A proposal for 107 flats at the Old Electricity Works in St Albans has been given planning permission.

A meeting of the planning committee of St Albans council on Monday, June 25 granted permission to the plans for the Campfield Road site, which also includes office space and 122 parking spaces.

Developer representative Ben Rogers told the meeting: “Our plans have been developed through significant consultation with the council as well as a public consultation exercise carried out towards the end of last year.

“Our proposal will provide a high-quality and well-designed environment for future residents of St Albans.”

The development is supported by St Albans Civic Society, and will bring with it £600k of funding for transport links, education and open spaces in the vicinity.

£340k will be given to the NHS to help it absorb the estimated 214 new patient registrations.

Speaking in opposition to the proposal was Ashley councillor Anthony Rowlands, who said: “It is a major development that has caused a lot of concern.

“The two main ones are the scale and mass of this development, which will loom large and be very overbearing.”

He told committee members there is very little on-street parking in parts of Campfield Road and on nearby Roland Street and Valerie Close.

“This is going to make a tight on-street parking situation worse.”

Committee member Jacqui Taylor made reference to nearby residential developments at The Camp Pub and Beaumont Works, saying: “If other developments have been allowed, there is no increase in road space. You have the effect of one development on top of another. “I do not think we can allow a much lower number of car parking spaces because of the increasing pressures one development on top of another puts on local roads.”

But several committee members voiced their support for the Brownfield site proposal, with Cllr Tim Smith said: “This is a prime site to help us along on our housing supply”, and Cllr Tom Clegg calling it an “excellent site”.

To see the full plans, go to www.stalbans.gov.uk/planning/Searchforplanningapplications and search for 5/2018/0095