 A Local Plan (LP) for the sustainable growth of St Albans District has been submitted to the Government for examination.
The Council has produced the LP which identifies land for future housing and commercial development along with the required infrastructure.
An independent Planning Inspector will now be appointed to decide whether the LP has been properly prepared and is in line with national policies.
The LP allows for the building of 15,000 new homes – including 1,200 social rent properties - at designated sites in the years to 2041. It also provides for £750 million of infrastructure including new schools, green spaces, public transport improvements and locations for 15,000 jobs.
The Inspector’s examination will include public hearings and a decision as to whether the LP can be adopted is expected in early 2026.
Our waste and recycling crews can only collect trees from garden waste subscribers.
These should be put into garden waste bins or left beside them on scheduled garden waste collection days from Thursday 9 January. Please cut in half trees over 7ft and remove decorations.
If you don't subscribe to this service, you can take trees to your local household waste recycling centre. Alternatively, if you live in St Albans or Harpenden, you can register for a charity collection service.
This is run by the Hospice of St Francis on a first come, first served basis. Those who use it are asked to make a donation. You can register here if you are within the AL1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 postcodes.
* Our garden waste collection service will take a two week break, as per terms and conditions, from Wednesday 25 December, recommencing Thursday 9 January. This allows our collection crews to focus on dealing with high volumes of other seasonal waste. Additional garden waste, up to the size of a bin, can be put out for collection on the day your service restarts.
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Jacqueline Quinn is hoping for a roaring trade over the festive season at her new Charter Market stall.
She launched Alban Cards last month and is currently selling seasonal products including Christmas cards, wrapping paper, gift bags, packaging and, of course, Santa hats.
Jacqueline, who lives in St Albans, said: "I'll continue to trade next year, offering cards of all types at affordable prices along with many other things.
"I am loving the buzz of the Market. It's so nice to meet local people, get to know them and understand what it is they are looking for."
One of the City Centre's festive highlights is the additional December dates for the twice-weekly Charter Market.
The Market is taking place every Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 9am to 3pm, in the fortnight leading up to the 25th as well as the usual Wednesdays and Saturdays. There will be an extra day’s trading, too, on Tuesday 24 December - a perfect time to pick up a last-minute gift.
It will be closed on Christmas Day.
 Thousands of people packed the City Centre for the event that kicks off the festive season – the Christmas Cracker.
The street festival took place from noon until darkness fell on Sunday 17 November.
Among the attractions were live music, fairground rides, Santa’s grotto, street entertainers and around 100 market stalls.
Festive decorations and installations were illuminated throughout the event and there were guest appearances from some of the stars of this year’s Alban Arena pantomime.
The Christmas Cracker was organised by the Council, sponsored by St Albans City Centre BID and part-funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
 EastEnders actress Samantha Womack is among the stars of this year's Alban Arena pantomime - Cinderella.
With stunning sets, hilarious comedy and breathtaking special effects, the show opens on Thursday 12 December and runs until Sunday 12 January.
Tickets are selling fast and you can buy them online here.
 Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK favourite Vicki Vivacious stars as Carabosse in this year's Eric Morecambe Centre pantomime - Sleeping Beauty.
The show runs until Monday 30 December and features catchy songs, dazzling dance routines, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and a great story.
Don't get caught napping - and book your tickets now.
Graham Hickford’s life has been changed for the better by an apprenticeship with our housing repairs contractor Morgan Sindall Property Services (MSPS).
Graham, 49, of St Albans, was living in Emmaus Hertfordshire’s hostel for homeless people when he learned about Morgan Sindall’s social value programme.
He secured a job as an apprentice in 2022 and has now qualified as a multi-skilled engineer working full-time with the repairs team.
Graham said: “What I like about MSPS is that they have given me a chance where most companies wouldn’t have, given my background.”
Helen Sheen, head of social value at MSPS, said: “By providing opportunities like our apprenticeship programmes, we not only change individual lives but also strengthen the communities we serve.
“We are incredibly proud of Graham's achievements and his inspiring story of resilience and determination. He is a valued member of our St Albans team.”
Graham, pictured far left, recently attended an event at Hatfield House hosted by Emmaus, a charity working to end homelessness.
 Work on a project to Revitalise the River Ver where it flows through St Albans is to get underway this winter.
The overall aim is to enhance a 2.5 kilometre stretch of the Ver, a rare chalk stream, and its surrounding environment.
The Council has been working on the scheme in partnership with the Environment Agency and Affinity Water.
A new wetland will be created by restoring a meadow, adjacent to the Abbey View Athletics Tracks, to its original state.
Tree work along both riverbanks from the boating lake to the Cottonmill allotments will open up the heavily-shaded Ver to more essential sunlight.
More information is available here.
 We have supported both White Ribbon Day and the United Nations’ Orange the World initiative.
Both campaigns are committed to bringing an end to violence by men against women.
To highlight the issue, St Albans Museum + Gallery was lit up in orange on Monday 25 November and for the following 16 nights.
You can find out more about the White Ribbon campaign here and what the St Albans branch of Soroptimist International have been doing for the Orange the World campaign here.
 Kellie Kelley - our Anti-Social Behaviour Team Leader - has received an award for excelling in her role.
The St Albans Community Safety Partnership gave her the award in recognition of her achievements and she was presented with a certificate by St Albans Mayor, Councillor Jamie Day.
Chief Inspector Martin Turpin told Kellie: ‘You have built up a strong working relationship with Hertfordshire Police, demonstrating significant commitment to partnership working. You have been instrumental at a time when partnership working has never been so critical; you exemplify this."
The CSP includes the Police, the Council and other agencies and is committed to maintaining safe, strong communities.
Our social housing provides affordable and secure accommodation for families and individuals in genuine need.
We are determined that people on our housing register will not be denied the homes they deserve by tenancy fraud.
These frauds include subletting in breach of the tenancy agreement, leaving the property vacant, providing false information when applying for social housing or passing on a property to someone else,
We work in partnership with Hertfordshire Shared Anti-Fraud Service to prevent and detect fraud.
You can report a fraud by calling 0300 123 4033 or by visiting this website.
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 A tree has been planted at a City Centre development in honour of pioneering local government officer Betty Entwistle.
Betty was England’s first female town clerk and the first chief executive of St Albans City and District Council.
The tree is located at a new landscaped walkway at Jubilee Square, a £64 million Council development that includes social housing, shared ownership properties and commercial space.
Donated by Aylett Nurseries, the tree is a Flowering Dogwood that should grow to a height of around 8ft in the next ten years and blossom every spring.
Photo: Councillor Jacqui Taylor, far right, Lead for Housing, at the tree planting ceremony with Professor Tim Boatswain, 2nd from right, Chairman of St Albans Blue Plaques, Jenny Stenzel, 3rd from right, the Council's Project Manger, and employees from Watford Community Housing which has purchased the flats. All social rent properties are allocated to people on St Albans District's housing register.
 The Council has agreed the sale of Harpenden Public Halls to ChristChurch Harpenden (CCH) for use as a permanent building for their church.
CCH is a diverse church with a regular Sunday morning congregation of over 300 people including 120 children and young people.
The sale is expected to be completed early next year.
CCH hopes to complete the refurbishment of the building along with some repairs in 2026.
Income from the sale, conducted by an open market process, will reduce the Council's borrowings which were used to create new sport and cultural centres for the town.
 The hours that our reception desk at the Civic Centre is staffed have been changed to:
- Monday: 09:00 – 17:00
- Tuesday: 09:00 – 13:00
- Wednesday: 09:00 – 17:00
- Thursday: 09:00 – 13:00
- Friday: 09:00 – 15:00
Residents who who want to access digital services will be able to use the self-service options in the reception area on Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and on Friday, from 9am to 4.30pm. Someone will be available to assist them if required.
Additionally, an extra phone has been installed in the reception area to contact services such as housing and benefits. For our digital services, please visit our website.
* Please note that the Civic Centre will be closed from Wednesday 25 December to 9am on Thursday 2 January.
 Tourism in St Albans District has recovered from the impact of the pandemic with spending and overnight stays both increasing.
The findings were revealed in a study commissioned by the Council and St Albans City Centre BID on behalf of Visit Herts.
It shows there were 274,000 overnight stays recorded in the District last year - up 3% on 2019, the year before Covid-19 hit the hospitality industry.
The report undertaken by Destination Research, an independent analytics agency, also says overnight visitors contributed £76 million to the local economy in 2023, an increase of 14% on 2019. More information here.
 Christmas Opening Hours
St Albans Museum + Gallery: closed 24, 25, 26, 31 December 2024 and 1 January 2025.
Verulamium Museum and Hypocaust: closed 17, 24, 25, 26, 31 December 2024 and 1 January 2025.
The Museums team wish all their visitors a very happy Christmas and New Year!
See here for a guide to what is happening at both Museums.
 St Albans Museums: New Opening Hours for 2025
From Monday 6 January 2025, the regular opening hours will change.
St Albans Museum + Gallery and Verulamium Museum and the Hypocaust will be open daily 10am-4pm (which means Verulamium Museum and the Hypocaust will now be open on Sundays too!).
Economic Impact of St Albans Museums
The Annual Museum Survey 2024 puts St Albans Museums in the top 22% nationally for the impact its visitors have on the local economy.
The report concludes that the total economic impact of visitors to St Albans City and District’s economy in 2023/24 was £3,567,225 for the Museum + Gallery and £898,221 for Verulamium Museum. The figures are well above the regional and national averages which puts the Museums in the top 15% for the South-East of England and 22% nationally.
 St Albans Healthy Hub is your free centre for health and wellbeing information, advice and support.
You can get help on many issues including how to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, become more active and manage money.
The organisations involved include Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Mind in Mid Herts and many more. You can find more information here.
Is your New Year’s resolution about getting fitter and moving more? If so, why not start with a gentle health walk?
Walking helps you maintain a healthy weight, strengthen bones and muscles and get a better night’s sleep. Hertfordshire County Council organises free group walks which are fun, social and a great way to explore your neighbourhood.
There are currently six regular weekly walks in St Albans and the surrounding area, including a gentle ‘First Steps’ walk around Highfield Park as well as opportunities for a longer, brisker walk.
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Only pensioners who are in receipt of Pension Credit will receive a Winter Fuel Allowance payment this winter.
Pension Credit is designed to give pensioners who are on a low income extra money with their living costs. To claim Pension Credit, please ring 0800 99 1234 or visit this website.
If you think you may be entitled to Pension Credit it is important you claim without delay.
Only pensioners who are receiving Pension Credit or who make a successful application by Saturday 21 December will receive the Winter Fuel Allowance.
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If you or someone you care for finds themselves in crisis this winter and in need of advice, support, or help, there is someone waiting for your call.
You can find out more here about the services that are located near to you that offer the care you need.
The Winter Crisis Care campaign is organised by the Hertfordshire Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Health and Care Partnership.
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