One of the views of the colourful blocks of student flats

THE demolition of nine family homes to make way for 401 student rooms will NOT go ahead, after a planning appeal failed.

One of the views of the colourful blocks of student flats

Hatfield Student Accommodation Ltd was refused planning permission in August by Welwyn Hatfield Council due to issues with parking, chalk mining beneath the site and the design being out of character with the area.

The developer planned to build five colourful blocks, with just 12 parking spaces on land at College Lane, Hatfield.

A five-day appeal took place in December and January, with planning inspector Bob Lyons releasing his decision this week.

The ruling read: “I consider the proposal would introduce something that is not of the community under consideration and is not necessary to that community.

“It would place a concentrated student community some distance from the university campus alongside a residential community with which it would have little in common.

“I judge the proposal would create an abrupt and towering change from modest dwellings to multi-storey buildings of modern design.

“It would not provide a transition between the housing and the campus character; rather it would appear as an island of tall buildings insensitively dominating the remaining College Lane dwellings from close quarters.”

During the planning inquiry the council reiterated its stance that it believed the development site was at very high risk of collapse due to historic chalk mines, a point argued by the developer’s witness.

Mr Lyon’s judgement went on: “The company asserts the nature of the chalk mining hazard posed by the site is not unusual or exceptional and the scale of the actual problem is quite normal for many towns and cities underlain by chalk.

“I prefer the view expressed by the council’s consultant who has had years of experience of the topics focused in Hatfield itself.

“The current investigations are insufficient to establish whether or not mine workings are present on the site, or the potential impact of any collapse.”

The appeal was rejected on a total of six planning grounds.

Mr Lyons also dismissed an appeal by the same applicant for a development of flats at Roe Green Close, Hatfield.