With the aim of developing the park for the 21st century, the plan will gradually restore and enhance the main features of the park including the lakes and Roman heritage, with a new area in the centre of the park for events and installations. It provides new play and leisure facilities for children and young people and it improves the overall visitor experience with a new refreshment kiosk, improved toilets, additional paths and a wildlife visitor centre. The plan also addresses the needs of teenagers, who can look forward to an area offering covered seating, offering wifi internet access and a climbing wall. All current activities in the park will continue to be accommodated.

Says the chair of the Verulamium Heritage Park Steering Group, Cllr Robert Donald: "Over a thousand individuals and groups have taken part in the consultation on the future of Verulamium Park which is one of St Albans District's greatest treasures and our premier open space.

"We now have a plan that expresses the hopes and aspirations of the community for the future of the park. These are exciting proposals that will improve the Park's unique environmental features, heritage interpretation and recreational facilities for the 21st Century. They will also encourage new groups of resident s and visitors to use the park. We can now take these proposals forward with confidence to bid for the funding they deserve."

The proposals include:

Heritage and archaeology - improvements to the London Gate entrance to recreate the experience of entering the historic Verulamium City will begin a new visitor experience to the park with better interpretation boards; easier access to the Roman Wall and the appointment of an education officer to develop activities and events.

Wildlife - bird and bat boxes will encourage nesting opportunities; while new tree and hedgerow planting will provide better habitats; visitors will benefit from new ecology interpretation boards while a park ranger will also organise events for the public to better appreciate the wildlife.

Play areas - new children's play areas aimed at age groups from 0 to five; five to nine and nine to 11 will be situated closer to the Splash Park. For older children and teenagers a new creative play area using hammocks, trampolines and cycle paths will be created in the centre of the park.

Sports and health - new tennis and netball courts will be situated closer to the Westminster Lodge. Jogging paths, accessible to all, will be created around Ver Meadow. Woodland walks will be created along the City Ditch.

Lakes and River Ver - Restoration work to secure the future of the lakes will include removal of silt, installation of fountains, marginal planting and viewing platforms. With the aim of returning the River Ver closer to a chalk stream habitat works will include the removal of silt, new plating and construction of a rill providing feed to a new Mill Pond.

The master plan is to be implemented in phases as funding becomes available. The first phase of works will be subject to a £2m bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. Some additional match funding from the district council and other sources will also be required for this bid.

A range of issues have emerged from the public participation exercises which will require more consultation when detailed schemes have been prepared, including cycling schemes. The plan presents indicative cycle routes but further consultation will be required before any scheme is
adopted.

The proposals have emerged from a comprehensive consultation exercise with over 1100 questionnaires completed and over 4,500 visits to the park's website. There was also a public exhibition and stakeholder events for neighbouring schools and interest groups.

To complement the consultation a number of scientific surveys were completed on: the archaeology and ecology of the site; a park condition and landscape survey and a hydrological report on issues affecting the lakes and River Ver.

Documentation relating to the research surveys and master plan will be available shortly at a variety of locations and on the project website: www.verpark.stalbans.gov.uk; the Central Library in the Maltings Shopping Centre and the reception area at the District Council offices.