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Oct 16.2023.   The Luton Airport Expansion to increase passengers from 18 million to 19 million pa has now been approved.

The Secretaries of State for Transport and for Levelling up, Housing and Communities have granted the called-in planning decision to permit Luton Airport 1 million more passengers and a bigger noise footprint  The Inspectors who conducted the Inquiry in 2022 observed that local people had lost trust in the planning system, and there is now a condition that the Noise Management Plan is followed.

In addition, Luton Airport cannot expand beyond 18 million passengers until it produces:

* a strategy to reduce its long term noise footprint

* a Transport Plan

1. *a Carbon Reduction Strategy
   

The Government published a 177 page document detailing the Inspectors review with their decisions on why they gave approval.

Below are some highlights.

The Inspectors acknowledge there was strong opposition across all aspects of the proposal from the Hertfordshire Councils, from many Parish Councils and from individuals and organisations like LADACAN and The Harpenden Society, but did not appear to attach weight to it in the planning balance – they seemed over-reliant on just the evidence presented during the Inquiry.

Traffic issues appeared to carry little weight as no evidence was provided to prove the Airport’s assertion that 85% of passengers driving to the Airport would use the M1, yet the Inspectors decided to go along with that even though motorists coming from areas to the East would be more likely to avoid the M25 due to its likelihood of traffic jams and to shorten their journeys. Little consideration being given to the single approach road to the current Terminal.

The Inspectors agreed that the expansion of capacity would add to carbon emissions, but believed the government’s Jet Zero aspiration that aviation emissions (one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise) will be reduced – an aspiration without clear pathways and made less likely to succeed given Rishi Sunak’s relaxation of the drive towards net zero.

LADACAN and the Harpenden Society showed that the Airport’s forecasts of which planes would be in the Luton fleet in future years did not stand up to scrutiny, but the Inspectors felt they could not accept our findings because we had not spoken to the airlines – even though airlines are clear commercial beneficiaries of the application.

LADACAN showed that there were errors in the data feeding the Airport’s noise contour model, which would have affected the assessment, but the Inspectors felt unable to accept this because we did not have an alternative model – even though it’s impossible to set one up without full access to all the relevant data which the Airport keeps to itself.

You can read a more detailed report from LADACAN on their web site:

https://ladacan.org/government-calls-in-luton-airport-expansion-plan/

AND the Government decision report:  19mppa decision document

CLICK BACK TO THE FRONT PAGE

THE HARPENDEN TRUST TAKES ON THE SOUTHDOWN METHODIST HALLS 

The Harpenden Trust is delighted to

announce the acquisition of the

Methodist Church Halls lease in

Southdown, Harpenden. The

Harpenden Trust has been in

talks with the Trustees of the

Southdown Methodist Church

Halls for the past several months

regarding entering into this new

lease with both parties committed

to keeping the halls as a community

asset. 

Covering over 7,300sqft, the halls sit above the Southdown Co-op supermarket and by securing a long lease, the Harpenden Trust has ensured this valuable resource remains available to the Harpenden community for many more years to come. The combination of the Southdown Methodist Church Halls (at No.130 Southdown Road) and the existing Harpenden Trust Centre (at No.90 Southdown Road) means that the Harpenden Trust now has a total of five large halls for hire, ranging in size from 300sqft up to 1,560sqft, available to local residents and community groups. 

The halls will also continue to host and support the increasingly wide range of Harpenden Trust activities. Other office space in the new building will also be made available to local charities and organisations seeking to benefit our community by having a greater local Harpenden presence. Existing hirers at the No.130 Southdown Road halls include various local Girl Guiding groups, Zumba, Ballet, Marquetry, Pilates, Line Dancing, Badminton and Jado Kuin Do groups – and the Trust looks forward to welcoming many more local community focused groups over future months and years. 

Richard Nichols, Chairman of The Harpenden Trust commented: “We are really thrilled to have secured this site for the benefit of our local community for many years to come - enabling local groups and community organisations access to a fabulous building with excellent facilities, whilst significantly extending the Trust’s existing Southdown footprint. Importantly this also provides the Trust with the additional space required to support both our existing and our planned future community initiatives.” 

The enlarged undertaking also prompts a small reorganisation within the Harpenden Trust with the formation of a new “Properties Team” to manage the significantly increased capacity. Alison Neville and her Halls Booking team will take overall responsibility for all bookings across both properties. Sue Grant takes on the role of Facilities Team Leader overseeing the day to day operations with a newly formed small facilities team, whilst Colin Ratcliffe takes on the role of Property Development Officer overseeing a programme of works to improve the existing condition of the building. Julia Pryor will be managing a new team of volunteers to ensure all visitors to the new site receive a very warm welcome. The Properties Team will initially report into Mike Gosling at a Harpenden Trust Board level, as Dennis Andrews has decided this is the appropriate moment to step back as the Trust’s Head of Property. 

Richard Nichols added “We would like to thank Dennis for his huge contribution to the Harpenden Trust in both Property and Company Secretary roles over many years – and we’re delighted that Dennis has agreed to remain a Trust volunteer in a consultancy capacity to support the new enlarged Properties Team.” 

Alison Neville, Head of the expanded Bookings Team at The Harpenden Trust commented: “Given the high demand for hall space at The Trust Centre I am delighted that by extending our hall portfolio we will now be able to accommodate more groups, clubs and organisations bringing a wider variety of activities to the local community. I have been working with the existing hirers at No.130 to ensure that their groups, clubs and classes had continuous hire following the acquisition. We look forward to welcoming new hirers to the halls from mid-February - so, if you are looking for a venue for your activity, whether it be on a regular basis or an ad-hoc event, please do get in contact.”   

Jan 26. 2023.Cessation of work on the Harpenden Public Halls development was confirmed by St Albans District Council on Monday Jan 23.

A meeting of the Regeneration & Business Committee chaired by Cllr Robert Donald confirmed that an accurate valuation of the site would be sought so consideration of a sale of the site to a private developer, in line with planning policy could be discussed and actioned at a future meeting.

The public expectation of a ‘grand design’ concept with much needed homes had been raised back in 2018 with public consultations and meetings, focus group charettes, followed by defined proposals and architectural design concepts. At that time the financial return on the investment was deemed positive.

However the eagerly awaited planning application in early December raised considerable concerns by local residents, adjoining property owners, local groups and even Harpenden Town Council putting the viability in doubt and raising financial risks that the original income forecasts would not now be met.

Council development officers would address the concerns going forward and keep the public informed of progress and the ultimate decision of the sale or otherwise.

Jan 31. Harpenden’s new Skateboard arena Background. Harpenden Town Council and local charity Playground Action Rothamsted Committee (PARC) are continuing their successful relationship with the redevelopment of Rothamsted Skatepark. The partnership has announced the successful bid by Betongpark Ltd, one of Europe’s industry leaders, following public consultation and a recent tender process for design and build of the Skateboard Park. The new Skateboard Park will have a similar footprint to the existing site but, with modernisation and increased accessibility, it promises to be an outstanding free local facility available to all regardless of age or ability.

We are currently hoping to deliver the new skatepark by Summer 2024. The Skatepark will cost in the region of £250,000; the Town Council has committed £100K to the project and the remainder will be raised by PARC through fundraising initiatives. but this is dependent on reaching our funding target.

In conjunction with the online survey, the Town Council is hosting an engagement session, in person, at the current Skatepark on Monday 13th February 3-6pm. By organising a consultation event within the Park, it is hoped that the survey is accessible to a diverse range of Park users where people can view the plans, ask questions and give their comments. The survey will close at midnight on 19th February.

The new Skateboard Park will have a similar footprint to the existing site but, with modernisation and increased accessibility, it promises to be an outstanding free local facility available to all regardless of age or ability.

The vision for the Skatepark’s future is based on the following key principles:

1.It should be broadly of the same footprint as the current skatepark.

2.All features on the skatepark should be either at or above ground level.

3.It will be an inviting and inclusive space that includes good wheelchair access

4.There will be features for all ages from young children up to adults.

5.It will accommodate beginners who need to build confidence and provide a challenge for the more experienced.

6.It will have features that are suitable for different users including skateboards, BMX bikes, WCMX (adapted wheelchairs), scooters and roller skates (traditional and in-line).

7.It will be made from concrete which requires very little maintenance over its lifetime.

The Skatepark will cost in the region of £250,000; the Town Council has committed £100K to the project and the remainder will be raised by PARC through fundraising initiatives. Completion of the project is expected in 2024, but this is dependent on reaching funding targets.

Information about PARC:

PARC is a registered charity (No. 1179147) established in July 2018 by a group of Harpenden parents and grandparents. PARC was initially formed to raise £250 000 to redesign and replace the Town’s flagship playpark, situated in Rothamsted Park. PARC raised £110 000 through their fundraising efforts and with the support of Harpenden Town Council, who pledged a further £150 000, the play area was completed and opened to the public in July 2021.

March 8. 2024. How can you reconcile Luton’s objective to be a healthy, fair and sustainable town, which is carbon-neutral by 2040 with their proposed Airport expansion to 32 million passenger per year by the same time?

A key element is their current Local Cycling and

Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) Consultation

which wants half of all of journeys in the town to

be cycled or walked by 2033.

I asked Luton Council chief Executive Robin Porter for an explanation:

‘Active Travel forms a key component in encouraging people to travel as sustainably as possible whenever they can.

Luton’s campaign is encouraging residents to make local journeys by walking or cycling as much as possible.

It can further be noted that active and sustainable travel to and from our airport are being positively planned for within the Surface Access strategy and Travel Plan that are among the documents that have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

This is alongside the Green Controlled Growth framework which for the first time within the UK aviation sector seeks to achieve guarantees for neighbours about all the major environment impacts associated with any airport expansion, by setting independently-monitored limits for carbon, air quality, noise, and surface access. Ultimately, if any of these limits were to be breached, growth of the airport would have to be stopped.

Luton Rising is proposing that this process is written into law, and looks forward to these ground-breaking proposals being examined in due course.’

A Development Consent Order (DCO) application was made on Feb 27 for the expansion of London Luton Airport from its current permitted cap of 18 million passengers per annum (mppa) up to 32 mppa, including: new terminal capacity; earthworks to create an extension to the current airfield platform; new airside and landside facilities; enhancement of the surface access network; extension of the Luton DART; landscaping and ecological improvements; and further infrastructure enhancements and initiatives to support the target of achieving zero-emission ground operations by 2040.

The submission documents include a full Needs Case, Environmental Statement, Traffic Assessment and Green Controlled Growth strategy that seeks to set binding and independently-monitored environmental limits for carbon, air quality, noise, and surface access – how people get to and from the airport.

Also included are improved noise insulation plans, and a consultation report which outlines how all comments received have been considered and responded to.

Submission of the application marks the start of the ‘acceptance’ stage of the DCO process. There will follow a 28-day period for the Planning Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, to decide whether or not the application meets the standards required to be accepted for examination, or if further documentation is needed. THIS SHOULD BE ACTIONED BY MARCH 28TH.

During the 28 day period affected local authorities concerned over any technicalities relating to the quality of the consultations can make their concerns known. No public comments are allowed.

NEXT STEPS

If the DCO application is accepted, all relevant documents will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

An Examining Authority including up to five Planning Inspectors will be appointed, and members of the public will be able to register to make a representation. Full public examination is not expected to begin before at least the late summer.

March 22. An eco-friendly hamlet with

its own mini green belt proposed for

south Harpenden.

Outline Planning application with SADC for

land south of Cross Lane, Harpenden

by Lansdown.

The initial pre - application process for a 30 self build scheme was reviewed with residents and interested parties from Harpenden in September 2022.

Following this process some key changes have been made:

*Now 31 self-build and affordable homes comprising 19 custom and self-build plots (60%) and 12 conventional shared ownership units (40%).

*Density increased by reducing the net developable area and providing a larger number of smaller plots alongside a small number of large plots.

*Layout revised to provide a more informal and organic layout, moving away from conventional suburban housing estate and street design, responding to the site’s context as the threshold between town and countryside.

*Increased biodiversity greening along the field boundaries and provision of a traditional orchard and meadow as public open green spaces in the north-eastern zone of the site.

*Affordable self-build home ownership model replaced with 12 conventional shared ownership homes to secure affordable housing on the site in perpetuity.

*The proposals will have minimal impact on the openness and strategic purposes of the wider Green Belt. The detailed and well-considered Design Code will ensure a high quality, contextual scheme which responds appropriately to its setting and delivers a well-designed, cohesive development.

*Through Building with Nature and Passivhaus accreditation, the proposals will achieve an exemplar scheme which is an asset to Harpenden whilst at the same time providing serviced self-build plots and affordable homes to help meet local need.

The two images show the plot locations with the green infrastructure and the location within existing roads.

*Additionally several letters of support from local residents/potential buyers of individual homes on the development have been received and submitted with the application.

You can read all the documents on the SADC Planning web site using application reference number 5/2023/0317.

July 4.  Local Plan confirms Government policy of 15,000 homes say Chris White, SADC Council Chair of Planning Policy. Don’t believe the unfounded myths.

St Albans City and District Council is moving forward with its Local Plan, preparing for its Regulation 18 public consultation later this summer.

The focus of the Planning Policy and Climate Committee meeting on Monday 26 June was the green belt review, site selection matters, and providing Councillors with the proper context to make confident decisions on the Local Plan.

Councillor Chris White, Chair of the Planning Policy and Climate Committee said: “I would like to thank members of the Committee for their careful consideration of the complex matters involved, and their questions, comments, and suggestions. At the next meeting on Monday 10 July officers will provide additional information having considered their feedback so far.

“At this meeting Councillors will consider proposals to go forward for the Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation. Subject to the Committee’s approval, the public consultation on the draft Local Plan will run from 12 July to 25 September. 

“This will be a ten-and-a-half-week period of consultation, considerably longer than the minimum period of 6 weeks. This is to allow both for the school summer holiday period and a programme of exhibitions and surgeries to be held across the District in early September after the school holiday period ends.

“People who live and work in the District, community groups and businesses are all encouraged to give their views. We want to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. The feedback received will help shape the final proposals.

“I have noticed that there are a few myths starting to circulate about the Local Plan, and I would like to repeat what I said at Monday’s meeting to ensure people understand the facts.

“The first myth is that some people are saying we can simply ignore Government policy requiring us to allow for 15,000 houses to be built in the District over the next 17 years. That is not the case. 

“I challenged this requirement in a letter to the Secretary of State, arguing the figure should be much lower. However, the Ministerial response made it clear that the Government’s policy stands. Specifically, the Government sets out the requirement to calculate local housing need using 2014 national household growth projections.  We will, of course, keep the situation under review.

“The second myth circulating is the suggestion that sustainability and efforts to tackle climate change are not at the heart of our Local Plan. This is simply wrong. 

“The draft Local Plan states its first objective is to address climate change and this is a thread running throughout the Plan because of its importance.” 

Ambulance Community First Responders (CFR) demonstrate how they save lives to Harpenden residents on Jan 31. 2024

As part of the Harpenden Society Public Meeting at Katherine Warington School their team had a working display at the main reception so all visitors could see what a fantastic service they offer ahead of the Ambulance arrival.

Each CFR needs specialist equipment to administer  help to patients. It costs £3,500 a kit.

Currently Harpenden CFR’s borrow kits from St Albans.

To ensure the continued activity and expansion of the service in Harpenden they need to raise £10,000 to purchase 2 kits and have extra funds to scale up.

A number of generous guests made donations on the night. Much appreciated.

The attendance at this Society event marks the start of an ongoing campaign to raise more funds to ensure their emergency services can continue.

The prospective Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate - Victoria Collins for Harpenden is seen offering her support. (second left in main photo)

Statement on On-Street Car Parking Review

March 6. 2024

Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery for St Albans City and District Council, said: “We are carrying out a review of on-street car parking across the District. 

“One issue we are looking at is whether it is sustainable to continue to allow free parking in bays given the high level of demand and the resulting pressure on spaces. 

“Government advice is that on-street parking charges

should be set higher than car parks to encourage the use of car parks to reduce congestion and emissions as well as improve safety. 

“Charges may deter motorists from taking up spaces for long periods, help cover the costs of our parking services and encourage active travel such as walking and cycling. 

“We are also looking at the provision of disabled parking in our main high streets and whether there needs to be improvement, focusing not simply on the number of bays but on having the right number in the right location. 

“When we have drawn up our proposals, there will be a public consultation when residents, businesses, community groups and other organisations can give their views. 

“All feedback will be considered before the proposals are finalised and any decisions are made. 

“Finally, we will also be looking at requests for residents in various parts of the District for Controlled Parking Zones to be introduced. 

“These follow concerns that it has become difficult for residents and their visitors to park in some streets and that restrictions are needed. 

“There is a process that is carried out before a Controlled Parking Zone is introduced including intensive public consultations. 

“These are community-led initiatives and will only happen if there is a consensus about the need for change among residents and other stakeholders.”  ENDS

JULY 5. Harpenden Retailers SAY NO to High Street Parking Charges.

PARTICIPATING RETAILERS.

Total Looks; Talk Easy; Loveweds; Ripples; OUI;

Serena Hart; Skye Optometrists ; Thompsons Close Cafe;

Mint Velvet; Threads;

Capelli Hair Salon;

Molasses House; Hamptons; Connells, Fonehouse;

B J Copestick ; Stevensons; Lister Interiors; Clarendon Fine Art; Perry Florist;

Travel Four Seasons: Majestic Wine; Brynmor Interiors;

Dickens; Jolie.

July 17, The Petition to Object to the planned introduction of on-street parking charges in Harpenden WORKED ( Over 5,500 signatures)

July 17. Confused by the potential Car Parking charges in Harpenden?

HERE IS A CLEAR & CONCISE STATEMENT FROM SADC;

Review of high-demand car parking at bays with limited waiting times

Residents, businesses and community groups in St Albans and Harpenden can take part in a review of the operation of on-street car parking bays with limited waiting times.

St Albans City and District Council has launched a consultation into proposals to change the system at bays in high-demand areas.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the main proposal would see motorists given two free parking sessions of up to 20 minutes each per day.

This will allow people to make quick shopping trips or to drop off and pick up children to and from school.

The proposals would see motorists wishing to park beyond those free periods needing to pay £2.50 an hour for a maximum two-hour stay or choose to use one of the many off-street car parks available.

There will be no charge for parking outside the hours during which restrictions apply -   8.30am to 6.30pm in St Albans and 8am to 6pm in Harpenden - so the night economy is not affected.

One major aim of the proposals is to ease the pressure on car parking bays in St Albans City Centre and Harpenden Town Centre which are in high demand. Charges at bays in other parts of the District are not proposed, with the various limited waiting times remaining the same

.

The proposals are also designed to make the car parking service fairer and more equitable by helping it to become self-sufficient financially.

Over the past four years, the service has made accumulated losses of around £1.5 million, an unsustainable deficit.

Extra revenue provided by the proposals is forecast to bring the overall parking budget close to a break-even figure.

This could mean the service will no longer need to be subsidised by money from other Council budgets that could have been spent on other priorities.

Money from car parking services is kept in a ring-fenced budget, so any surplus could only be invested in parking, highways and environmental improvements

Another objective of the plans is to encourage active travel, such as cycling and walking, for trips to the City and Town centres rather than car use.

Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the Council’s Public Realm Committee and Lead for Parking, said: “We are aware that this review has already resulted in a lot of interest.

“Some of the speculation has been wrong – we are not, for example, proposing to do away with free parking, stopping people making a dash to the shops or other businesses.

“Parents and carers will still be able to park for free twice a day at the bays that are often used for the school run.

“I ask people to look at the proposals in detail and not rely on any rumours they may have heard. I believe the changes will benefit the community as a whole by promoting active travel and discouraging people from parking on the street longer than they need.

“They also take into account the interests, not just of residents who use the bays, but also of those who do not, such as non-motorists or those choosing active travel options.

“By making parking self-sufficient, we can ease the pressure on our hard-pressed budget and the other services we provide.”

Cllr Campbell added: “We want as many people as possible to take part in the consultation as this is their chance to air their views and help shape the outcome.

“We will be analysing all the feedback before making any final decisions.”

Consultation

The consultation began on Thursday 18 July and runs until midnight on Wednesday 14 August.

Residents can view the consultation proposals, including details of the bays involved, and give their views online here.

Consultation documents are also available to view at the Civic Centre in St Albans or Harpenden Town Hall.

People can also submit a response by email to parking.development@stalbans.gov.uk  or in writing to: The Parking Development Team, St Albans City and District Council, Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3JE.

Sept. MP.Victoria Collins's statement

for Harpendia

It is a real privilege to be elected as your new

Liberal Democrat MP for the wonderful

constituency of Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

Thank you for your support, which has been

truly humbling. That’s why I’ll strive to deliver

for every neighbourhood, and stand up for your

interests at Westminster – whether you voted for me or not. My role is to make sure your voice is heard, and campaign on the issues that matter most to our communities.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been getting to know Parliament, setting up my constituency team and office while kick-starting campaigns and working through casework to get up to full speed as quickly as possible.

The pressing issues facing our constituency include the crisis of sewage polluting our precious local chalk streams - a subject of my maiden speech in the House of Commons. On my first day as an MP, I wrote to Thames Water, demanding action on the Markyate overflow - which has seen more than 2,500 hours’ worth of sewage pumped into the River Ver this year alone. We’ve now seen Thames Water fined as Ofwat take their first steps to hold Thames Water accountable.

Another crisis is social care - which so many local people told me they are impacted by. In the Commons, I called on the health secretary to provide greater support for unpaid family carers - who bear the brunt of a failing system. I also raised the impact on West Hertfordshire hospitals, which have lost 843 ‘bed days’ in a single month in 2023 due to social care backlogs.

Meanwhile, we still face the threat of Luton Airport expansion and its impact on our community. That’s why St Albans MP Daisy Cooper and I have written to ministers urging them to block it - in line with the Climate Change Committee advice, and building on the work of inspirational resident-led campaign groups.

We’re also heavily scrutinising the impact of the updated National Planning Policy Framework and government housing targets on our local area, and we will be holding the government to account – pushing for a community-led approach to development.

I’m campaigning in Parliament to improve local public transport, and tackle the huge shortfall in funding for local councils - which has a huge impact on local services. Time and time again, hard-working local councils like ours have been forced to make difficult decisions or limit their ambitions by central government’s failure to invest in local authorities and put the future of our area in the hands of local people.

I’ve been in touch with local people about parking in Harpenden, sharing their views with local councillors and campaigning to change national legislation to support our local area. That includes carefully scrutinising government proposals on devolution - where we’ll push for the ability of local councils to deliver even more positive change for local people - and the proposed changes on reforming business rates for our high streets, to ensure our businesses and town centre get a fair deal

But perhaps the most rewarding part of my new role is helping you directly with individual problems, through casework. No matter what the issue, I will take up your concerns and, together with my team, I will leave no stone unturned on your behalf. I hope to meet many of you in person over the coming months at community events and local organisations. I’ve already attended the Harpenden Highland Gathering,  Wheathampstead Village Day and Redbourn Festival, as well as meeting health organisations and Citizens Advice.

Altogether, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind and sometimes surreal. Whether it’s getting lost in the endless corridors of Parliament, learning the rules of the Commons (no clapping), or hiring my team and setting up my office.  But beyond the pomp and ceremony, there’s a genuine feeling of renewal, and I know the important work has only just begun to deliver for local people.

Nov 21. Harpenden Public

Halls sale agreed

St Albans City and District Council has

agreed the sale of Harpenden Public

Halls to ChristChurch Harpenden (CCH)

for use as a permanent building for their

church.

CCH is a diverse church with a regular

Sunday morning congregation of over

300 people including 120 children and young people.

It currently holds its services on Sundays at a number of venues, using its premises on Vaughan Road for other activities.

Councillor Paul de Kort, the Council’s Leader and Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, said: “I am pleased that we have reached this agreement after an open market sale process and will obtain a substantial sum for the benefit of our residents.

“The Halls provided Harpenden with a lively entertainment venue for many decades, but it had become clear we needed to replace it with a much more modern facility.

“We are proud we did so with the opening of the magnificent Eric Morecambe Centre with its theatre, backstage equipment, function rooms, bars and other assets.

“Following the closure of the Halls, we considered several options for the future of the site, including redeveloping it ourselves.

“But due to changes in the wider economic climate, we decided to explore the sale of the freehold as that seemed the best way forward.

“The sum raised will help reduce the Council’s borrowing as was originally envisaged when we embarked on the project to create new leisure and cultural facilities for the town.

“I’m pleased that the sale will see the Public Halls continue to be used as a community building, although that was not one of the sale conditions. I am sure ChristChurch Harpenden will make good use of the building and wish them well with the task of refurbishing it.”

Gareth Loh, CCH Senior Minister, said: “We are very thankful for the opportunity this iconic building gives us to be a church at the heart of our community.

“Having recently marked our 60th anniversary, we have a vision to be those who truly love Christ, love his church, and love Harpenden.”

Lauren Cox, Chair of CCH Trustees, said: “I would like to thank St Albans City and District Council and their property agents, Strutt & Parker, for managing a professional bid process.

“On behalf of the Trustees, we are very grateful for the generosity of the CCH church family and friends who have self-funded the purchase of the building.”

The sale is conditional on planning permission for change of use and is scheduled to be completed early next year.

CCH hopes to complete the refurbishment of the building along with some repairs in 2026. They will be selling their Vaughan Road premise in due course.

Feb 18. Harpenden author Sally Holroyd publishes her new book. ‘Terby's First School Trip’ (Paperback)

This is the story about a young puffin, named Terby, who goes on his first ever exciting school trip. The book encompasses adventure, fantasy, creativity and friendship.

Aimed for ages 5 - 8, even up to 9 years, and good for learning, vocabulary and social communication.

The book includes lots of writing and bright, fun illustrations. Parents/carers may choose to read the book with younger children so that they can read alongside, listen to the story, learn from and engage with whilst looking at the illustrations. In this way, enhancing their learning and helping to capture their imaginations.

Available from Waterstones £7.99

Man jailed for Harpenden burglary at Silver Palate

A 49-year-old man from Luton was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for a burglary in Harpenden at St Albans Crown Court on Friday (7 March)

Benaissa Amrouchi, of Crescent Road, had previously pleaded guilty to a burglary at the Silver Palate in Vaughan Road on 28 January.

He stole a £2,000 Apple desktop computer, bottle of Aperol, £200 in cash and an iPad mini worth £400. He also caused damage to the premises to gain access between 3.10am and 3.40am. He was fined £154.

Sergeant Mark Essam from the Harpenden Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “He was identified via CCTV and my officers arrested him in Luton on 13 February, still in possession of a back pack that he had stolen from the burglary.

“I’m pleased he received a custodial sentence and his previous offending was taken into consideration. Rest assured, we will pursue burglars or anyone intent on committing crime in Harpenden.”

Harpenden Mayor asks for supporters during her introductory speech at the History Society’s Public Lecture.  Tuesday, 25 February

Cllr Pip Liver, Mayor of Harpenden and the Honorary President of the Harpenden & District Local History Society, opened the Society’s first of a series of public lectures at the Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden, on 25 February, attended by over 150 people, on the subject of Frank O Salisbury, the renowned painter and glazier born in Harpenden, saying that the Society has, since its foundation 50 years ago, held a special place in the community of Harpenden.

The Mayor noted that a rota of some 35 volunteers man the Society’s Museum and thanked the trustees and all the volunteers for their hard work in running the Society. Cllr Liver added, “The History Society is one of the many charities, clubs and societies for which Harpenden in renowned. I take this opportunity to say that all our societies only thrive because of continual renewal through new members, and a succession of individuals willing to give their time and expertise on committees and volunteering. Please do enthusiastically continue to support our local organisations. As well as expertise in each society’s own area, general skills in running an enterprise, and simply giving time, are needed.”

Jeff Phillips, Chairman of the Harpenden Society and a Trustee of the History Society, said afterwards, “The Harpenden Society was formed in February 1930, under its previous name, to “Safeguard the amenities of Harpenden and its environs, and to do everything possible to preserve and enhance its beauty for our own and future generations. Initiatives within the Harpenden Society gave rise to the History Society being formed in 1973.”

Roger Butterworth, chairman, added that, “The Society is grateful to the Mayor for having launched our public lectures and to the Harpenden Society for its continued support. For the Society to grow its activities, more volunteers are needed to cover various roles and activities.”

The Mayor, Councillor Pip Liver, Honorary President of the History Society and Jeff Phillips, Chairman of the Harpenden Society and a Trustee of the History Society, in Harpenden’s Museum

Retail Crime Forum launched by Commissioner to bring retailers and police together to tackle shoplifting and retail crime

Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards has launched a new Retail Crime Forum to work at pace with retailers across the county to tackle shoplifting and wider retail crime.

The Forum will accelerate collaboration between national and independent retailers, business groups, and the police and key partners to address retail crime and improve crime prevention and business confidence in Hertfordshire.

The Forum’s first meeting, to be hosted by a large retailer, will be held on Tuesday 6 May. Retailers big and small throughout Hertfordshire are encouraged to attend and have their voice heard. Retailers can register their interest at bit.ly/HertsRetailCrimeforum

The Commissioner’s new Police and Crime Plan for Hertfordshire will prioritise tackling shop theft and wider crime that affects retailers. The Retail Crime Forum will deliver on the Plan’s priority to convene businesses and the police to take a collaborative approach to tackling retail crime across the entire county, improving crime prevention and reporting and improving the confidence of retailers.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, said:

“Thriving town and village centres and retail parks are essential to Hertfordshire’s economy. But retail crime risks harming the ability of businesses to grow and prosper.

“My new Police and Crime Plan will tackle the crime types that residents and businesses have told me are the most important concerns locally. I have listened to business owners, retail workers and residents, and shoplifting is an issue of major public concern.

“I have therefore launched the Hertfordshire Retail Crime Forum to bring together businesses and the police to agree what more we can do in partnership to tackle retail crime across the entire county. I want to see robust action against prolific shoplifters and those who assault retail workers so that businesses have the confidence to report crime and people feel safe in their place of work.

“The Forum will be a place where businesses can have their voice heard. I want to have a constructive conversation about what more we can do in partnership, and I encourage retailers large and small to join us for the first meeting on 6 May.”

Register your interest in joining the Hertfordshire Retail Crime Forum here: at bit.ly/HertsRetailCrimeforum.