The future of Batchwood Hall is set to be decided tonight (September 2), with councillors poised to vote on a proposed change of use.

The historic property is owned by St Albans City and District Council (SADC) and was used as a nightclub for many years, before closing in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, it was used as a vaccination centre, before falling dormant.

In November 2023, SADC announced it had signed a long-term lease with hospitality firm The Oakman Group for its redevelopment, promising to give the building "a new lease of life" as an "upmarket restaurant, bar and hotel."

Plans for a change of use were formally submitted in April, and are set to be voted on by councillors at a meeting of SADC's Development Management Committee.

The plans will be put to a vote at tonight's crunch meeting.The plans will be put to a vote at tonight's crunch meeting. (Image: St Albans City and District Council) The application has been called in for a vote because of the major significance of the development and the properties status as a council-owned building.

If approved, the site would be developed into a restaurant, bar, wedding venue and hotel with 16 bedrooms.

Read More:

Objections have been raised to the plans including fears that the city will lose a nightclub in favour of a hotel, of which there are many in St Albans.

Other issues include the loss of part of the putting green at the nearby golf club and the impact the plans would have on a Mulberry Tree to the rear of the site.

One resident wrote: "This planning application, if granted, will cease decades of an asset adding value to the community.

"While I commend the applicant’s ambition, the fact is that the current hotels in St Albans already serve the needs of tourists."

An argument made in favour of the plan is that in its previous guise as a nightclub, the historic building only served a small percentage of the city's population - a hotel would theoretically have much broader appeal.

A decision is expected to be made after a vote at tonight's meeting, with planning officers recommending that approval be granted.