Croxley Rail Link - fair deal for locals, says Council

Three Rivers District Council has pledged to work to minimise the disruption and environmental impact of the Croxley Rail Link.

The scheme was announced by the Department of Transport last week (14 December) and the conditions on which future planning permission might be agreed were passed by Three Rivers' Planning Comittee on the following evening (15 December).  

The cross-party Planning Committee will act as the Planning Authority for the scheme and its conditions include:

• Minimise the environmental impact on Dorrofield Close, the houses and businesses on Watford Road including the new housing development (Sansom Close), Croxley Cars in Baldwins Lane, the Harvester pub/restaurant, the Cinnamond site, the Mayfare estate, and the cottages, marina and long term residential moorings on the Grand Union Canal at Cassiobridge.
• Keep the existing railway embankment to the south of the proposed route, which forms the site of the disused Croxley Green station (on the former Network Rail branch line). In addition, keep the embankment's mature trees, as a screen to limit the effect of the scheme on existing residential areas.  Sycamore Road, Sycamore Approach, Mayfare and Valley Walk should be given particular consideration in regard to screening by the existing trees.  Other landscaping should be included as necessary.
• Keep the existing Metropolitan Line embankment which is needed in order to limit the environmental impact and minimise noise levels at this site and to the residential properties to the north, in Baldwins Lane and Links Way.
• A number of  residential properties and businesses will be directly disrupted during the construction phase - full and satisfactory compensation arrangements must be negotiated.
• Fair compensation must be agreed for local businesses, residents and others affected who have an interest in land as  a result of the environmental impact of the scheme.

Three Rivers will work to make sure adequate details are submitted and will consult on those details. The Council will seek to make sure that work does not commence until all details have been approved and that they are subsequently complied with.

The main funding for the £120M project is being provided by the Department of Transport.