Opposition is mounting against plans for three marquees and a pagoda to be erected outside St Albans Cathedral, as part of an expansion of the graduation ceremonies held at the site.

The St Albans Civic Society has become the latest group to object to the proposals submitted by the University of Hertfordshire.

While the university has long used the cathedral for graduations, it plans to expand into hosting graduations in February as well as September - leading to the application for the the temporary structures.

The marquees would be used for photography, tickets and robes, while the pagoda would serve as an information point.

The Civic Society has objected because of fears about the potential damage to the aesthetic of the famous building.

“The scale of the operation gives the area the feel and atmosphere of a building site rather than a valued place to visit and worship," it says.

St Albans School has also objected to the proposals, citing the noise and disruption it would cause to pupils at the nearby all-boys school.

Worries about noise levels during the building phase and the ceremonies themselves have also led to objections from residents and the Aboyne Residents Association.

Previously, concerns had been raised by Historic England about the impact that the work would have on the building.

But, the planning statement submitted alongside the application seeks to assuage these concerns, saying: "The proposed structures would be temporary and, while there may be some minor visual impediment and disturbance to tranquillity, the heritage significance of all the heritage assets would be preserved for the long term.

"The proposals, which are temporary in duration and impact, are sympathetic to the traditional use of the cathedral precinct."

A University of Hertfordshire spokesperson said: “We have held our flagship graduation ceremonies at St Albans Cathedral for over 25 years, celebrating the achievements of hundreds of thousands of University of Hertfordshire students and bringing millions of pounds of economic benefits to St Albans in the process.  

“We understand it is a huge privilege to be able to use the cathedral for our ceremonies and are proud to be able to celebrate our students’ success in such a beautiful and significant historical location, local to the university.

"We are also extremely mindful of the importance of doing so with as little impact as possible to the site itself and residents or the nearby St Albans School.   

“Preserving the heritage of the site, and addressing concerns, is of utmost importance to us, and we have been working closely with the local community and key partners - including the Cathedral and Historic England - to implement new measures that address some of these.  

“We remain committed to working collaboratively to ensure our ceremonies cause minimal disruption, while continuing to provide significant benefits to all.”  

The application has been called in by Councillor Edgar Hills, who has referred it to Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, as a result of the strength of opposition and the cathedral's status as a Grade I-listed building.