The proposed acceleration of the Local Plan process has not gone down well with opposition councillors on the district council. Cllr Simon Grover, on behalf of the Greens and Independents group, said: “We are very concerned about the Lib Dems' decision to rush through the Plan process. Up till now, the...
To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and in the wake of SADC leader Paul de Kort’s recent interview with this publication, local Conservatives have rebutted comments about the financial woes of the Liberal Democrat administration. St Albans Liberal Democrats demonstrate that they follow in their party’s time-honoured...
The balloons have burst, the buffet has been cleared away, and the dignitaries have dispersed. But a month after the official launch of city centre showpiece Jubilee Square, the long game has only just begun, as the district council has many years ahead before it finishes paying for the development. Although...
The brakes are off! SADC has announced preparations for a possible early submission of its long-awaited Local Plan, in a bid to shield against a wave of speculative development across the district. SADC planned to submit its draft Local Plan by April 2025, however, in light of the proposed changes to...
Can local campaigns fighting housing developments in the district succeed in the face of intense pressure on council bosses to hit targets? Even before the Government’s recent announcement of new house-building figures, SADC was in the unenviable position of having to accommodate thousands of properties on land which was largely Green...
An invitation by Harpenden Town Council asking for a formal partnership with the district council to jointly develop and agree a parking strategy for the town has been rejected. A recent extraordinary general meeting of HTC was dominated by discussion of the proposed parking changes, which could see the end of...
The St Albans district could be forced to take up to 70 per cent more homes than already included in its draft Local Plan, after the new Government ordered the biggest nationwide house-building drive in generations. All councils in England have been given new, mandatory housing targets to pave the way...
Fly-tipped rubbish left strewn around council housing land will be removed within seven days, councillors have pledged. The decision was made at the recent full council meeting, following pressure from the Labour group after ongoing issues in London Colney. Fly-tipping at Cotlandswick garages took a month and a half to remove, while...
There are no signs that the closed footpath from St Michael’s village into Verulamium Park will re-open any time soon, councillors have confirmed. The route from St Michael’s Street into Bell Meadow was shut for safety reasons back in May, after the footpath became slippery due to flooding from the River...
There will be no further debate involving all St Albans district councillors on Green Belt development proposed in the Local Plan, the leader of SADC has confirmed. The confirmation came as Cllr Paul de Kort was being quizzed by opposition councillors at the recent full council meeting. Labour’s Cllr Mike Hobday asked...
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