18/08/08 - Council looking to encourage more businesses to the town centre

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council will be reviewing its planning application procedures to encourage more retailers and businesses into Hatfield town centre.

Currently there are policies regulating the mix of retail uses in the town centre.  The council will be discussing at a Planning and Transportation panel meeting on 21 August whether to take a more flexible approach for the foreseeable future in order to reduce the number of vacant units. 

Executive Member for Planning and Environmental Health, Councillor Mandy Perkins said: “The town centre regeneration project has experienced the national pressures of the economic slowdown, which has caused a delay to the work. 

“In anticipation of the project, several units had been vacated.  It is important that we strike a balance between the need to enhance the vitality of the town centre and the need to respond to the economic pressures affecting Hatfield Town Centre.  We have moved quickly to review the regulations with the aim of encouraging more retailers into the town centre.  Ultimately, we want to see a vibrant and energetic town centre that residents can enjoy.

The council has recently pledged to repair or replace the park benches and bins in the centre, replant the flowerbeds, remove all graffiti in the town centre and to install new toilet facilities. 

The council has also increased the hours street wardens operate in the town centre, agreed to install CCTV cameras, has recently started negotiations to increase the number of social/family events in the town centre.

If you own a business in Hatfield and would like to place tables and chairs on the paving/pedestrian areas, Hertfordshire Highways can licence this. You can apply for a form by emailing midwestherts.area@hertshighways.org.uk