No to traffic, but yes please to shoppers – that’s the message from city centre traders as the second phase of the Old Town Street and New George Street improvement scheme gets underway.
From Monday April 4, the pedestrian precinct will close to traffic. There will be a barrier at the entrance to Old Town Street and special arrangements for deliveries are being made with businesses.
City Centre manager Steve Hughes said:
“Our shops are very much open for business and keen to see customers. Business is bouncing back and we’ve seen more and more people come into the city centre. It’s good to see and we would love to see more!”
The improvements are designed to make the city centre a better and more vibrant place to live, work or visit. The tired eighties landscaping will be replaced by a more environmentally friendly public realm that will include features designed to make the area look brighter and feel fresher including a new play area.
Other features include new islands of greenery, places to sit and rest, a small performance area, new tree planting and ornamental ‘rain garden’ planting with more sustainable urban drainage.
Contractors Mildren Construction have written to all the businesses so that they can organise delivery schedules. Access will be controlled by a manned gate at the top of Old Town Street, with deliveries allowed between 5pm and 7am.
Collections
To keep the public safe and accommodate fast food collections as much as possible, there will some parking for motorbikes and bicycles delivery riders in a designated parking area at the entrance to Old Town Street. They will have to walk from this location to collect their deliveries.
Delivery car drivers will have to use car parks at Whimple Street or the Guildhall.
The council has been in touch with fast food businesses about delivery drivers breaking parking restrictions which became an issue during and after lockdown.
Private car owners were also breaking the restrictions in a location that had always been for access only. Drivers were never allowed to stop in the precinct, even just to load or unload.
Once complete the new scheme will be strictly pedestrian and cyclist only.
Taxis
There are two new taxi ranks which were created ahead of these works inCornwall Street/Eastlake Street to the north of Drake Circus and Wimple Street, south of St Andrew’s Cross.
Shops and businesses will operate as normal throughout and pedestrian access will be maintained while work is in progress.
The working areas will be fenced off to separate operations from the shopper’s corridors which will be retained on either side.
There will be extra signs to help people to navigate the area. As work progresses, crossing points will be designed across the works areas.
…and a big makeover for Civic Square is planned
Preparation work to reinvigorate one of the city’s most important public spaces, Civic Square, is due to get underway shortly.
The project is part of Plymouth’s High Street Heritage Action Zone, a partnership between Historic England and Plymouth City Council and will see the restoration of its most important heritage features, while at the same time re-imagining it for the 21st century.
Substantial funding (just over £2 million) has also come from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which has enabled the council to develop projects to make cycling, walking and public transport a more attractive travel option.
Contractors will create new parking spaces on Princess Street and reline some of the Guildhall car park to allow the square to be expanded to create more space for both cyclists and pedestrians.
It will also address issues such as narrow pavements and raised kerbs which has been highlighted as a problem for those in wheelchairs, mobility scooters or those who have other mobility problems.
This initial work stared in mid-March with the main phase of the project due to get underway in June. Improvements include:
- New tree planting and work to existing trees
- Soft landscaping to create an attractive green public space
- Repairing mid-century design features including the Hoopla (circular) seating, pool copings and planter seating and restoration of the banded natural stone terrace
- Repairing the pond to improve water quality, filtration and biodiversity
- Returning the flagpoles to the square on the original axis
- New modern seating and street furniture considered to reduce clutter
On-street parking spaces at the front of the courts will go to expand the square with new spaces created on Princess Street and more spaces at the Guildhall car park.
Civic Square is a Grade II registered park and garden and important to the city’s heritage. It is part of the civic layout of Plymouth planned in 1956 based on Patrick Abercrombie and J Paton Watson’s post-war Plan for Plymouth.
As well as preserving its 20th century credentials, the improvement project includes very 21st century needs with a mobility hub including electric vehicle charge points, e-bikes, car clubs and information on local transport.
Councillor Jonathan Drean, Cabinet Member for Transport said:
“We want to bring back a sense of pride into our civic spaces. This project will refresh this square and help people to see what makes Plymouth special.
“I’m also pleased to see measures to help reduce our reliance on the private car are part of the scheme.”
Simon Hickman, principal inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas, Historic England South West added:
“In the 1950s the original architect of the Civic Square said he designed it as a place for ‘dignity and frivolity’, and as ‘a civic amenity to be enjoyed by townspeople at all times’. This restoration will reinvigorate those original guiding principles and bring this important space back to life.”
For more information about the Heritage Action Zone, visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/planningandbuildingcontrol/designconservationandheritage/highstreetheritageactionzone
For more information about the Transforming Cities Fund visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/parkingandtravel/transportplansandprojects/ transportplans/transformingcitiesfund
