A new walkway through the former Broadmarsh Centre featuring views of the new green space as it is developed is to soon be created. It is hoped a new green space in Nottingham, featuring a Major Oak sapling planted in the centre, will be completed sometime shortly after the opening of the new central library next year.
The regeneration of the former shopping centre, which connects Collin Street to Lister Gate, has been tumultuous over the past decade. Following the recent collapse of its former owner intu it was handed back to Nottingham City Council which, upon a public consultation, eventually unveiled a new vision for the condemned site in December last year.
Despite the council's initial failed bid for £20m from the Conservative Government's Levelling Up fund, which would have given the authority the required cash to further progress the site, work on the western side is able to continue. The demolition of this area, where Boots once stood, is now almost complete according to councillor David Mellen, the leader of the council who represents the Dales ward.
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And the overall redevelopment of the western side could be finished shortly after the opening of the new central library, which has also faced delays. He told Nottinghamshire Live demolition is to be completed "very soon" and said: "We hope the fit-out of the library will start and we've appointed contractors now to start that work with a view to the library opening next year.
"We are continuing with the public realm. We are completing the demolition of the western end of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre and then that will then become a green space.
"So work has been going on to plan what we are calling the 'Green Heart'. Further work is going on and a lot of people are interested with what could happen at the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre with a bid to Government for the next round of funding of the Levelling Up fund to enable us to have some resources to do that.
"You can see as you look through Carrington Street the piles of rubble that have been the results of the demolition. We are getting towards the end and work should start in the autumn on the Green Heart with it being finished next year."
Money from the Government's Transforming Cities fund, which has already been secured, will be used to pay for the so-called 'Green Heart'. In June 2020, Nottingham City Council and Derby City Council received "unprecedented" financial backing from the Government in the form of a £161m package to strengthen connections between major employment sites, upgrade public transport and improve the public realm for people on foot or bike.
It is now understood a new walkway will be developed between Collin Street and Lister Gate. It will feature boarding similar to the existing route, however 'windows' will be installed so work on the new green space, called 'Lister Square', can be seen as it takes place.
The development of the rest of the site, including a new City of Caves entrance, 700 homes, a hotel and the use of the old shopping centre frame will however require funding and financial backing from the private sector.
"We got the lion's share of it and we have been able to improve the public realm around the Broad Marsh because of it," councillor Mellen added. "[The Green Heart] will probably be completed later than the library but we hope the library will be open in summer next year. With the Green Heart it will be more seeing it emerge.
"The first thing we are going to do is draw a line through the site and for that to be the walkway. Obviously that will be boarded in but people will be able to see through gaps in the boarding through windows to see the Green Heart develop."
