McLaren Living submits plans for Clarendon Road, a new mixed-use urban quarter in Watford
McLaren Living submits plans for Clarendon Road, a new mixed-use urban quarter in Watford
314 build-to-rent homes, flexible office workspace, retail space and a new public square
McLaren Living, the residential developer with a focus on Build-to-Rent and Co-Living, has submitted plans to Watford Borough Council for the redevelopment of the Watford Police Station and Magistrates Court on Clarendon Road in Watford.
The 1.75 acre brownfield site, forms part of the Watford Gateway Strategic Development Area in Watford Borough Council’s adopted Local Plan and has been earmarked for comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment. In the heart of the town centre, the site is located close to excellent local amenities and is within 100 metres of Watford Junction Station, which benefits from fast, frequent services directly into London Euston.
The proposals by McLaren Living will regenerate this underutilised town centre site, to create a vibrant, mixed-use community. The proposals comprise a new publicly accessible Garden Square on Clarendon Road, 314 market and affordable build-to-rent homes, 31,441ft² of flexible high-quality employment floorspace in a standalone building, 4,485ft² of retail space, including a café facing the Garden Square and approximately 6,000ft² of children’s play space.
The development plans support the wider policy objectives of the Watford Gateway Strategic Development Area and the Clarendon Road Primary Office Location, through the redevelopment of the site to create a new mixed-use urban quarter of high-quality design and placemaking. They aim to improve the provision of public realm in the local area, by delivering a landscaped Garden Square which retains the existing mature trees along Clarendon Road.
The proposals will deliver, and in many respects exceed, the principles in Watford’s Sustainability Strategy by seeking to reduce embodied carbon by re-purposing some of the existing structure on site. A range of sustainability and energy efficient measures result in a carbon reduction of 72.5%. The development will also bring significant employment opportunities to the area throughout the construction and operational phases.
In partnership with the landowner, Hertfordshire Police Constabulary, McLaren Living has undertaken a comprehensive programme of stakeholder and community engagement and a collaborative approach throughout the design and planning process.
Patrick Joyce, Development Director at McLaren Living, commented:
“Our vision is to bring forward a new mixed-use quarter in the commercial heart of Watford, helping breathe new life into this part of Clarendon Road by delivering much needed new homes, high quality workspace, retail space and a new publicly accessible Garden Square.
“We’ve liaised closely with the local community, stakeholders and the council on our plans for Clarendon Road and look forward to continuing our work to deliver a new neighbourhood for Watford.”
Hertfordshire Constabulary vacated the site in February 2024, having relocated to their new premises on George Street in Watford.
