Evening visitors to a park's visitors centre will no longer have to park on nearby streets after councillors agreed to lift restrictions on its own car park .

As part of planning permission for the construction of Highfield Park Visitors Centre at the park, in Hill End Lane, the adjacent car park has to be locked by 6pm.

The only exception to that rule has been for it to remain open for up to 13 meetings a year held by the Highfield Park Trust.

That has meant anyone attending another evening event or meeting at the centre – such as art and relaxation classes, the parish council or the Hertfordshire Rifle Association – has had to park elsewhere.

But a meeting of St Albans District Council’s planning committee south on Monday agreed to lift the restriction.

In future the gated car park will not need to be locked up until 30 minutes after the centre has closed.

Four nearby residents – on Puddingstone Lane and  Hill End Lane – had objected to the change, highlighting concerns related to anti-social behaviour, noise and security.

However it was also reported to the committee that the number of vehicles using the car park would not be more than 20 for an evening meeting.

And it was said the change would benefit residents in Hill End Lane and Frobisher Road, which are currently used for parking by users of the centre in the evening.