Greenbelt Hotel gets green light

Thursday 21st September, 2006

A proposed new hotel in London Colney has been given the final go-ahead by Hertsmere Borough Council

Splendid Hotels had already been given outline planning permission following an appeal in 2004 after Hertsmere rejected the plan because it was felt to be an inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

At the time the inquiry inspector said the site had no intrinsic merit and the proposed hotel would have little impact on the character of the area. He also accepted that there was an urgent need for hotel accommodation to serve the southern part of St Albans.

But the developers still had to get approval from Hertsmere for a number of reserved matters including siting, car parking, materials used and landscaping. Last week a Hertsmere planning committee agreed subject to a contribution of £35,000 to Herts Highways for sustainable transport measures and work to mitigate the effects of the development. There were concerns about queuing that occurs at the entrance to the site.

St Albans District Council planning portfolio holder, Cllr Chris Brazier, said: "It will help fill a long-standing need in that part of the district.