Sainsbury’s in new bid to build supermarket in St Albans pub’s beer garden

Numerous objections have already been received by the district council after Sainsbury’s resubmitted an application to build a convenience store in an historic pub’s garden.

The revised application for the proposed store in the garden of the Grade II listed Three Hammers pub in Watford Road, Chiswell Green, claims to have ‘materially and significantly amended’ the reasons for the scheme being refused on appeal earlier this year.

Among the changes are a redesign of the rear projection intended to improve the impact on the occupiers of 216 Watford Road and measures put in place to prevent noise and disturbance including acoustic barriers, sound reduction measures to the plant and the provision of rubberised matting in the delivery area.

But the changes have not appeased residents who came out strongly against the first proposal backed by the Chiswell Green Residents Association and St Stephen parish council.

It was turned down by St Albans councillors and failed to win over the Planning Inspectorate at appeal.

One objection points out that the main change appears to have been what the residents of 216 Watford Road would see from their rear window but did not detract from the noise and light pollution that would be caused to all neighbouring houses.

Others reiterated concerns about the impact a Sainsbury’s convenience store would have on local shops, the unsuitability of the site and the likely impact of additional traffic in a village that had become a ‘mini St Albans’ and was already suffering an increase in traffic.

Consultation into the revised application closes on December 23.