longer has plans to build a superstore on its London Road site having decided to develop the former Woolworths store in St Peter’s Street as a supermarket.
During the talks it emerged that the most likely use for the London Road site would be housing-led mixed use purposes. The possibility of a primary school being built on the site was also discussed, however other plans for primary school provision are being considered locally, including a proposal to make Francis Bacon school into an all-through school for children of all ages.
Tesco also made a firm commitment to refurbish the existing properties on London Road and Inkerman Road and to bring them back into a habitable and usable state. The retailer is currently conducting a tender process to find a suitable developer for the buildings, which will be used for commercial and residential purposes, and hopes to complete the refurbishment work by the autumn.
Heather Cheesbrough, Head of Planning and Building Control at St Albans City and District Council, said: “These have been helpful discussions that have provided a sound basis for an ongoing dialogue about the future long-term development of the London Road site. It is a large site right in the centre of St Albans which is suitable for commercial and residential development. The Council will continue to consult with Tesco on the future use of the site as part of its work on the Core Strategy for the LDF.
“In addition, we will continue to hold discussions with Tesco in order to ensure that the boarded-up buildings in London Road and Inkerman Road are swiftly refurbished and brought back into use in accordance with the Council’s design and planning and requirements by the autumn and the uses to which they are eventually put are appropriate for the area.”
As part of the next stage in the preparation of the Core Strategy of the LDF, the Council will be preparing, in partnership with landowners and developers, Development Briefs for key sites identified in its District Vision document. The Development Briefs will provide more detailed information about the educational and other non-housing needs of the District and give greater certainty to developers and investors of the type and quantity of development the Council would like to see.