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New Local Plan for St Albans

St Albans City & District Council is developing a new Draft Local Plan, which is like a blueprint for future development. It establishes the Council’s long-term planning strategy for delivering and managing growth and infrastructure, for environmental and heritage protection and enhancement, up to 2041.

This is an emerging Draft Plan, and people who live and work in the District, community groups and businesses are all encouraged to give their views. We want to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. The feedback received will help shape the final proposals.

Government guidance requires that Local Plans should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places, and make sufficient provision for housing (including affordable housing), infrastructure, community facilities and conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment.

Draft Local Plan 2041 Regulation 18 Consultation will be available for you to comment on between the following dates:

Start Date: 12/07/23 10:03 AM

End Date: 25/09/23 5:00 PM

How do I make any comments?

The best way to respond is by using the online consultation system which can be found through links on the Council’s website at: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/new-local-plan

You can send a response by Email to:

planning.policy@stalbans.gov.uk, or by post to:

Spatial Planning Team, St Albans Council Offices, St Peters Street, St Albans, AL1 3JE.

If you have any queries about this Regulation 18 consultation stage, you can contact us using the details above.

At the close of the consultation period, all comments will be considered by the Council and used to inform the next stage of the Local Plan process.

Yours sincerely,

Spatial Planning Team

St Albans City and District Council

Draft Local Plan Consultation Exhibitions:

A series of exhibitions staffed by Officers of the Council will take place over two weeks in September. The exhibition will come to the Parish Centre in Bricket Wood (AL2 3PJ) on Wednesday 6th September from 2pm to 8pm.

St Stephen Parish Council car boot sale

Join us at our parish car boot sale on Sunday 10th September 9am-midday.  Anyone welcome to sell goods also – £15 cash and gates open at 8am. No pre-booking is required.

Weather dependent – we will update Friday 8th September if we have to cancel.

Further details can be found here.

Woodbury Field Phase 2 Consultation Results

A consultation was undertaken find out what the community would like for Phase 2 and to ensure that the improvements reflect the needs of the community and that St Stephen Parish Council make the best use of resources. This comprised an online consultation survey via Survey Monkey which was active for the whole of May and a consultation workshop at Woodbury Field on 30 May.  The online survey was designed to be more general and to get an overall impression of the priorities of the community. The workshop was intended to be a more direct form of community engagement. We received 260 responses on our online survey and 60 responses at the workshop.

The workshop was an opportunity to increase community engagement in the project, to promote Woodbury as a green space for everyone in the community to enjoy and for residents to have their say. We asked everyone who came along to look at the designs, ask questions and choose what they would most like to see at Woodbury Field. Staff and Councillors Kerry and Whittaker were on hand to talk to members of the community and encourage all who attended to complete a consultation form.

All designs were very popular. The overall response from the community was extremely positive. There were about 4 people who were not in favour of any improvements to the site.

Lots of older children were really excited by the ninja area and teq ball. The majority of people who attended were very enthusiastic, in favour of all the areas and very appreciative of any improvements.

Frequent Comments from online survey-see Q7 below.

1) Comments that we can take onboard and add to design:

  • SEN and accessible play ideas to be attached to new fencing
  • Slide for under 2 year olds
  • Coffee shop/tea shop /ice cream van -ice cream concession possible. There         is one café in Bricket Wood and the Station Café is due to open this year.
  • Car parking- we are investigating options to mitigate parking outside Woodbury Field and in the neighbouring close.

2) Comments that are already part of the design:

  • More seating/picnic tables
  • More bins
  • Pull up bar

3) Comments that we cannot accommodate and why:

  • Toilets-S106 money cannot be used for toilet facilities.
  • Lighting for the evening- parks are not usually lit in the evening and the play area is too near to housing. S106 money cannot be used for lights.
  • More for under 5s and babies- Phase 1 has improved the play equipment for        under 5’s we have taken onboard the requests for a slide for the under 2s.
  • A crossing into Woodbury Field- not part of St Stephen Parish Council remit,         this would come under Highways.  
  • Sandbox-unable to accommodate due to the site and ongoing maintenance required
  • Tennis court- unable to accommodate due to the site.
  • Football/Cricket pitches- addressed as goal ends and cricket markings on goal ends in ball games area. Ground conditions unable to support a football or cricket pitch

Click for the online survey results

Consultation Workshop Responses:

Ninja/ parkour Fitness Ball Games Pump Track Negative comments
Number of responses and percentage of total responses
32 11 14 16 3
42% 14.5% 18.5% 21% 4%

Press Release from St Stephen Parish Council

The letter in the Herts Advertiser dated 01-06-23 from Richard Curthoys expresses his personal views and not those of St Stephen Parish Council. The council has not formally discussed the issue of the management of trees by SADC but does recognise the importance of a good tree management regime.

It is not the practice of St Stephen Parish Council to criticise elected members or officers of other authorities and the council can confirm that Richard Curthoys is in breach of its Media Protocol.

St Stephen Parish Council recognises, however, that Richard Curthoys was newly elected to the council in last month’s elections. He will be issued with the Media Protocol again so that he is familiar with its content and able to work in a collegiate way with other elected members to support the needs of our community.

Woodbury Field Phase 2 Consultation

St Stephen Parish Council is updating Woodbury Field Play Area.  Phase 1 to upgrade the play equipment for toddlers and younger children is already underway.

We would like your views about Phase 2 to ensure that the improvements reflect the needs of the community and that we make the best use of our resources.
Our aim is to make Woodbury Field an inclusive green space resource for members of the community of all ages to use, enjoy and to improve their health and wellbeing.

Please scan the QR code below or click to complete the survey.
We will be having a consultation workshop open to all at Woodbury Field on Tuesday 30th May from 1pm to 4pm, please join us, to view draft plans and speak to staff.

Woodbury Field Play Area Phase 1

We are really looking forward to the installation of the new play equipment for Woodbury Field Play Area. Work will be starting at the beginning of April and will be completed in early May.

St Stephen Parish Council Coronation Festival – final details

We can’t wait to welcome residents to our fantastic celebration of the Coronation of King Charles III from 3pm on Saturday 6 May. Bands will be playing throughout, with a fantastic firework finale at 9:50pm.

Music:

A fantastic line up of live music acts for all the family to enjoy with our very own special compère – Elvis Shmelvis – bringing the event to the next level!  🎵🎹🎙🎸

The Big Choir start our line up

Grace George – a real young musical talent whose latest song featured on the Love Island final!

Kick Pistol – popular local teen rock and punk band

The Papersnakes – acoustic duo

The Brickets – back by popular demand, singing their toe tapping songs from the 60s and 70s

And headlining are Soul Enforcement Crew – an exciting and hugely popular 8-piece soul band!

Refreshments:

Taste buds get ready to be tingled with a fantastic variety of food and drink stalls!

Gracey’s Pizza 🍕

Raj’s Indian delights 🍛

Jack’s Smokehouse  🥩

Churro Boyz 🍩

Queen of the Island (Caribbean) 🍗

The Weeping Chef (vegan) 🥕 🍅

Lazy Llama☕ 🍰

Girl Guides (burgers and hot dogs) 🍔 🌭

The Lankan Kitchen (Sri Lankan food) 🍛

The Orange Van (drinks).🍸

Tipsy Bubbles (drinks).🍾

The Overdraught Pub 🍺

Entertainment:

On a large screen we will be showing highlights of the coronation – keeping us in the celebration vibe!

There will also be a face painter and craft activities.

In addition, we are super excited to welcome Crossfit Verulamium who will be setting up exciting and fun fitness challenges for kids and adults! Be ready!

Herts Inclusive Theatre will be on site putting on workshops for free, for all to get involved with.

Please walk, cycle, lift share, etc. as there will be very limited parking at the venue and beyond Midway Surgery car park.  No cars to be left overnight or they will be clamped.

Bring your own blanket, foldaway chairs or just dance the night away! There will be no seating provided.

Please bring cash for some refreshment stalls.

 Please take litter home or use the bins provided.

News from the Parish Council

Events

– We are thrilled to be running ‘A Coronation Festival’ in Greenwood Park Saturday 6 May 3-10pm.

Following on from last year’s festival we will be having live music throughout, a screen showing coronation highlights, our very wonderful Elvis Shmelvis hosting, many more food and drink stalls, children’s activities and of course our firework finale!!  All welcome and this event is free ⭐️

– Armed Forces Day event is on Sunday 25 June. A wonderful event for the whole family with plenty of exciting displays and parade, held 2:30-5pm at the Parish Centre in Bricket Wood.

Green spaces

– Woodbury Field play area 

The start date for phase 1 works is planned for 28 March and we are looking at a 4-week build.  We would welcome feedback on this once complete and will consult on phase 2.

– Woodbury Field drainage 

We have had significant issues with drainage of the site before works can start. A contractor came in and blasted the area with compressed air to a depth of 1m, which has allowed the surface water to work its way down to that depth.  

When they were doing the work they hit an old fashioned clay drainage system that was still working but blocked.  The grounds staff dug down and put a pipe coming off this old system and directed the water into the ditch on Lye Lane.  The water came out of the pipe constantly for nearly two weeks and the site has dried up significantly. We also undertook the clearing of the ditches in the area, allowing all the water to now drain away from the site. We liaised with the different companies (Cadent, MLS Traffic, district and county council and the landowners) and did the work on the same traffic measure as the Cadent works, which saved significant costs for the council and other disruption to the general public having more road works in the area.

Well done to our grounds staff for their tenacity in solving this tricky issue!

– Tree work 

All safety and general planned maintenance tree work will be completed by the end of March.

– Park Street Recreation Ground play area

We are soon going out to tender on phase 2 of the play area and hope to install after the school holidays to avoid any inconvenience.

Fixed Asset consultation

–  We have appointed our independent consultancy company to review the options available to the parish council in relation to our Fixed Asset Strategic Review. Once we have held initial meetings, we hope to provide further details.  Things are moving forward!

Greenwood Park

– A baby change room is now up and running in the Public Toilet opposite Lazy Llama Café. Open 8am – 5pm, 7 days a week.

We have created this with limited funds and space options but were keen to provide this much needed facility for our park visitors. We hope to include an improved family changing room option as part of future developments at Greenwood Park. New signage will be installed outside the Community Centre so it can be seen from the car park and pathway up from the playground to direct visitors.

New Community Garden

– Last week councillors voted for Grow Chiswell Green to be given a site in Greenwood Park to make a Community Garden. Our Senior Grounds Person met with Christy Mitchell last week to mark out the site. They are very excited to start their project.  

We welcome residents to get involved and contact info@growchiswellgreen.org 

Waste

– We are getting a lot of household waste and black bags full of dog waste put into the bins around our parks. This should all go in the brown general waste bins that SADC provide. Please can residents be more considerate with their waste!

Other news

Nominations are now open for the BBC Make a Difference Awards. Honour someone who always goes above and beyond. Entries close at 11pm on 05/03/2023. See a full list of categories here bbc.in/makeadifference

Local Elections – Thursday 4 May 2023

The information in this article has been provided by St Albans City and District Council.

From 4 May 2023, voters will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in the district. A wide range of photo ID will be accepted, including passports, driving licences and cards with a PASS Mark.

For more information on which forms of photo ID will be accepted, visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call the Electoral Commission helpline on 0800 328 0280.

If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in time for the 4 May elections is 5pm Tuesday 25 April 2023.

The following elections are taking place on Thursday 4 May:

  • Around a third of District Council seats will be contested, with elections taking place in all wards except Colney Heath and Marshalswick West.
  • All seats are up for election at the following Parish and Town Councils: Colney Heath, Harpenden Rural, Harpenden Town, London Colney, Redbourn, Sandridge, St Michael, St. Stephen, and Wheathampstead. A Community Governance Review has resulted in changes to some parish ward names, areas, and councillor numbers.
  • Neighbourhood Plan Referendums are taking place in Wheathampstead and Redbourn.

To have your say in May, make sure that you are registered to vote, especially if you have recently changed address. A registration form is available at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or request a paper form by calling Electoral Services on 01727 819294. The deadline to register to vote is Monday 17 April 2023.

Information about Voter ID requirements, the elections, and how to apply for a postal or proxy vote can be found at: www.stalbans.gov.uk/voting-and-elections.