A �26-MILLION proposal to regenerate part of St Albans city centre has been withdrawn after planning officers at the district council recommended refusal. Antringham Verulamium s application to build a multi-million pound complex including a budget hotel

A �26-MILLION proposal to regenerate part of St Albans city centre has been withdrawn after planning officers at the district council recommended refusal.

Antringham Verulamium's application to build a multi-million pound complex including a budget hotel and leisure facilities on the Hertfordshire House site in Bricket Road was due to go before a planning referrals committee this evening (Tuesday).

But the company withdrew the application yesterday (Monday) for reasons unknown.

Planning officers had recommended that councillors refuse the application, along with Conservation Area consent to demolish the existing building.

Antringham's multi-million pound proposal included an 87-bedroom Travelodge hotel, 46 residential apartments and leisure and retail facilities along with 12,600 square feet of office space.

The office space could have potentially housed the police who will be looking for new accommodation when their current station in Victoria Street is sold for redevelopment.

Among the many reasons for the recommendation for refusal was the number of affordable housing units in the scheme which accounts for 13 per cent of the figure - below the 35 per cent required by the council.

The planning officers felt the proposed development would prejudice the remainder of the area earmarked for regeneration, known as Civic Centre South (CCS).

Concerns were also raised about the loss of trees and hedgerow on the application site and the loss of open character.

In addition, officers thought that the height of the proposal of up to 19 metres, or five to six storeys, was too great and would be overly dominant and detrimental to the street scene and Conservation Area.