A bird’s eye view of Lea Wharf as completion nears

from Axis magazine June 2023 issue

Ritchie’s wine notes

Wallace House GP Surgery confirmed as moving to Hertford development as apartment sales begin

This striking new image taken from the skies above Hertford shows Lea Wharf, the county town’s flagship new housing and commercial development, as it nears completion.

Lea Wharf is being built by Chase New Homes on the site of the former Bircherley Green shopping centre in the heart of Hertford between Railway Street and the River Lea.

The warehouse-inspired development features 98 one and two-bedroom apartments in two blocks, named Charter House and Navigation House, as well as a range of ground floor commercial units including riverside restaurants.

The sales suite and show home for the apartments was launched over the bank holiday weekend of 6th, 7th and 8th May and had 36 appointments over the three days.

30 apartments in Charter House have already been sold off plan and discussions are continuing over others, with the first occupiers due to move in at the end of this month, June.

The release of selected apartments in Navigation House is due shortly. Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Wallace House GP surgery in St Andrew Street is to relocate to what was already known to be a new medical centre in Lea Wharf.

The new purpose-built practice will replace the outdated St Andrew Street premises, a listed Georgian building, providing more space, additional consulting rooms, higher patient capacity and a wider range of health services for the people of Hertford, though the practice’s surgery in Calton Court will remain open.

The new surgery is expected to open this autumn and GPs believe it will help them to improve standards and cut waiting times. The surgery can accommodate more patients and enables the practice to offer more training opportunities for doctors and nurses, creating eight new training roles for health professionals.

Paul Bennett from Chase New Homes said: “Confirming the agreement for Wallace House

Surgery to relocate to Lea Wharf is fantastic news and we are thrilled to be able to play an integral part in boosting the health of the residents of Hertford. This new surgery will not only provide excellent healthcare services on the doorstep but forms part of the regeneration of this part of Hertford town centre, which includes a range of shops, restaurants and other facilities that will make it a great place to live.”

How much will it cost to see a new film at the redeveloped Hertford Theatre?

The price of going to see a new release film at the redeveloped Hertford Theatre when it opens next year is likely to average around the £8.40 mark.

With the theatre and cinema on track to open next Spring, discussions are underway at East Herts Council on a pricing strategy. As Axis went to press councillors were set to debate the likely pricing structure for both the price of tickets for the three new cinema screens and hire of the facilities which include a main theatre, studio theatre and community room. The average price of an adult cinema ticket is expected to be £7 plus Vat with a £2 booking fee added to online ticketing transactions and the ticket price fluctuating depending on the film being shown, screen, date and time.

Ticket prices for theatre productions will vary and are based on a wide range of factors including how much is paid for the production, staffing costs, marketing and royalties.

The proposed costs for hiring spaces have increased compared to prices pre-redevelopment but take into account inflation and the increased capacity of the facilities

– the main theatre now seats 550 as opposed to 400 previously while the studio capacity has increased from 60 to 150.

The main auditorium and the studio theatre are both available to hire by community groups and commercial producers, for anything from four hours up to a full week. Prices for community groups are expected to be set at lower rates.

There will be hourly hire rates for the community room and dance studio, while all three cinema screens will also be available for private hire.