A project to transform St Albans city centre has been nominated for a prestigious town planning industry award.

Several organisations, including St Albans City and District Council, have come together to redevelop an area near the Alban Arena. Now the group has made it through to the finals of this year’s Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence, their nomination is for Excellence in Plan Making Practice.

The RTPI Awards are regarded as the longest established and most respected awards in the UK planning industry. Formed 40 years ago, they celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society.

The approach to producing a Civic Centre Opportunity Site masterplan is an ambitious bid to enhance seven acres in the heart of the city.

Councillor Julian Daly, the council’s leader, said: “To be short-listed for this excellence award is a terrific endorsement of the work that has gone into the CCOS scheme so far. We want to create something really special and this shows we are on the right track.”

This area contains a number of buildings which are either vacant or run down such as the old Police Station, the Principal Health Clinic and the Bricket Road car park. It also covers the old Hertfordshire House site owned by Angle Properties Limited.

Look! St Albans Our Community Voice On Design last year hosted a charrette - a series of intensive engagement events – to consult about the plans. They were assisted by the consultancy ImaginePlaces. These events allowed the community to put forward their own ideas and influence the future of the Civic Centre Opportunity Site. 

The Council is working with Hertfordshire Constabulary and the NHS which all own properties in the area in a development partnership. Boultbee LDN which owns the Maltings Shopping Centre is also involved.

Vanessa Gregory, chair of Look! St Albans, said: “I am over the moon for all involved.  To be shortlisted for such a prestigious award is in no small measure down to the over 166 Albanians who gave a combined 1,000 hours plus of their time to the charrette. Many gave up their entire weekend, demonstrating this was indeed a labour of love and tremendous commitment to their city, St Albans.”    

The results will be announced during a ceremony at Milton Court, The Barbican, London, in June. The host is Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of fashion label Red or Dead and HemingwayDesign.

For more details about the CCOS, see: stalbans.gov.uk