Community and commercial development projects come on stream

A new team, set up to drive forward St Albans City and District Council’s commercial and development plans, has been given the green light. In October last year, the Council launched a pilot project to create a new Commercial and Development department. It is tasked with generating £1m of net income by 2020 to support council services.

Last night, Cabinet agreed to make the new department permanent.

So far, the team has identified 36 development projects where there is potential to raise revenue, reduce costs or maximise commercial opportunities. Various projects have been prioritised for development over the next three to five years, based on their capacity for income generation or their funding arrangements.

Key projects include:
• transforming St Albans old Town Hall into a new City centre museum and gallery.
• redeveloping the former Museum of St Albans site for housing that will be sold to help fund the new museum and art gallery project.
• redeveloping the area around the Council offices .
• redeveloping council-owned leisure and cultural facilities in Harpenden.
• building 25 affordable homes on five former garage sites in Batchwood.
• building 20 affordable homes on two former garage sites in Sandridge.
• developing various small sites for market rent housing.
• establishing a business-friendly construction framework that will give local businesses the opportunity to work on Council development projects.

Cllr Julian Daly, Portfolio Holder for Commercial and Development for St Albans City and District Council, said: “These community and commercial development projects can be driven forward more swiftly and efficiently by a dedicated in-house team. The projects range from new facilities for the community, such as the new museum and gallery, to income-generating schemes, like redevelopment in the St Albans city centre. In each case we want to make better use of Council land to meet a local need, whether it is for housing, office space or leisure facilities.”

More information about the work of the Commercial and Development team is available online in the Cabinet papers. A webcast of the Cabinet meeting is also available to watch on the Council’s website.

Councillor contact:
Cllr Julian Daly, Portfolio Holder for Commercial and Development at St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 07775 657200
Email: cllr.j.daly@stalbans.gov.uk

Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Senior Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
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