What will Hatfield Town Centre look like in the future?

Well, you can now find out. In the lead up to the Public Inquiry now set for September, a model showing the planned regeneration of Hatfield Town Centre is travelling around the borough.

Launched at the recent Annual Council Meeting (Monday 21 May 2007), the large model measuring 2.2metres by 1.2metres, puts into context the area to the east of the town centre that is to be redeveloped.

Currently based in the Council Offices reception in Welwyn Garden City, residents and local businesses are more than welcome to come along and view it. It will remain there until 29 May at which time it will be taken to the Memorial Hall in Hatfield for a Town Centre Forum meeting. From there it will move to the council’s Bridge Road East office before moving onto another Hatfield location.

At certain times during the next few months, council officers from the Hatfield Town Centre Regeneration Project team will be around to answers questions such as how the scheme came about, how consultation has helped shaped the town centre east area and the key stages of the project. Information on dates and times will be available here soon or alternatively contact us for further information.

From 4 September 2007, the model will form part of a ten day Public Inquiry to determine whether Welwyn Hatfield Council should be granted powers to purchase land compulsorily to allow the development to go ahead. The Public Inquiry will review the plans, the rationale for the development and consider the objections made to the proposed Compulsory Purchase Order.

Subject to a successful Inquiry, St Modwen, the development company working in partnership with English Partnerships and Welwyn Hatfield Council, can begin site investigations in preparation for the construction of the new town centre. It is expected that by summer 2008 some demolition will have occurred.