Hertfordshire County Council is to purchase a former hospital in St Albans to secure the future of the Muriel Green Nursery School.

The nursery – which has 130 places – already operates from the ground floor of the NHS-owned building, on Church Crescent.

But the NHS – which has not used the two-storey building for the past 25 years – now wants to sell-off the property.

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Tuesday (July 9), councillors agreed that the council should purchase it.

That will secure the future of the nursery – and, councillors heard, the currently empty first floor of the building could also be used for the provision of youth services.

Backing the proposal executive member for education, libraries and life-long learning Cllr Caroline Clapper said this was “a really important setting for the community”.

Leader of the council Cllr Richard Roberts said he was grateful that the council had been able to have a “really sensible conversation” with the NHS, in order to transfer the asset “at a fair price”.

After pointing to the specialist provision at the site and the “opportunity” afforded by the space upstairs, Cllr Roberts said it sounded like this building certainly has a “strong future” for the council.

According to the report considered by the cabinet the council had secured a 99 year lease for part of the ground floor for the nursery in 2001 – and currently pay a ‘peppercorm’ rent.

But that lease includes a break clause allowing the NHS or the county council to terminate the lease – subject to 30 months notice.

As part of the proposals, it was reported that ‘youth provision’ – that was to be provided on the Ariston site, on Harpenden Road – could be moved to the first floor of the former hospital building.

This, according to the report, would be more accessible for service users – being “a short walk from St Albans town centre”.

It says it would mean a first floor would not be required at the Ariston site – presenting a “capital saving” for the county council.