William Bird Pavilion Redevelopment / New Greens Hub

William Bird Pavilion Development – 

Stakeholder Requirements Review

Category

Requirement / Suggestion / Demand

Project Response

Status

Changing Facilities

Provide gender-neutral and accessible changing facilities

Design reviewed and aligned with Sport England and FA guidance; this includes an accessible changing room and individual changing rooms. 

Implementing

Changing Facilities

Consider separate male and female changing rooms

Gender-neutral approach retained following sports regulator review.

By providing separate dedicated male and female changing rooms would reduce the flexibility of the facilities and limits its potential.

Not taken forward

Changing Facilities

Relocation of changing rooms to the first floor, with community spaces provided at ground floor level.

Sport England and the Football Association require changing facilities to be located at ground floor level. The development is also located within the Green Belt and, together with budget constraints, this limits the ability to significantly increase the ground floor footprint. However, the designs have been revised to have the changing rooms at ground floor level and incorporate community space there too, while keeping the footprint increase to a minimum.

Implemented in part – changing facilities to remain on the ground floor, with community space also incorporated.

Toilets

Provide male and female toilet facilities which open into open spaces 

Self-contained toilet provision to be maintained. Design to be revised to ensure toilets open into communal spaces. 

Agreed in part - 

design to be reviewed 

Toilets

Provide publicly accessible toilets

The operator will be able to consider providing public access to the toilets as part of their ongoing management of the facility.

Noted – this is an operational arrangement

Community Space

Ensure building is inclusive and welcoming.

The building is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all users, with the layout carefully planned to support both community and sports activities.

Noted

Community Space

Include flexible, partitionable community rooms to support funerals, parties and other events

Multi-use partitionable space is included in the design, with the layouts intended to be as flexible as possible. 

Implemented  

Community Space

Provision of meeting/conference rooms and flexible co-working or hot-desking

The purpose of the project is to deliver changing rooms and community space. Space, budget and scope constraints mean working space cannot be provided. There will be flexible rooms available that could be used to hold meetings. 

Not taken forward

Community Space

Additional floors to accommodate more user groups and fully realise the project’s potential

Adding additional floors to the building would add significant risk to the project with a high likelihood that planning permission would not be achieved. This follows planning advice received about Geen Belt status and proximity to neighbouring properties.  In addition, the budget for the project would make this unviable.

Not taken forward

External 

Improve mobile phone signal and digital connectivity as part of the project

Mobile phone coverage is managed by the network operators and is outside of the scope of this project. 

Any approach from network operators to locate mobile phone masts to the building would be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Outside of scope of the project – not taken forward

External

Provide external electric and water infrastructure source to enable food vans or pop‑up catering on site

Design is under review to assess whether the required infrastructure can be delivered.

Under consideration

External

Include in the scheme the creation of a play area 

The budget currently does not support the inclusion of a play area. The Toulmin Drive play park does provide existing play facilities and is located within walking distance of the site. 

Should there be a demand for a small play area following completion, then this could be considered later. 

Not taken forward (at this time)

Kitchen

Incorporate a functional kitchen with flexibility for future catering. 

A ground floor kitchen and first floor kitchenette are included within the design. These will be set up to provide a flexible base, allowing the operator to enhance and adapt equipment to suit future catering requirements and evolving uses of the building.

Implemented in part 

Café 

Can you include a Café or food and drink provision as a core element?

A kitchen is provided on the ground floor, offering flexibility for the operator to develop a food and drink offer that suits their business model and the needs of the facility. 

Implemented in part – this is a decision for the operator 

Café 

Provide additional seating for watching football to capture revenue (in conjunction with café/servery).

There are areas around the building that could allow for external seating.  This will be kept under review during the landscaping design.   

Under review

External 

Additional parking to reduce local impact

An expanded grasscrete car park is included in the design. This will be barrier controlled to increase parking at peak times. 

Implemented  

External 

Security measures to be included to prevent vehicles accessing pitches or inappropriate areas

This is being assessed, and natural features similar to the existing mound could be used, alongside fencing or bollards.

Under review

Sustainability

Inclusion of rainwater harvesting system

To be explored at detailed design stage.

Under consideration  

Sustainability

Solar or other renewable measures such as solar canopies and panels. 

The inclusion of solar panels and wider sustainability measures will be reviewed at the detailed design stage as part of the energy strategy. 

The inclusion of solar canopies has been discounted due to the planning and heritage risks, with the site located within the Green Belt and the adjacent scheduled ancient monument. 

Under consideration  

Not taken forward 

Operations

Zoning to allow parts of building to close independently

The building has been designed to allow different areas to operate independently. 

Implemented  

Operations

Community-led operating model

The preferred operating model is community-led. The building is being designed to be as flexible as possible to support different approaches to the building’s operation.

While the building design is being progressed through this project, the future operational model will be developed separately and is not being determined at this stage.

To be reviewed separately 

The existing William Bird Pavilion is an ageing building with an internal layout that no longer works well for modern use. It cannot easily support shared or mixed use by different groups and does not meet current expectations for inclusive and flexible community facilities. The building also contains a reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) roof. Following safety concerns, this has led to the closure of the pavilion, meaning it can no longer be used. Overall, the condition of the building, along with limitations around accessibility, safety, energy efficiency and layout, means it is no longer suitable to meet current or future community needs, and refurbishment is not considered a practical long‑term solution. Redevelopment would allow a new, safe and modern facility to be provided that is accessible, inclusive and better suited to local use.

The project also provides an opportunity to bring together community activities currently taking place at the New Greens Residents Association building at 2 High Oaks, located around 650 metres away. That building is nearing the end of its useful life and would require significant investment to keep it suitable for ongoing community use.

The proposal would see the pavilion increased in size to accommodate the main activities of the Residents' Association, creating a single, improved facility that can serve a wider range of community and user groups in one location.

The scheme is now progressing towards a more defined design, with key elements largely established. Earlier stages of the project focused on technical assessments, feasibility, safety considerations, and confirming that redevelopment was viable.

As the design has matured, attention is now turning to refining specific elements, including internal layouts, fittings, and how the building will operate. This provides a more meaningful basis for engagement, allowing feedback to focus on practical and deliverable aspects of the scheme.

Opportunities for engagement will continue as the project moves forward, with input helping to inform these detailed elements. This approach ensures that feedback is constructive, well-informed, and can be properly considered as the final design is developed.

In the immediate future, further engagement will take place via an exhibition of the current plans before the end of June and one to one discussions with specific stakeholder groups. 

The project needs to be funded, and the Council has been seeking ways to do that. 

The proposal to redevelop the William Bird Pavillion is dependent on receiving 100% of the net proceeds raised eventually through the sale of the new houses developed on the site where the existing social club operate (2 High Oaks). 

The net sale proceeds will off-set a substantial amount of the overall cost to develop the new community hub. Additionally, the site where the existing social club operates is not suitable as the primary purpose of the new facility is to provide changing rooms for the sports clubs. 

What are the project timescales?

Operational arrangements for the new building are being reviewed separately from the development project, and a final decision on how the building will be managed will be made outside of the scope of this scheme. This approach ensures that decisions about day‑to‑day operations are not fixed prematurely and can respond to future needs.

To maintain flexibility over the long term, the building is being designed to accommodate a range of potential management and operational models. The layout allows different parts of the building to operate independently where required. For example, the changing rooms could function separately from the community spaces, and the community areas could be managed or used in different ways depending on future arrangements. This flexible design approach ensures the building can continue to operate effectively if the managing organisation changes in the future.

The new William Bird Development is being designed as a flexible, multi-use facility, so it can support a variety of different activities and groups. This flexibility will allow the building to be used by a wide variety of users including those that do not currently use the Residents’ Association or changing rooms. 

The design focuses on providing inclusive, multi‑purpose spaces that can respond to changing community needs over time. Decisions about day‑to‑day use of the building, programming, and how different groups are brought into the facility will be determined by the future operator through their business and marketing approach, which sits outside the scope of this capital project.

The project is not looking to stipulate the activities to be hosted in the new pavilion building (other than ensuring that the current Residents’ Association activities that include live sports viewing, pool, darts, live music, meeting space and hall hire are able to continue); in addition to this the changing facilities for the playing fields will be re-provided. 

The operator of the building will be responsible for bookings and activities at the facility. 

The building is being designed in accordance with the current building regulations. This includes ensuring the building is accessible and will have step‑free access, accessible toilets and changing facilities, as well as clear internal layouts and flexible spaces.

The way the building is programmed, promoted, and managed by the future operator will play an important role in ensuring it remains welcoming and inclusive.

Community spaces are primarily located on the upper floor because Sport England and Football England guidance requires changing rooms to be provided at ground floor level with direct, level access to the pitches. Locating both uses on the ground floor would significantly increase the building footprint, cost, and planning risk. 

However, the design has been revised to include community spaces on the ground floor to enable provision of meeting space while maintaining the larger spaces on the first floor. 

The Council has appointed a landscape architect to design the outdoor areas to protect the character of the site and surrounding green space, they will look at enhancing biodiversity and retaining the overall green and open feel of the area. 

Early proposals already reflect this approach, including measures such as the use of permeable surfaces like grasscrete for any additional parking, helping to reduce hard landscaping and maintain the landscape character. The final layout and management arrangements will be carefully considered through the planning process. 

Any proposal to serve alcohol would require a formal licence application, which would be considered by the Council’s Licensing Committee. This process includes consultation with key stakeholders, and members of the public would have the opportunity to submit comments, similar to the planning process.

If approved, the bar would be operated and managed in line with the agreed licence conditions. This typically includes controls over hours of operation, noise management, and responsible supervision to ensure the facility operates appropriately within its setting and minimises any impact on nearby residents and schools.

The design follows advice from Hertfordshire Constabulary to reduce opportunities for antisocial behaviour, including measures to deter climbing, unauthorised access and vandalism, and to protect features such as balconies and roof equipment.

Further input from the police will be incorporated through the planning process. The facility will also be actively managed, with controlled access, supervision and routine maintenance to ensure it remains safe and well-run.

A detailed noise assessment will be undertaken to establish appropriate operating measures. This will consider existing background noise levels and potential impacts from activities and equipment.

The findings will identify any necessary mitigation, such as enhanced sound insulation, and will inform suitable hours of use and management controls. The assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application.

The existing car park does not have sufficient capacity to accommodate peak use, particularly on match days. This has led to additional parking pressure on surrounding streets, including Toulmin Drive and Flint Way, with instances of verge parking and occasional obstruction of driveways.

The proposals include an expanded overflow car park to help accommodate peak demand and reduce pressure on nearby roads, improving the current situation and supporting safer, more managed parking. The overflow car park will be controlled by a gate and opened during peak periods to manage its use effectively.

A transport assessment has been undertaken in preparation for the planning process to consider traffic movements, parking demand and road safety, and appropriate mitigation measures will be incorporated into the design where necessary.

The proposals include a new pedestrian link from Townsend School to the new facility, while maintaining existing routes connecting the school to Flint Way and Toulmin Drive.

Access arrangements will also be improved, including enhancements to the car park entrance, to support safer pedestrian movement and ensure clear and reliable access for emergency vehicles.

Yes. A transport and access assessment has been completed, and its findings are being used to inform the design and access arrangements for the scheme.

The assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application, and there will be an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to review and comment on it during the planning consultation process.

The existing changing rooms are in poor condition and require replacement. Their location has been identified within the emerging Local Plan as appropriate for the provision of improved community facilities, including reprovision of the New Greens Residents Association site.

The project provides an opportunity to modernise and consolidate facilities in a single location, bringing together a range of community groups and supporting more efficient, sustainable long-term use.

Budgetary pressures and interest rate fluctuations in recent years have required the Council to seek alternative funding beyond traditional borrowing. Much of the project funding is derived from a combination of District-wide property disposals and developer’s (Section 106) contributions. The remaining funding will be met through the net proceeds from the sale of privately owned properties proposed for development at 2 High Oaks, along with some borrowing.

Alternative options for the William Bird Pavilion were explored, including a like‑for‑like replacement of the existing changing rooms. However, this approach was considered short‑sighted, as it would miss the opportunity to deliver a facility better suited to a wider range of community needs. This is further compounded by the uncertainty arising from the Government’s proposals to replace district councils with larger unitary authorities from March 2028. There is a risk that, If the project does not proceed within the current timescale, it may be delayed for several years or may not progress at all if future funding constraints under a new authority require budget cuts.

All feedback will be reviewed and assessed to determine if any requirements can be incorporated. 

Although not all recommendations can be included due to budget and other constraints, the intention is to ensure the new building meets the needs of as many community groups and users as possible.

The project team encourages you to send over any comments, queries, suggestions to capitalprojects@stalbans.gov.uk

A project exhibition is planned for the near future, where the updated proposals will be on display. Once the designs are finalised, a planning application is expected to be submitted in July 2026.

The project overall has been widely supported with few concerns raised about the scheme. A formal pre-application process highlighted local planning authority support as well as general support from key stakeholders and ward councillors. 

Concerns raised originate from matters that have been addressed in this FAQ such as accessibility, kitchen facilities, security, traffic and noise. 

Future concerns will be considered and addressed by the project team.