An £18m redevelopment project to upgrade leisure and arts facilities has been given the green light.

Leisure and arts facilities in Harpenden are ageing but St Albans District Council's Cabinet has given the redevelopment the backing it needs.

It agreed to recommend to full council that the £18m leisure, arts and cultural facilities redevelopment project be added to the Capital Programme and Budget.

The scheme is expected to be self-funding, with increased income from a larger facility. There will be no net contribution from Council Tax payers.

The council is looking at redeveloping Harpenden's swimming pool site into one modern integrate leisure centre for wet and dry sports activities as well as a redevelopment of the existing sports centre into a new arts centre with a museum display area dedicated to Harpenden.

In the last four years, the Council has opened Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, re-built Batchwood Sports Centre following a fire, and built the new Cotlandswick Sports Centre.

Initial ideas also show additional car parking to accommodate the anticipated increase in demand for the improved facilities and to cater for the town's growing needs.

St Albans District Cllr Annie Brewster said: "There is a great opportunity in Harpenden to create fantastic modern leisure, arts and cultural facilities that are a significant improvement on those that currently exist.

"If full Council approves the £18m project at its meeting in October, then we will be going out to public consultation to work up the detail.

"We aim to maintain continuity of service for as long as possible while the new facilities are being constructed.

"The new Harpenden Leisure Centre is due to open in December 2018, followed by the arts and cultural centre a year later."

Existing user groups and Harpenden residents will be consulted on the project as part of a public community engagement exercise that will run to January 2017.