'Vibrant green space' to be created at St Mary's Churchyard

Watford Borough Council has revealed it is getting ready to begin a project to improve St Mary’s Churchyard, with work set to begin in January 2025.

When the space is reopened to the public, in June that year, informal play spaces and equipment will be scattered throughout the area, a new pathway around the church will be opened up, and a dedicated area for contemplation and reflection will be created.

St Mary's Churchyard, Watford High Street. (Image: Watford Borough Council)

• Three Watford crime hotspots to see greater police presence
• Thoughtless shoppers repeatedly block St Mary's Church entry
• Closure date confirmed as business to be demolished for Lidl build

Watford mayor Peter Taylor in St May's Churchyard. (Image: Watford Borough Council)

Watford mayor Peter Taylor said: “When I was elected, I committed to even more investment to improve our open spaces, and we are continuing to make improvements.

“Our goal is to transform St Mary’s Churchyard and create a place where visitors can enjoy informal play, increased biodiversity, and peaceful reflection.

“We’re excited to start the construction and look forward to unveiling this revitalised space next year, offering a new, engaging area for the whole community to enjoy.”

St Mary's Churchyard, Watford High Street. (Image: Watford Borough Council)

The completed project will also include a greener entrance, added seating, new paving, bollards, and rubber and resin-bound surfacing on the upper level.

Landscaping will introduce wild flowering and further biodiversity elements will include birdhouses and bug hotels to attract wildlife to the town centre.

When Herts Police published their Neighbourhood Policing Teams’ priorities for Watford in May, the list included “street drinking in and around St Mary’s Church Yard, church car park and St Mary’s Road”, which the force then dedicated resources to tackling.

St Mary's Churchyard, Watford High Street. (Image: Watford Borough Council)

The council hopes that boosting the attractiveness of the area and making it more inviting from High Street will increase footfall, reduce anti-social behaviour, and improve the “overall energy” of the town centre to create a “vibrant, family-friendly green space”.

It shared that it engaged with architectural design students from West Herts College so that they could contribute their vision of how the new-look area could be created.

The mayor led a competition, in January this year, and select concepts were integrated into the final plans.

St Mary's Churchyard, Watford High Street. (Image: Watford Borough Council)