Scaffolding put up around Watford Town Hall and Colosseum

The works are in place for energy efficiency improvements to the two buildings as part of the town’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Over the next year, a £3.2m grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will be used to improve the energy performance of the buildings and to transition to low carbon heating for both heritage buildings.

A sign about the works taking place

In addition, the works will include: installing PV panels for renewable energy, thermally efficient window refurbishments to reduce heat loss, as well as new insulation and improvements to lighting and heating efficiency.

According to council signage, the scaffolding will be in place until early 2023.

It is expected to stay until early 2023

Cllr Ian Stotesbury, portfolio holder for sustainability and transport, explained that most of the council's public buildings still rely on fossil fuel-based heating and the current buildings are “obsolete and beyond their natural working life”.