05 Nov 2025
Questions have been raised about a percieved lack of any real consultation with interested parties over the district council’s £6m restoration of a New Greens sports pavilion .
SADC this week announced proposals to restore the community facilities at the William Bird Pavilion following its closure three years ago, insisting it is something which Lib Dem councillors have been actively campaigning for.
Council leader Cllr Paul de Kort said: “The aspiration to provide a new community facility at the William Bird site is a major investment in the district’s future and reflects the Liberal Democrats’ commitment to delivering modern, accessible amenities that reflect the values and aspirations of local people.
“Reaching a point where we can now propose this development is an even greater achievement given the desperate financial legacy left by the Conservatives, and reflects the tough but necessary choices we made to prevent the council’s bankruptcy.”
Funding will be derived from a mixture of grants from external bodies such as Sport England, housing developer contributions and other enabling schemes.
But while the news has been welcomed locally, the lack of any real consultation with interested parties has been questioned.
New Greens resident and St Michael’s Parish Council member Damian Gaskin said: “The news that St Albans district council is prioritising investment in the redevelopment of the William Bird Pavilion is very welcome. Known locally in New Greens as the long-derelict changing rooms at Toulmin Drive Playing Fields, the building has for years been in an unusable, unsafe, and unsightly state.
“There is broad and longstanding support across the community for transforming this space into a modern, accessible facility that reflects the needs of New Greens today.
“St Michael’s Parish Council recognises the enormous potential this redevelopment holds — not only for sports users, but for local residents, families, young people, and voluntary groups. ”With imagination, forward thinking, and meaningful consultation, the site could become a vibrant community hub.”
He suggested it could offer various facilities for the local area:
- A venue for arts exhibitions, children’s parties, weddings, and community celebrations;
- A much-needed café and welcoming gathering space for dog walkers, ramblers, families, and young people;
- A dedicated space for youth projects, yoga, wellbeing sessions, and adult learning;
- A centre that strengthens community ties, generates local employment, and improves safety and visibility in the area.
Cllr Gaskin added: “Despite multiple emails over the past 12 months and the formal submission of a stakeholder list, St Michael’s Parish Council — the first-tier authority in whose boundaries the building sits — has not been contacted as a stakeholder in the process.
“This is despite district officers specifically requesting a list of local groups from the parish council, which was provided on July 29. In their reply, officers confirmed that the following organisations would be classed as stakeholders and included in the consultation: Christ Church in New Greens, which has served over 15,000 free meals through its weekly Monday Suppers, operates a food bank and youth club, and supports a thriving local volunteer base; Friends of Batchwood and William Bird Open Space, whose members maintain woodland, organise clean-ups of the playing fields, report fly-tipping, and promote environmental improvements; New Greens Safer Streets Campaign, advocating for 20mph limits, pedestrian crossings, and safer parking around schools and shops; St Michael’s Parish Council, the statutory authority for the area.
“To date, none of these groups have been contacted.
“The parish council notes with interest the public claim that ‘over the last year, key local stakeholders have been in discussions with council officers to ensure the project responds to local needs’. This statement appears inconsistent with the experience of the very groups identified and acknowledged by the council itself.
“We hope this can be addressed. We, and the other stakeholders, are ready and willing and very keen to work constructively with St Albans district council to help realise the full potential of this project. If delivered in partnership with the wider community, the William Bird Pavilion could become a much-valued and multi-purpose asset — not only for New Greens, but for the district as a whole.”
