Welwyn Hatfield Council has approved plans for a three-storey building at the Royal Veterinary College in Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms.

When built, the development will house the main admin functions, the library, information technology area, a shop and a café. There will also be increased car parking with 22 extra spaces, bringing the total to 92.

Some trees will have to be cut down to make way for the new building but the plans include the planting of replacement trees on the site.

Nearby residents have been concerned about the likely increase in traffic, but chief planning officer Chris Conway is quoted as saying that he does not think the proposal significantly increases the amount of traffic visiting the site. However, it is thought a 30mph speed limit might be introduced.

John Fisher of the Royal Veterinary College adds…

The College is very grateful to Welwyn Hatfield Council for approving the details of its plans for a new building to accommodate learning resources and other facilities: essential to support the College’s broadening mission.

This proposed project has been approved under the College’s long-standing principal planning consent: it does not constitute “additional development” at the College’s Main Site.

Although the College could proceed to develop broadly from the existing arrangements, it is pleased that a number of its suggestions for neighbourhood and other improvements are finding favour.

The College read the various representations and objections sent to WHDC with great interest. Equally it was interested to hear the proposal discussed at the WHDC Planning Board.

The College’s next task is to seek to raise the necessary resources to implement this scheme in the future.

According to John Fisher, the College has completed an analysis of its latest “spot census”: a sample of weekday traffic between the hours of 7am and 10 am in Hawkshead Lane. Broadly the results seem to correspond with those from comparable appraisals.