|
Work begins on £300,000 facelift for Bristol city centre
|
|
|
|
"19/07/2010
|
Bristol City Council has reached agreement with Bristol Cathedral and Bristol Cathedral Choir School on plans which will improve College Square, the school grounds, and re-open the historic pedestrian link to Harbourside.
The square, which lies within the College Green Conservation Area, is surrounded by many attractive listed buildings but has become significantly degraded and the Cathedral and the Cathedral School have been working with the city council over several years to find a solution to enhance it.
The expansion of the school into new premises on the west side of College Square, together with the successful redevelopment of Harbourside, has created the opportunity and the funding to enable the work to happen.
Councillor Anthony Negus, Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing and Regeneration, said: “I’m delighted that after many years we are now in a position to start work which will improve this important and overlooked square.
“Importantly, this development will also restore the historic pedestrian link between the now regenerated Harbourside area and College Green in line with Bristol City Council’s policy of promoting walking and cycling in the city.”
Neil Blundell, Principal of the school, said: “As an Academy, we’re delighted to be playing our part in this development, which will certainly enhance the area.
"Our new buildings have already recreated the west side of the historic square and have been designed to be architecturally sympathetic, so this facelift and new pedestrian link are in many ways the final element in restoring College Square to its former glory.
“The new pedestrian link in effect runs through the middle of our campus, so we have worked hard with the council and the cathedral to open up public access while at the same time keeping the area safe and secure for our students.”
Canon Andrew Tremlett, Canon for Development at the Cathedral, said: “The Cathedral is delighted to be a partner in this imaginative project which will bring real benefits to the city, the Cathedral School and Cathedral Choir School.”
The scheme will cost £300,000 and is being funded with £152,000 Section 106 agreement money from the Harbourside re-development programme, with match funding from the council's Environmental Improvements Programme and contributions from the Cathedral and Bristol Cathedral Choir School.
Key features will include:
• A pedestrian/cycle link between College Green and Harbourside
• The relocation of school staff and Cathedral car parking away from the important historic facades, allowing increased recreational space
• Improving the environment around the listed Abbey Gatehouse
The work will be undertaken in two phases, over the summer holidays 2010 and 2011, to enable the school to complete the redevelopment of the Fortune Building in the north-west corner of the square.
|
|
|