St Albans council is planning to demolish St Albans’ former police station this autumn.

Preparatory work has begun on the Civic Centre Opportunity Site (South), a multi-million pound project involving the station and land to the south of the Alban Arena.

The council’s commercial portfolio holder Julian Daly told the Herts Advertiser: “This preparatory work marks the start of an exciting new project that will culminate in the regeneration of part of St Albans city centre.

“The aim is to be able to demolish the former police station buildings in the autumn.

“This large-scale council project will enhance the area considerably, providing much-needed new homes and commercial space for the community.”

The area to be developed is the site bordered by Charter Close, Bricket Road, Victoria Street and St Peter’s Street.

The plan is to replace the police station and a Hertfordshire Community Trust principal health centre with commercial space and parking at ground level and a block of flats above, 33 per cent of which will be affordable.

Chair of St Albans Civic Society Tim Boatswain said: “We are very pleased they are going to develop the area as it badly needs it.

“The key for us is it will be quality building.

“We must not look like Basingstoke and the buildings must attract people to walk through that area, as it’s a dead area and needs life bringing to it.”

As the site is 75 metres from the medieval town boundary, the council has arranged for archaelogical tests to be carried out before any work can begin.

The tests, which have been agreed with the district archaeologist, will determine the archaeological significance of the site and help the council understand the impact of the work and will be carried out by Headland Archaeology.

The services the principal health centre provides will be trasferred to the civic centre later this year, along with the leg ulcer clinic and podiatry service currently located at St Albans City Hospital.

Hertfordshire House is being developed by Angle Property into flats.

What is your opinion on the development?

Email your thoughts to hertsad@archant.co.uk