Our Vision - Scotts Wood Park

Our vision

A sustainable new community

Our aspiration for the development of Scotts Wood Park is to create a vibrant and sustainable community that encourages economic growth, social interaction and the highest quality design which will benefit the local community of Bushey.

These proposals have been developed in consultation with planning officers and the local community and have been adjusted to reflect this feedback.

To view the updated vision for these proposals, please see below:

New homes

High quality new homes meeting local housing need

A mix of 350 high quality new homes will be delivered as part of the proposals helping meet the needs of the ongoing housing crisis.

The new homes will be a mixture of sizes and tenures, including 70% affordable housing, enabling more residents to get onto the housing ladder including first time buyers, families looking to upsize or residents looking to downsize.

Further to this, it will help Hertsmere Borough Council hit their housing and affordable homes targets, a key consideration for the Council and an important stepping stone for people in the area.

Recent assessments of Hertsmere’s housing supply show:

Hertsmere has provided just 10% of their required affordable housing in the last 12 years.
A recent planning appeal showed that Hertsmere cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply – with only 1.36 years currently secured.
The Council’s housing waiting list has risen by 27% between 2014-2023.
The current number of households assessed to be homeless (513) is also at its highest peak.

The design of the new homes will seek to reflect the architectural vernacular and assimilate into the existing character of the local area and Bushey more widely, whilst also creating a distinctive sense of place. The updated proposals will provide a mixture of family housing with over 50% of the scheme delivered as 3 and 4 bed homes.

Health facilities

Increased offering of health facilities in Bushey

As part of the proposals, land to the northeast of the site has been set aside for medical / well-being centre subject to discussion with Hertsmere Borough Council.

The proposed medical / wellbeing centre will help meet the need within the Borough for additional and improved healthcare facilities as well as reducing pressures on existing facilities and the need for travel to existing facilities for the residents of Bushey.

The updated proposals reinforce Griggs Homes’ commitment to explore these options with the local health authority as part of this application.

Community hub for health and well being

Community, Health and Well-being Hub for health and well being

As part of the proposals, land to the northeast of the site has been set aside for a Community, Health and Well-being Hub which will have the potential to incorporate health facilities in the Northwest parcel of the site.

The new hub will be located to be accessible to the existing North Bushey community as well as new residents of the development. The hub will also be well connected to Park Avenue and local bus services located the heart of the existing and proposed communities.

The feedback demonstrated the Community, Health and Well-being Hub was a supported addition to the proposals and the updated proposals retain the hub for future community use.

Access and connectivity

Gateway to the development

These proposals will enable the site to become publicly accessible, with extensive areas of public open space proposed for existing residents of Bushey and the new residents of the development. The site fulfils local travel need and connectivity because:

Promoting public access to the site

The site has huge opportunities to utilise existing access points to shops, services, open spaces and public transport nodes.
The proposals will include new footpaths, woodland walks and cycle ways to promote health and wellbeing by opening up the site for public use.

Improving sustainable transport options

There is good public transport accessibility with Watford and Bushey, including existing bus services on Park Avenue and future bus extension services from A41 Elstree to Radlett.
There are opportunities for enhanced cycle connections, including utilising the Beryl bike e-bike scheme hub in North Bushey.
The site will provide connections linking local roads – such as Park Avenue and Aldenham Road – which previously had no access through the site.
We are working with Herts County Council to provide extra sustainability measures to complement these connections.

The access has been assessed as part of the Transport Assessment and the Road Safety Audit undertaken to confirm that the proposed vehicular access for the residential elements of the scheme can be achieved. The access off Bushey Hall Drive will serve the residential parts of the scheme only which will reduce traffic movements along Bushey Hall Drive.

The access on Bushey Hall Drive has been chosen given the existing access on the road, the avoidance of flood zones in the area and to maximise retention of trees.

Mitigation will also be provided through the inclusion of visibility splays and the access has also been assessed to ensure that the site can utilised by refuse vehicles.