LAND AT CHEQUERSFIELD

WELWYN GARDEN CITY

AL7 4TX

DESCRIPTION

The site provides a rare opportunity to acquire 11.61 acres of land offering strong redevelopment potential to meet local and regional requirements.
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A RANGE OF DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES AND POTENTIAL
USES (SUBJECT TO PLANNING)
SITE AREA APPROXIMATELY
11.61 ACRES (4.7 HECTARES)
WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO
A1(M) VIA JUNCTION 4
EXCELLENT ACCESS
TO LABOUR
ESTABLISHED LOCATION FOR
TRADE COUNTER & INDUSTRIAL

PLANNING & SITE HISTORY

Proposed Submission – August 2016. The area is currently allocated for B1, B2, B8 Use
Classes. It is referenced in the Local Plan that there are very few sites in the designated employment areas and mixed-use sites incorporating employment uses that have yet to be developed.

Under section 12.59 the Local Planning Authority (LPA) will encourage proposals for the development and reuse of land which is or may be contaminated in line with the general thrust of national planning policy. Under the 1995 Environment Act the LPA has duty to identify sites which may be contaminated and determine the remediation requirements.

294 hectares of employment land have been identified to maintain a sufficient supply of jobs in the borough and provide the opportunity for new employment floorspace to be provided between 2013 and 2032, allowing for flexibility in the face of economic changes. Provision will be made for at least 116,400 sq.m of new floorspace for industry, offices and warehousing over the plan period from designated employment areas and mixed use sites including the strategic development site at Marshmoor, Welham Green as set out on the Polices Map.

The LPA will support economic prosperity, encourage inward investment and the creation of a range jobs by:

  • Resisting the loss of land from Class B uses
  • Retaining a stock of good quality employment land and premises
  • Ensuring that provision is made to meet the needs of business sectors that are already well represented in Welwyn Hatfield and those that are looking to invest in the area
  • Maintaining a balance of types of employment so that opportunities are available for
    people with a range of different skills and levels of skill
  • Ensuring that provision is made for a range of opportunities, in terms of sites and
    premises, to allow new and emerging sectors to be accommodated and
  • Recognising the important role played by non-Class B land uses (including retail) in
    providing employment and contributing to the local economy.

The LPA will also support the provision of other uses that are ancillary to, but supportive of, Class B uses in designated employment areas.

As a non-allocated residential site, it will be considered a windfall site, which in accordance with adopted policy H2 (Windfall Development) will be acceptable provided:

  • The availability of previously developed sites and/or buildings
  • The location and accessibility of the site to services and facilities by transport modes other than the car
  • The capacity of existing and potential infrastructure to absorb further development
  • The ability to reinforce existing communities, including providing a demand for
    services and facilities and
  • The physical and environmental constraints on development of land.

The site was used as a quarry for brickearth and aggerates in the 1930’s and later used in the 1950s and 1960s for landfill. The site was acquired by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) in 1975 to be used as school playing fields. This use ceased in the 1990s and it is understood to have remained vacant since.    

In light of its landfill history, the site has been the subject of extensive technical
investigations which have confirmed the site is contaminated.

For the avoidance of doubt, landfill sites are excluded from the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) definition of previously developed land. The site is therefore considered ‘greenfield’.

The property is not located in any sort of environmental conservation area.

Land Remediation Relief is a relief from corporation tax. It provides a deduction of 100%, plus an additional deduction of 50%, for qualifying expenditure incurred by companies in cleaning up land acquired from a third party in a contaminated state. See link below for further detail:

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/corporate-intangibles-research-and-development-manual/cird60015

LOCAL ECONOMY

Welwyn Garden City is located in the county of Hertfordshire, being well accessed by road via Junction 23 of the M25 just to the south and A1(M) motorway.

There are a number of larger occupiers who moved into the area during the 1990s and early 2000s, such as Tesco. The largest subsector in Welwyn is Administration and Support Services accounting for c. 10% of the total employment.

806,213

people live in the Welwyn Hatfield District, part of the county of Hertfordshire

598,438

are economically active people providing a healthy workforce
Government initiative to provide

16,000

new homes by 2033
Following this a further

7,000

planned in future development
Increased

GROWTH

in employment in the area

VIRTUAL TOUR

LOCATION

The site is accessed via Chequersfield (A1000) in the town of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, which lies 24.6 miles to the north of Central London.

Located in the heart of Hertfordshire, Welwyn Garden City is one of two major towns in the Welwyn Hatfield district and benefits from strong road connections to the wider region via the A1(M) and A414. The A1(M) runs through the centre of the district providing access to the East Midlands to the north and London and the M25 to the south. Additionally, the A414 provides links east towards Hertford and Harlow and west towards St Albans and Hemel Hempstead.

The East Coast Main Line runs through Welwyn Garden City train station, which is just 1.4 miles from the site, to London King’s Cross with services currently provided by Thameslink and Great Northern.

The site is located adjacent to a local bus route, which provides access to St Albans, Hatfield and further afield including Heathrow Airport.
A1 (M) Junction 4 2.1 miles
Hatfield Business Park 3.7 miles
Hertfordshire University 3.4 miles
A1 (M) Junction 1 / M25 8.9 miles
Roehyde Interchange / A414 4.2 miles
M1 Junction 8 13.2 miles
Welwyn Garden Centre Train Station 1.4 miles
Central London 25.2 miles
London Stansted Airport 27.8 miles
London Luton Airport 14.0 miles
London Gateway 47.5 miles
Felixstowe 106.0 miles

TERMS

Hertfordshire County Council have Cabinet approval to sell the site on an unconditional basis with the purchaser assuming full responsibility in respect of ground conditions.

Vacant possession can be provided immediately subject to agreement on completion of the contract.

Interested parties are required to confirm their interest in the land and upon the bids process will be required to provide the following information and to satisfy the relevant purchaser criteria, as follows:

  • Nature of proposed use and/or development proposals
  • Track record in dealing with similar development schemes
  • Track record in dealing with contaminated sites of this nature
  • Availability of suitable resources for any proposed development of the land
  • Any other information that is considered relevant
  • Financial status and readily available funding to deal with remediation and
    proposed development

Further information and inspection can be arranged through the sole agents.

We are informed is not elected for VAT.

Prospective purchasers will be required to cover the council's reasonably incurred professional and marketing cost in connection with the transaction, capped at £40,000 + VAT

The purchaser will be required to submit documentation to satisfy anti-money laundering regulations.

Interested parties wishing to view the site are asked to provide prior notification to Lambert Smith Hampton before viewing

DATA ROOM

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CONTACT

Joe Skinner
E: JSkinner@lsh.co.uk
T: 0773 997 3929

Emma Kibble
E: EKibble@lsh.co.uk
T: 0739 588 5801

Tom Wood
E: TWood@lsh.co.uk
T: 0776 175 7976

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Our property particulars do not represent an offer or contract, or part of one. The information given is without responsibility on the part of the agents, seller(s) or lessor(s) and you should not rely on the information as being factually accurate about the property, its condition or its value. Neither Lambert Smith Hampton nor anyone in its employment or acting on its behalf has authority to make any representation or warranty in relation to this property. We have not carried out a detailed survey, nor tested the services, appliances or fittings at the property. The images shown may only represent part of the property and are as they appeared at the time of being photographed. The areas, measurements and distances are approximate only. Any reference to alterations or use does not mean that any necessary planning permission, building regulation or other consent has been obtained. The VAT position relating to the property may change without notice. Note: All plans not to scale. 
Compiled April 2023
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