http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Revealed-25m-plan-transform-Hull-city-centre/story-21339459-detail/story.html
Not really had time to digest it yet, but it seems the plans would open out the city centre nicely. They need to agree to having the monument as a focal point as well I feel. It's a waste just plonked over in the college.
HCC press release... Our changing Hull: #25m city centre transformation plans - 08/07/2014 Hull City Council is today [Tuesday, July 8] unveiling the first £12.7m phase of the largest city centre transformation project in Hull's history with stunning designs that maximise our city's unique character and heritage. It is hoped that the scheme will eventually lead to a total investment of £25m. If approved, the project will revitalise the city centre, transform its long-term economy and help Hull to realise its potential as a world-class visitor destination, as set out in the City Plan. It will get the city centre ready for City of Culture in 2017 … and beyond. The vision is for a connected city that allows people to see Hull in a new light. A long-lasting, high-quality contemporary design that celebrates our shared history and architecture. Each main public area of the city centre will work with the others and reach out to present Hull as a forward-thinking modern city that is proud to highlight its heritage. Stunning new LED lighting will create a wow factor in the evenings. Across the city centre, from Queen Victoria Square to the Fruit Market, you will be able to look up and see "sculptures in the sky" - architecture illuminated on the skyline. One of Hull's most famous sons, Mick Ronson, guitarist with David Bowie's Spiders From Mars, will be celebrated at last with a fitting tribute in Queens Gardens and a new central performance stage. Also in Queens Gardens, a removable stage over the pond will be created for events and festivals. And the fascinating history of Beverley Gate - highlighting its role in the English Civil War - will be showcased with permanent designs and a night-time illuminated "apparition" of the gate's exact historical location The new-look city centre public realm improvement strategy and investment plan will: Put the people that use the city centre first, ensuring all proposed improvements are user-friendly, safe, accessible and long-lasting. Increase city centre retail turnover by almost £70 million. Greatly improve the city for our residents, businesses and visitors. Create an extra £16.8 million of Gross Value Added (GVA) within the local retail sector. Support more than 500 new jobs in the retail and visitor sectors over the next 10 years. Increase occupancy in city centre commercial properties. Improve investor confidence in Hull. Increase local spend within the city through increased footfall and improved key routes for pedestrians by connecting wider partsof the city with the centre. Encourage more businesses into Hull city centre. Improve connections between different areas of the city centre. The designs have been created by Hull City Council's physical regeneration team in consultation with landscape architecture and urban design specialists, URS, and a number of key agencies. The key routes that will benefit from the proposals are: Paragon Station and Paragon Square: A natural entrance to the city centre will be created, with public art and weeping willows to remember those who died in the Second World War. Jameson Street: Decluttered and heritage architecture highlighted. King Edward Street: Pedestrianised to improve connectivity with other key areas. Queen Victoria Square: Street-level fountains. Multi-LED "mood" lighting projected on to Hull City Hall and the Maritime Museum. Beverley Gate: The wonderful history of Beverley Gate will be showcased through architectural glass above the ground, stone depictions of the historical gate and a night-time illuminated "apparition" of Beverley Gate's exact historical location. In context, Beverley Gate marks the spot where King Charles I was refused entry to Hull in 1642 - an act of defiance by the governor of Hull, Sir James Hotham, that helped trigger the English Civil War. Queens Gardens: The original 1920s design by Frederick Gibbards will be reinstated. A central performance stage will be created in tribute to one of Hull's most famous sons, Mick Ronson, of David Bowie's Spiders From Mars. There will be plug-in points for performers around the park and a removable stage over the pond. The framework of the park will be retained, while adding new planting, re-cladding the fountain and updating walls. It will include larger grassed areas so people can play sport, as well as smaller, intimate areas. Whitefriargate: Will continue the city-wide theme of "looking up" at architecture. High-quality, rollback timber seating and quality designs will draw people into Trinity Square. Trinity Square: Opened up to create a feeling of more space and to allow views down Princes Street. The Andrew Marvell statue will stand on a smaller plinth and could be recast in bronze, or moved to an interior location to ensure its longevity. A sculptural bridge across the A63 at Castle Street will improve pedestrian connections between this area and the Fruit Market. Fruit Market: A modern interpretation will retain and reflect the original character of the area. Cobbles that lay under the Tarmac will be revealed to create a pedestrian area in Humber Street, where atmospheric web lighting will creating the illusion of a magical, starlit sky. High-quality, natural materials such as granite, Yorkstone and hardwood will be used throughout. All areas will be decluttered to create a feeling of space. And engravings will flow throughout the city to give an impression of the city "speaking out". Councillor Steven Bayes, Portfolio Holder for Visitor Destination and City of Culture, said: "City centre improvements are essential in Hull. As a city, we need to raise our game in terms of delivering the ambitions of the City Plan and preparing for our time as City of Culture, starting in 2017. "However, getting it right is key. Providing public spaces that are enjoyable, convenient, accessible and safe for the people that use them is vital. People's needs - our residents, our businesses and the hundreds of thousands of visitors we expect to welcome to Hull city centre during 2017 and beyond - must be at the heart of all our improvements to public spaces. "Today's public realm strategy proposals provide a clear route to help us unlock the potential of this great city and to cement Hull's position as City of Culture 2017 and a world-class visitor destination." Councillor Martin Mancey, Portfolio Holder for Energy City, said: "Following the announcements of City of Culture 2017, and Siemens confirmation of their investment in the city, Hull has attracted an unprecedented level of national and international attention. It is our aim to ensure that we retain this, and the investment and huge number of visitors it will generate, in the years ahead. The city needs to exploit this interest to attract further prestigious companies to view Hull as a place where they want to set up business, as well as enhancing the appeal of the city to tourists. It is essential therefore that Hull presents itself as an attractive place both to invest and visit. "The city centre will inevitably feature in much media coverage and marketing activities and these proposed improvements to the public realm will be a highly visible statement of Hull's ambitions. "Hull also has an integral place as a key economic driver city, with recent plans announced by both Lord Adonis and George Osborne concerning the essential need to improve connectivity between the cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Hull in order to maximise northern investment opportunities through improved connections with the south-east. We have to prepare for this and today's announcement forms one part of our wider plans for how we intend to deliver it. "A joined-up approach to our city centre planning is essential if we are to help Hull achieve its potential. Although Hull has a magnificent architectural heritage, sadly, some of our public spaces and key routes do need considerably reinvigorating. "We need to tie the core of the city together while making the most of our heritage and architecture. These proposed improvements will have tangible social, economic and cultural benefits to the people of Hull, to investors, businesses and to the tourism industry. They will create jobs and opportunities for our existing workforce and for our young people. "I am delighted to see proposals that focus on the long-term future of Hull, using high-quality materials and carefully planned design elements." Following approval of the strategy, detailed designs will be produced for each element of the improvement scheme. Public areas will benefit from proposed improvements in three phases. For the initial phase, £12.7 million of Hull City Council funding is already allocated to the city centre, "Greening The City" and the Fruit Market, subject to approval. It will be funded from Hull City Council's City Plan budget, plus other funding bids for key elements of work. Members of the public will be able to see and comment on the proposals at pop-up exhibitions later this summer. Presentations will also be made available to key business groups in the city centre. It is hoped that work will begin in autumn 2014. http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/pag...h=Jul-14&p_page_number=1&content=pressrelease
Sounds bloody marvellous to be honest, though let us not forget at this stage it's just some plans on a computer. I do hope at least some of it comes off, though.
It's nice to see that money is at last been spent on the city, we may live in aus but we have just had our "Hulsl not **** any more" tee shirts delivered, but still disappointed with hull theatre after they didn't reply to my daughter regarding asking they were interested in looking at the possibility of putting on her play that had been a success at the edinburgh fringe with 75% of the seats sold over the three weeks run, they have missed out on a golden opportunity, shes now back in aus and developing more plays and a possible tv series based on the play that was a success at the fringe, she also has a well known london director looking to cast another of her plays at this moment in time. she would loved to put them on Hull, simply because we are all proud to have come from that great city.
Reminds me very much of Liverpools revamp, similar also to what's happening in Preston at the moment which is pedestrianising the streets and adding trees. If doing up the city centre worked for Liverpool in getting new shops then it can work for us
Hmmmm, maybe New Theatre's a bit much? She ought to try contacting Fruit, they put on a lot of the 'smaller' theatre groups. Speaking of Fruit, it's the Humber Street part of the plans that excites me most. I love spending time in that area, but it does need to be made more attractive.
Putting the statue back where it was would be great, it's wasted where it is... please log in to view this image
Levi acting like a cock about it a minute ago, totally missing the point about funding cuts and investment as a result of City Of Culture.
