The approved plans for several blocks of flats up to nine storeys tall along Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City, and their additional proposals, have been a contentious talking point for all residents.

Some residents feel that the blocks of flats reduce the appeal of the town and go against its ideology, while others see it as a much needed development of the land that helps protect other areas from the Green Belt.

The phrase 'mini-Manhattan' was used to describe a proposal for the area, which would take the height of some blocks up to 10 storeys.

The height of the buildings has been one of the main talking points in the community.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Broadwater Road development in Welwyn Garden City.The Broadwater Road development in Welwyn Garden City. (Image: Alan Davies)

This paper decided to examine if Welwyn Garden City, with all of its founding principals, is the right place for a tower block of flats?

Welwyn Garden City's original architect certainly seemed to think so:

Louis De Soissons letter

In a letter sent on August 24, 1961, Louis De Soissons - Welwyn Garden City's original town architect who even designed the Shredded Wheat Factory - wrote about the possibility of building a tower block.

De Soissons details why he didn't originally consider a tower block for the town, stating there was no housing crisis at the time and people still had 'the traditional English leaning toward the small house with its own garden'.

However, by the time of writing the letter, he believed that people had become much more 'flat minded'.

He continued: "the national shortage of land has become so acute that, as you know, the very garden city idea itself is now regarded as unjustifiably prodigal of land.

"Enough of this town has been built, of course, to ensure that Welwyn Garden City is still true to name, but I consider that a more intensive use of land is entirely appropriate to the Town Centre, without denying the Garden City principle in the town as a whole."

This letter was sent some 40 years after Welwyn Garden City first came to be, but only a decade after the first tower block - arguably at the height of their popularity.

The first residential tower block in the world, "The Lawn", had only been constructed in Harlow, Essex, just over 10 years prior in 1951.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Page one of Louis De Soissons letter about building a tower block in Welwyn Garden CityPage one of Louis De Soissons letter about building a tower block in Welwyn Garden City (Image: Herts Archives)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Page two of De Soissons letterPage two of De Soissons letter (Image: Herts Archives)

18-storey tower block

The Russelcroft Road flats De Soissons discussed had plans for two nine-storey blocks - a similar height to the approved blocks on Broadwater Road. However he was 'never keen' on the idea as he thought they would be too chunky and would 'not be really high enough'.

His idea was to have a single 18-storey tower block.

He believed a large tower block of even up to 20 storeys or more would be seen as a 'pivotal site' within the town centre - which he felt lacked verticality.

"It may perhaps be argued that the Shredded Wheat silo block provides all the verticality which the Town Centre needs," he conceded.

"Certainly it is the only building in the town which can be seen and recognised from afar but it is not the most appropriate structure by which the town should be seen and recognised, and because of its placing it is not an effective element within the town centre itself - nor should it be."

The town planner felt the Shredded Wheat factory - where several blocks of flats are currently being built - was not the right location.

In his opinion a tall building on the west side of Howardsgate would have created a 'dramatic climax' for the town.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Chair of the WGC Heritage Trust, Tony SkottoweChair of the WGC Heritage Trust, Tony Skottowe (Image: Danny Loo Photography 2017)

The WHT contacted Tony Skottowe, chair of Welwyn Garden City Heritage, for his opinion and some background on the letter.

He said: "[Frederic] Osborn was quite devastated at Louis De Soissons' attitude as it seemed so completely out of character. It is also the case that De Soissons was responding to the criticism levelled at Welwyn Garden City by the architects of the time, 1962, that it was a 'dreary two storey development', the sort of ill informed comment sometimes levelled at the town today.

"We are trying to get hold of a copy of Osborn's letter but understand that he was extremely angry about the idea."

Tony also sent a quote he felt was relevant from Maurice De Soissons, Louis' son, which said: "From the privileged position of more than 25 years on, one can see how the then prevailing modern architectural views dictated high rise buildings, and how this was an attempt to integrate this 'of the minute' thinking into a building for Welwyn Garden City, even though the town was so clearly built on an intimate small scale with which people could equate so well."

Tony continued: "Osborn always argued that surveys demonstrated that families always preferred houses with gardens over flats, despite what architects believe. A lovely quote from one of his talks is that: 'I ask for planning for the people by the people. I do not want planning of the people'."

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Ebenezer Howard founded Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City on the same principalsEbenezer Howard founded Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City on the same principals (Image: Garden City Collection)

What are the Garden City Principles?

A common topic of debate is that a large tower block of flats would go against the Garden City Principles - below are all the Garden City Principles from the International Garden Cities Institute's website.

  • Strong vision, leadership and community engagement
  • Land value capture for the benefit of the community
  • Community ownership of land and long-term stewardship of assets
  • Mixed-tenure homes and housing types that are affordable for ordinary people
  • Beautifully and imaginatively designed homes with gardens in healthy communities
  • A strong local jobs offer in the garden city itself and within easy commuting distance
  • Opportunities for residents to grow their own food, including allotments
  • Generous green space, including: surrounding belt of countryside to prevent unplanned sprawl; well connected and biodiversity-rich public parks; high quality gardens; tree-lined streets; and open spaces
  • Strong cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable neighbourhoods
  • Integrated and accessible transport systems

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Broadwater Road development in Welwyn Garden City.The Broadwater Road development in Welwyn Garden City. (Image: Alan Davies)

Would a tower block suit Welwyn Garden City today?

On some level this is matter of preference or may depend on how you interpret the Garden City Principles.

With regards to a tower block, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's interpretation can possibly be found in the supplementary planning document (SPD) for the developments around the Old Shredded Wheat Factory.

The SPD states that the silos "It is generally considered that buildings on the site should not be more than five storeys in height".

The SPD was adopted by the council in December 2008, aiming to set out a clear framework to bring about the sustainable regeneration and redevelopment of the site.

The document did however list which criteria would be considered for proposals that wanted to go over the five storey limit, which included: Relationship to context of the site and the wider area, effect on historic context of the site and the wider area and Relationship to transport infrastructure.

The full list can be found by searching 'Broadwater Road West Supplementary Planning Document 2008'

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The area where De Soissons thought there should have been a tower of flatsThe area where De Soissons thought there should have been a tower of flats (Image: Google Maps)

The Local Plan

So why has the outcome varied so much from what was recommended in the SPD? Why are there buildings that are going to be almost twice the size than suggested in the SPD?

One answer may be due to the pressure of Local Plan, which legally requires the council to build 16,000 homes in the borough - though the council have argued this figures should be several thousand lower.

By allocating around 2,000 homes at the Wheat Quarter and Bio Park developments, it has allowed the council to reduced the number of 'high harm' Green Belt sites.

Speaking previously on the topic of the developments by the Old Shredded Wheat factory Cllr Stephen Boulton, executive member for environment and planning said: "We want to make the most of housing sites in and around our town centres to protect the green belt, as our communities have asked us, but we also need to ensure development respects the character of our towns and quality of life for residents."

Your thoughts?

The plans to build blocks of flats on the land have already been approved, while proposals to increase their size are under consideration.

So there is little to do to prevent the blocks of flats being built or alter their design - but given the chance, we would like to know what you would have done with the land.

Would you build something similar to the approved plans? Would your plans take into consideration the Local Plans?

Let us know, send your opinions and ideas to Matt.Powell@archant.co.uk