Below are the questions submitted to Hertsmere Borough Council and Griggs Homes in relation to the proposed development of the site of the former Bushey Golf and Country Club.
If you want to view the current proposal it is available here at this link: Griggs Homes Proposal.
Consultation and Exhibition
1. As there were less than 300 people who managed to attend the exhibition on Tuesday 24 March, and many residents opposite Bushey Country Club did not receive a leaflet, can another Exhibition take place, before the final consultation in the summer?
A. This is not an unusual turn out for an event, the boards are still on line and we are therefore not proposing to hold another event at this stage. We will, however, hold another event in May of this year when we have progressed the scheme further and taken into account the comments raised at the recent event.
2. If yes, can another set of leaflets be sent out, and perhaps an advert in the May edition of Bushey News, plus place adverts at Bushey Country Club itself, and on any local noticeboards? It is extremely important that residents know about the proposals and have an opportunity to comment.
A. See above.
3. Can the drawing shown at the Exhibition for the Mixed Use Centre be updated, so that it shows a comprehensive layout of the whole site, and includes where the Country Park space will be, and where all the homes will be located, along with the entrance point for homes and Commercial/Community space?
A. A high-level version of this information is on the website on the Vision for the Country Park page and a more detailed site-wide plan including accesses will be shown at the next consultation.
4. Who are the lead officers for this development for both the Council and Griggs Homes? Please can details be made available so that local residents can make contact with any questions/comments or suggestions.
A. It is inappropriate for that information to be shared publicly and this is the purpose of the consultation – the website will remain live, and comments will come to the various parties. The email address to contact the project team is Busheycountryclub@consultation-online.co.uk
Parking and Deliveries on Site
5. There is a Multi Storey Car Park on the proposed plan. How tall will this building be and how many floors? How many parking spaces will there be? Is this for Food Store customers only? Will Food Store staff park in the Multi Storey Car Park? Will there be a maximum time limit for customers to park?
A. The current plans show a decked car park of circa 190 spaces, where 80 will be reserved for the food store. The parking time limit will be at the discretion of Hertsmere Borough Council who will be operating and managing the car park and these details have not yet been finalised.
6. How many parking spaces will there be for:
6(a). The Community Hub – the drawing shows 24 spaces?
A. This is indicative at the moment, as final details are to be discussed and agreed. Community Centre spaces are for Community Centre staff only, not the public.
6(b). The Nursery – no space is shown on the drawing. Will there be drop off spaces for parents?
A. This is the intention, plus a small allowance for staff – details to be finalised.
6(c). The Mixed use building, and unnamed square building – no spaces shown on the drawing.
A. No on-street parking spaces would be allocated to these buildings specifically, however alternative on-street parking will be available as well as provision within the decked car park.
6(d). The Performing Arts Building – some spaces shown, but possibly shared with residents?
A. We are speaking to MPAA on this, but details are yet to be finalised.
6(e). Will there be any Disabled Parking Bays and if yes how many?
A. Yes, currently proposing 4 disabled spaces on the ground floor in the main car park, plus there will be others within the development – details to be agreed at a later stage. The full requirements are yet to be finalised, but it is anticipated that there will be some spaces reserved for staff of the community building on site.
6(f). Will there be a dedicated space for the Community Police Vehicle when parked on site?
A. This is the intention.
7. Will there be any dedicated space for bicycles to be parked somewhere on site, so that cyclists can use the facilities and be able to lock their bikes up securely?
A. There will be cycle parking provided, together with motorcycle spaces in the decked car park; these will be included in the final details.
8. Will there be a drop off and collection point for electric bike hires?
A. There has been no request for this at this time; we will investigate this provision.
9. How many parking spaces will be allocated to residents and their visitors?
A. Parking will be provided for residents and visitors in line with the council’s adopted parking standards.
10. Will there be an allocated delivery bay in this area?
A. A dedicated delivery and service yard is provided to the rear (west) of the food store. In addition, consideration will be given to whether limited delivery bays can be accommodated within the proposed public square. Any such provision will be carefully designed to ensure it does not undermine the character of the space. The primary intention is for the square to function as a high quality public realm with a strong pedestrian focus, and the design will seek to avoid excessive vehicle presence or extensive parking in this area.
11. What other parking will there be for the new homes on the site? Will this be a ‘Residents Parking Only’ area, as has been determined elsewhere in Bushey?
A. We will provide residents parking in line with the council’s adopted parking strategy; at present there is no intention to make this a residents parking only area.
12. How will deliveries be made to The Community Hub, especially as there could be a Café in this block?
A. It is envisaged that there will be a space for delivery vehicles in close proximity to the community hub.
13. The drawing shows that deliveries to the new Food Store will be made via the present entrance to Beaumont House Care Home, with the entrance being widened and extended to allow access to the Care Home, and property on site.
A. This is the current plan; details have yet to be finalised. The access to the care home will not be negatively affected by this.
14. Was the Care Home consulted on this before the Exhibition event on 24 March? If not, why not?
A. The care home was contacted, with one of the team personally visiting them to invite them to the exhibition.
15. If this delivery road is agreed with the Care Home, can it be extended slightly so as to allow for deliveries to the back of the Community Hub?
A. The delivery road does not need to be agreed with the care home; it is to be constructed entirely on land within Hertsmere’s ownership and access to the care home will be maintained. We do not think that it is viable to create a through route to the community hub – the food store will need security, therefore we would need to provide a secondary route. We do not believe that the number of deliveries to the community hub will warrant this.
16. Will there be any car charging points located on the site? If yes, where?
A. Yes, there will be car charging points located on the site. It is likely that these will be in the decked car park, and details are being discussed with the relevant departments within the council. The residential units will also be provided with EV charging facilities in line with the council’s adopted standards and emerging government guidance. The locations are yet to be fixed and will form part of the second consultation.
Homes on Site and Infrastructure
17. Please can you give a breakdown of the number of new homes to be built on the site? (One- and two-bedroom flats; Terraced houses and number of bedrooms; Semi Detached houses and number of bedrooms; Detached houses and number of bedrooms – please also show the breakdown of affordable homes.)
A. This detail is not available at the present time as we are too early in the design process. However, as stated on the exhibition material, there will be a mix of 1–5 bedroom properties provided on the development, and it is our intention to provide 50% of the homes on this development as affordable homes in conjunction with a Registered Provider.
18. Based on present prices, what will be the expected price range of these properties be, including highlighting the ‘affordable’ homes?
A. We are unable at this time to project the price range of the dwellings as this will be dependent on market conditions at the time of the sale of the dwellings.
19. Will an affordable local connection policy be applied to buying any of the houses on site?
A. Any policies in relation to local connections will be discussed with the council and be implemented in line with council policy.
20. What is the total expected number of people moving into these homes – adults and children?
A. This will depend upon the final mix agreed and total number of homes to be provided.
21. What is the anticipated effect of this development, along with the additional 350 homes being built at Bushey Hall Golf Course? Can the local schools cope with an increase in students? Can the Medical Centre in Bushey cope with this increase? Has the Medical Centre and Hertfordshire Council been spoken to?
A. We are at early stages in the development of this scheme. As you will be aware, there is a draft allocation on the land within the soon to be released Regulation 18 consultation document, and as part of the allocation process the impact on local facilities will have been considered. There is no requirement within the draft policy to provide any financial or built contributions to the existing facilities. Through the pre-application meetings which we will be undertaking with the council and other relevant stakeholders these questions will be raised, and if there is a requirement for some form of contribution, this will be secured via section 106 agreement. Additionally, all technical reports and considerations will take into account surrounding development to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on the local area. It is also worth noting that the NHS are consulted as part of any planning application submitted and will be able to request the appropriate infrastructure contribution if this is deemed necessary. There is also a new doctor’s surgery being provided as part of the Bushey Hall Golf Club development.
22. How will the High Street cope with the new traffic from the homes on site and new facilities? There will be increased traffic from Watford and Bushey Heath, which at times will make the High Street very busy. How will the additional traffic into and out of the new entrance site and the present Care Home affect the High Street?
A. We will be undertaking a full transport assessment in relation to the effects of the additional traffic generation from the scheme, as part of our further works in preparing the planning application. Any issues that arise from this work will be mitigated within the application proposals.
Community Hub
23. What facilities will the Community Hub space include?
A. The intention is for the hub to provide the following facilities, subject to feedback and agreement with the council and stakeholders: hall space, Citizens Advice Bureau, Museum & Art Gallery space (including storage), library space, café, soft play area, police office, meeting rooms, plus staff facilities.
24. If there is to be hall space, then MPAA would be a prime user, as students could put on shows – therefore will you speak to MPAA to seek advice on the layout of the hall, so as to ensure stage, lighting, sound and seating is correct, along with storage space for tables and chairs?
A. As part of the work we are undertaking we are in contact with MPAA, and have discussed the hall space and requirements with them; these conversations are ongoing.
25. Could the hall be used for showing films and have private hires for events?
A. This will be down to the council to agree, but as the MPAA will only use this for a number of weeks per year, it can therefore be used for sports, recreation, community groups, weddings, banquets, etc.
26. Will HBC review how 96 Shenley Road in Borehamwood works as a Community Space – can any lessons be learnt from this?
A. Community spaces managed by the Council have informed the requirements and management of the new community hub.
27. Will there be a Café in the Community Hub?
A. Yes.
28. If yes, will the café kitchen be able to accommodate events in the hall space?
A. Yes.
29. What meeting spaces will there be in the Hub? What size rooms and how many people?
A. The design of the building has not been finalised but we are proposing to include some multi-purpose rooms, which could be used for meetings if the demand was there. Our aim is to design in flexibility to the spaces which will be provided to enable them to cater for various activities.
30. Will the Library and Museum be located in the Community Hub, or will they be allocated the Mixed Use building? Will either of these areas be made suitable? Museums have a lot of artefacts to store, and items such as paintings being on show would need to be carefully lit – will the developers be seeking advice on what is required for both Library and Museum/Arts Gallery? Will these areas be able to be locked and alarmed separately from the rest of the building if in the Community Hub, as opening times will differ?
A. The current plan is for these facilities to be located in the Community Hub. We have been in discussion with the Museum in relation to their requirements, which will include suitable storage and exhibition spaces, plus shop and staff/meeting facilities. As the design and specification evolve we will engage further with the stakeholders to ensure that the final building is fit for purpose. It is the intention that these areas will be able to be locked and alarmed separately.
31. What will happen to the present Library and Museum/Arts Gallery buildings if they move?
A. The council will need to decide this when a timetable for vacating the building is known.
32. Where will the Boxing Club go? Will there be any gym space available to local residents to use, such as at The Metropolitan Club in Bushey?
A. The Boxing Club is likely to be located in the mixed use building and discussions are ongoing with the Club owners. Local residents will be able to book space in the Community Hub for club activities.
33. Will there be a space for the Community Police Office?
A. Yes.
34. Can the outside space to the Community Hub have a small play area, so that parents can visit the site, use the café and allow their children to use the equipment? This would be in addition to anything located in the Country Park. The area would also need to be dog friendly.
A. The café will be positioned within the Community Hub to give direct access to the green area in front of the pond.
35. Can the Community Hub have the potential to have a ‘temporary’ marquee attached, which would allow space for large events to take place?
A. It has this potential. No decisions have yet been taken as to which organisation will manage the Community Hub.
36. Who is expected to manage the new Community Hub? Presently Inspire All manage the Community Centre and have a contract to do so – what will happen to that contract when the Centre is knocked down?
A. No decisions have yet been taken as to which organisation will manage the Community Hub.
37. Will there be a space for the potential Parish Council? How big would this be?
A. The Community Hub is being designed to provide a high level of flexibility. While no specific space has been allocated exclusively for a Parish Council, the proposed meeting space could potentially accommodate Parish Council meetings. At this stage, this has not formed part of the formal design brief.
38. Is there a possibility that the new Parish Council, if agreed to have one, would be asked to manage the site?
A. Should a Parish Council be established in the future, no assumptions have been made regarding its role in managing the site. No decisions have yet been taken on the management arrangements for the Community Hub; however, it is anticipated that the facility will be operated on a professional basis.
Food Store
39. Where exactly will the main entrance to the Food Store be? Will this be located along the High Street? Will there be another entrance point?
A. The current design includes an entrance on the High Street, positioned at the corner nearest to the access road.
40. What will the size of the New Food Store be?
A. The current design shows a retail floor space of c.930 sq m (c.10,000 sq ft).
40(a). And how does this compare to Waitrose in Harrow Weald in size?
A. We are not in possession of the details of the other store, but are aware that this is a dual use building. From looking at the mapping it would appear that the footprints are roughly of a similar size.
41. How many deliveries to the Food Store are expected each day? What is the earliest and latest time that a delivery will be taken? How many Home Deliveries will be made each day?
A. We do not have the specific details at the present time, but this information will be taken into account within our transport assessment for the entire scheme.
42. What is the expected footfall of the store each day? How many cars are expected to visit the Multi Storey Car Park each day?
A. We do not have the specific details at the present time, but this information will be taken into account within our transport assessment for the entire scheme.
43. What are the expected opening times of the Food Store Monday to Sunday and Bank Holidays?
A. We do not have the specific details at the present time; this will be dependent upon the final user of the store, and subject to planning approval.
44. How many staff will be working in the Food Store each day? How many new staff positions are expected to be generated by the Food Store?
A. We do not have these details at present, as they will depend upon the final user of the store which is yet to be confirmed. These details will form part of the planning application submission.
45. What changes to the road layout on the High Street are expected to be able to accommodate the new development? Will there be new traffic lights located on the High Street? Or will there be a mini roundabout at the new entrance point?
A. We are still at very early stages in the design, but any design will need to be agreed with the highways authority and go through a number of checks to ensure that there is no negative impact. We are looking to try to reduce the speed of vehicles in this area and make the whole frontage more pedestrian friendly.
46. What negative and positive effects are expected for other shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses located on the High Street? Is it expected that Spar will take a ‘hit’ due to a large Food Store opening?
A. Economic evidence and the evidence base for the Hertsmere Local Plan indicates that additions to the high street would result in an overall increase to the vitality and footfall within the area as a whole, therefore increasing business along the High Street rather than redistributing business from it. Our intention is not to create an adverse impact on the existing retail provision in the area.
47. If a Food Store is to be built on Bushey Country Club site, is it still expected that a new Food Store also be built in Bushey Heath? Would this be financially viable?
A. We cannot comment on other proposals.
Country Park and Green Space Area
48. Where will visitors park to use the Country Park area? Will this be paid for parking?
A. We are providing a decked car park on site which will be available for parking; however, we would hope that people would not drive to use the country park. Our understanding is that the parking will be subject to charge, except for customers parking in the dedicated spaces allocated to the Food Store.
49. Will there be any new buildings on site to manage the Country Park? For example, a staff office and maintenance compound?
A. There is nothing proposed at present as part of the development.
50. Or will the site be managed and maintained by an external company or council department?
A. We are working on the premise that the country park will be managed and maintained by the council’s parks department, although this is part of ongoing discussions.
51. How will the Country Park area be designed so as to ensure that there is no further building on this space? How can this Green Space be protected?
A. It is proposed that the undeveloped land will be designated as Public Open Space.
52. Will there be dedicated walking and cycling paths through the Park? Will British Cycling be consulted on the type of cycle pathways? Could there be a safe cycling area built for young people? Will there be any Children’s Play Area?
A. We have not looked at any detailed designs for the country park as yet – this will be undertaken shortly.
53. As we have Elstree Film Studios and Sky Studios both located in Borehamwood, is it expected that the new site could be used for filming in the future, as happens at Black Park in Buckinghamshire? If yes, will there be discussions with the studios about any particular requirements for filming, so this could be addressed at the building stage?
A. Our intention is to design this space as a country park with the emphasis on ecological enhancement, and to provide a valuable resource for existing and new residents.
54. There are approximately 90 trees across the site that presently have Tree Preservation Orders on – will all of these trees be retained?
A. Our intention is to retain as many of the existing trees on the site as possible. We will shortly be undertaking a full arboricultural and ecological assessment of the entirety of the land, and this will be used to inform the designs. If any trees need to be removed, this will be subject to the approval of the planning application.
55. Will any new trees be planted on the site as a result of cutting down trees to build the new homes and other buildings?
A. There will be a full landscaping proposal which will accompany any planning application submitted, which will contain details of all proposed tree and shrub planting.
56. Will local schools be allowed to bring their pupils to the new Country Park? Will there be facilities on site to accommodate such groups of children safely? Will there be a toilet block located within the Country Park?
A. The Country Park will be a publicly accessible open space, and as such there will be no restrictions on who may use it, including local schools wishing to visit as part of educational or recreational activities. Any visit by a school would be arranged at the school’s discretion, and responsibility for supervising pupils and managing safety arrangements would rest with the school. At this stage, there are no proposals to provide dedicated facilities within the Country Park for visiting groups, including toilet facilities. The park is intended to function as a natural, open-access environment rather than a serviced visitor attraction.
57. Is it anticipated that the new Country Park could be used for any future Bushey Festival or similar? If so, will this be taken into account when creating the space so that the infrastructure can cope?
A. The intention is to design the country park for general community use with an emphasis on ecological enhancement. It will be for the council to consider whether large-scale events can take place in the park, although we are not designing the country park with this in mind as there have been no instructions to do so.
58. Is the lake any concern for future flooding of the area with the proposed new buildings? Are there any other flood risk concerns?
A. The drainage to the scheme will need to be designed with attenuation to ensure that no more water runs off the site than in its pre-developed form.
59. Will there be any zebra crossing installed on the High Street to allow residents to safely cross from the new development to the other side of the High Street?
A. We have more work to undertake in assessing any highway improvements, but it is a definite intention to improve pedestrian safety and permeability in the area; this may involve new crossing points.
Building Timetable and Construction
60. The Next Steps show that it is anticipated that a planning application will be submitted by late summer, and be determined by late 2026. Can an expected timetable be shown from starting work to finishing the whole development?
A. We would normally expect a development of this scale to take between 24–36 months to complete from start on site. It would be our intention to run the local centre and residential developments concurrently.
61. What present buildings and areas will be knocked down first and when? What buildings will be built first – the Food Store and Multi Storey Car Park before anything else?
A. We do not have a fixed building sequence or programme yet as the final designs are not fixed, but it would be our intention to commence works on the buildings which will be occupied by existing tenants first, to enable them to enjoy continuous tenancy.
62. How much notice will present users/tenants be given?
A. Tenants will be given notice as per the contractual agreements that are in place.
63. Will any of the present tenants be accommodated elsewhere whilst the build takes place?
A. Contractual arrangements are confidential.
64. What access point(s) will be required for the building work to take place?
A. We have not finalised this as yet.
65. What is the anticipated noise and construction impact during the build phase on neighbouring residents and businesses? What days of the week and times is construction expected to take place? How will the High Street road structure and pavement area be kept clean?
A. As with any planning application for building works we will need to submit a management plan for the construction works to the council for their approval. We would look to minimise any impact to our neighbours during construction, but it is inevitable that there will be some.
66. Will the new homes be built to any particular environmental standard? Will any homes have solar panels and/or heat pumps?
A. We will look to build the new houses in line with the current government and local authority standards which are in force at the time of determination. This is likely to include the use of heat pumps and solar panels, but we are too early in the process to give any firm numbers on this at this stage.
67. Is there any expected to be any issues with the provision of utility, broadband and telephone services to Bushey whilst the construction takes place?
A. None that we are currently aware of. It would be our intention to work with the utility providers to ensure that this is the case.
Covenant and Other Issues on Bushey Country Club
68. It is believed that there is a Covenant stopping any future building on part of the Bushey Country Club site, in an area close to the lake and Beaumont Care Home. Is this correct?
A. No.
69. If yes, how are the Council getting round such a Covenant on the site? Are there any other covenants or pieces of land on the Bushey Country Club site that do not belong to the Council?
A. No.
70. Japanese Knotweed was discovered on site in late 2025, along the area next to the Care Home and down to the lake. Has this been resolved? If not, when and how will it be removed safely? Will there be any future issues of Japanese Knotweed returning to the site?
A. The Council has instructed an environmental specialist to deal with this. It will be an ongoing treatment process for now.
71. Will Hertsmere Borough Council place any covenants, or similar, on the remaining Country Park area, so as to stop any further building on the site under a new Unitary Authority?
A. As above, the intention is to designate it as Public Open Space.