28 Mar 2025
Visitors to Verulamium Park can once again use the St Michael’s entrance following the installation of a temporary elevated footpath over Bell Meadow flood plain.
The entrance was closed last year after persistent flooding damaged the Tarmac path, which became slippery and eroded.
Park owners SADC closed off the meadow for health and safety reasons, and a decision was eventually taken to commission the building of a bespoke metal footpath.
The reopening of the meadow had been complicated by the park’s status as a scheduled ancient monument due to its Roman past, with any digging or disturbance to the ground requiring Historic England’s permission.
The metal path is raised high enough to avoid being covered with flood water and straddles the frequently flooded sections of the path. It is suitable for wheelchair users or baby buggies and includes passing places to allow for them to move along in both directions. A wider structure would have been prohibitively costly and require permission for digging into protected ground.
A grant of £50,000 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund financed the project.
Long term SADC will look to build a new footpath and boardwalk as part of a multi-million-pound project to improve the environment of the park around its two artificial lakes.
Council chief executive Amanda Foley said: “I am delighted that the St Michael’s Street entrance has now been reopened and I know that many of our residents will be too.
“Regular park users understood that we had no option but to close off the meadow which has been repeatedly flooded for reasons outside of our control. I thank them for the patience they have shown while we looked at a solution.
“We were determined to find one despite the challenging financial climate we are faced with and the park’s scheduled ancient monument status.
“It is likely the installed footpath will be there for a couple of years or so while we finalise and implement our plans to improve the area around the artificial lakes.
“We will keep our residents informed of our progress on this ambitious project which will be transformational for the park.”
