Whippendell Marine, Watford

Plans have been approved to build an 81-apartment development on former industrial land in Watford.  The Whippendell Marine site will be sensitively transformed to blend with the local environment, by brownfield land developers, Oakford Homes.  Motion demonstrated that the residential development would not cause severe impact on the local transport network and has been the driving force behind efforts to promote active and sustainable transportation options to future occupants.

The Oakford Homes project will deliver three blocks of flats comprising market and affordable housing.  The scheme lies between Whippendell Road and Sydney Road, to the southwest of the town centre.  The development includes parking for 83 vehicles, including a car club space.

Early consultation between Motion and the county council helped establish the principle of a revised access.  Concerns about increases in traffic or reductions in on-street parking were quickly allayed.  The predicted traffic generation from the previous industrial use of the site was compared with forecasts for the proposed new homes.  The county council considered the predicted increases in traffic to be insignificant and acceptable.

“Motion’s transport planners supported the public consultation process and confidently presented the arguments in an easy-to-understand demonstration.  The company’s ability to comfortably convey technical information to the general public is impressive.”

Chris Coates, Oakford Homes