Mark Armstrong, Town Centre Co-ordinator, to provide a verbal presentation with Power Point photographs at the meeting.
Minutes:
Mark Armstrong, Town Centre Co-ordinator, provided the Committee with an update of the progress of the Bulwell Town Centre Improvements with a series of ‘before and after’ photographs.
Improvements to date, as part of the Improvement Programme, included:
(a) Removal of the rusty and disused cage next to the B&M store;
(b) Tidying up around the Moorbridge Tram Stop;
(c) Emphasising key buildings, including removing overgrown trees and greenery to reveal the view of St Mary’s Church from Highbury Road (with the agreement of the land owner);
(d) Summer flower scheme where surplus display equipment, including the wicker sculptures have been borrowed from Woodthorpe Grange and flower towers installed in the high Street;
(e) Existing flowerbed rejuvenation;
(f) Replacement of a tree stump with a new tree;
(g) Working with local businesses to ensure the area is more vandal-proof;
(h) Establishment of the Bulwell Conservation Area. This was particularly helpful when the refurbishment of the frontage of the former HSBC Bank proposed to remove the existing frontage and replace with a full glass frontage. The land agent was contacted and following discussions, it was agreed that the original frontage would remain. This has proved perfectly agreeable to the new tenant Costa Coffee;
(i) Refurbishment of the Bulwell Bogs notice Board;
(j) Repainting of the Bulwell Bogs bridge and replacing the steps leading to it from the tram stop;
(k) A small expansion of the Costa Coffee unit which will improves the appearance of the alleyway and has enabled the addition of 3 residential flats above the shop;
(l) Overdue professional pollarding of the mature trees alongside the river (these will re-grow).
Changes to the Market Place have included:
(m) Re-configuration of the market stall lay-out to improve the view of the market from the main road;
(n) Changing the alignment of the entrance and pedestrian crossing to the market place;
(o) Removal and reconfiguration of the retaining wall to include brick seating areas;
(p) Re-siting of benches;
(q) Removal of obsolete street furniture, including coffin bollards, to open up the area outside Boots and provide an additional space for events such as St George’s Day, Bulwell Arts Festival and ‘alternative’ markets and stalls;
There is still ‘snagging works’ to be completed and the Bulwell Archway, which welcomes visitors with an entrance which includes designs referencing the history of the area, including a pit wheel, the River Leen and the listed bridge, is due to be installed between the Market Place Platforms within the next 4 weeks.
A lot of effort was put into encouraging the re-development of the former Crown Garage site which has remained a vacant eyesore and attracted vandalism for approximately 20 years. The land owners initially did not intend to progress development but were encouraged to sell. Lidl now owns the land and is rapidly erecting a new store with a target completion date of February 2018.
Members of the Committee welcomed the varied and extensive improvements to the Town Centre and congratulated on Mark Armstrong on the achievements to date.