The work to build a new shopping park at a former gasworks site has started.

Work has started on building a B&Q, Aldi and Costa Coffee drive-thru at Griffiths Way in St Albans.

The stores will be built on the derelict gasworks formerly owned by National Grid, which lies between The Range and McDonalds.

The site in Griffiths Way

Constructors MCS Group were awarded a £9 million contract by the new owners of the site Consolidated Property Group (CPG) to build the new shops.

B&Q will be the largest at 46,000 sq ft, Aldi will be 19,000 sq ft and Costa Coffee will be 2,200 sq ft.

The construction will take 41 weeks and is expected to be completed next summer.

Group commercial director at Midlands-based MCS Group Alan Shadbolt said: "CPG is delivering a high-quality retail park on a site that has been in real need of redevelopment, bringing new jobs and investment to St Albans.

"We are very pleased to have been awarded the contact and are excited to be working alongside CPG and architects Fletcher Rae to create an excellent new retail destination surrounded by well-known stores and supermarkets."

Aldi will be St Albans' first ever budget supermarket. Currently, the closest Aldi's and Lidl's are in Hemel Hempstead and Borehamwood.

B&Q will also be moving to the city for the first time.

The Costa Coffee will have a drive-thru, becoming the first coffee shop drive-thru in St Albans.

There has been a turnaround in shops at retail parks in Griffiths Way.

The Range and Iceland has replaced Homebase and Argos while Currys and PC World has been replaced by Pets at Home.

The area is also home to Sainsbury's, McDonalds, and several other retail shops.