One chance

Published: 3:06 PM April 3, 2008 Updated: 1:40 AM February 23, 2021

SIR, — I read with concern about the long-awaited scheme to redevelop St Albans police station (Herts Advertiser, March 27). This site is a significant part of the city centre south area that is occupied by a number of obsolete and ugly buildings from the

SIR, - I read with concern about the long-awaited scheme to redevelop St Albans police station (Herts Advertiser, March 27). This site is a significant part of the city centre south area that is occupied by a number of obsolete and ugly buildings from the 1950s.

We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redevelop an important part of the city. We must ensure that we create something of architectural merit that serves the needs of the community and enhances the built environment of our historic city. This will not be achieved by developer-led schemes for individual sites.

The district council is currently in the process of reviewing the long-term direction of the city centre through the Local Development Framework and the City Centre Visioning project. The visioning project in particular is a reaction to concerns being aired by a broad range of interest groups about the city's ability to change and adapt in appropriate ways to serve the needs of the community while respecting and complementing the historic environment that makes it unique. The project will provide a direction for private and public investment and identify the priorities for action. It would be totally inappropriate for the council to prejudge the outcome of this project and allow a piecemeal approach.

The redevelopment of the city centre south must meet the aspirations and needs of the community. We must not allow another repetition of the fiasco that derailed the Bricket Road cinema scheme.