Nottingham's Lister Gate could become a health space for residents, filling empty shops and taking pressure off the NHS.
The unique plans would breathe new life into an area of the city centre that has faced huge decline over recent years. Once a thriving shopping thoroughfare, Lister Gate is now devoid of life with almost every unit empty, next to the now famous flattened site of the former Broadmarsh shopping centre.
Architects Heatherwick Studio revealed plans for what they've labelled 'Health Street', where public health, local businesses and social spaces would be present in one setting, allowing people access to health services that are different to clinical environments like the GP surgery or hospital. Lisa Finlay, a partner at Heatherwick Studio, explained that it was a matter of asking "what matters to you" rather than "what's the matter with you."
She said: "We want to create a new kind of place for health that's convenient and welcoming. It's about bringing life back to city centres and taking some pressure of national health care institutions." The idea of the 'Health Street' for Nottingham was created alongside experts in medicine, social care, and other fields, with the goal to address the growing social inequalities faced by many.
Leader of Nottingham City Council, David Mellen, attended the event and opened the meeting. He explained although "it would be very easy to say that the health of our community is down to those who work in the NHS or the hospitals" that it is actually everyone's responsibility, and there are a number of factors that affect people's health in Nottingham.
Councillor Mellen said he was "shocked and saddened by the stark reality" as "Nottingham has higher levels of deprivation. It means people have a harder time here than in other places for a number of reasons.
"The truth is that a child born in Nottingham can expect to live two or three years fewer than a baby born in another part of the country." Councillor Mellen also added that those in Wollaton have a life expectancy ten years longer than those in St Anns.
He continued: "We proved during Covid that we could at a time of crisis stand together. I'm proud of the way people came together to try and safeguard the people of the city.
"We need to continue to do that for the good of our community of the city. The current cost of living crisis will only strive to make things worse as people live in cold homes that they can't afford to heat with empty cupboards that they can't afford to fill."
It is hoped that the health street will also support new initiatives, such as Integrated Care Systems and social prescribing, which in some cases tells people to attend groups and activities, rather than prescribing medicine.
Lisa explained: "It starts by making use of spaces that already exist in town centres that need a fresh start and are really well connected to residential communities. It's then about building connections between charities, community groups, local businesses and health services, and providing a whole range of activities that might stretch from arts programmes, cooking classes, music studios and gardening to community diagnostics, dieticians and physio, or just socialising.
"This is a genuinely holistic approach to your health and wellbeing." The Health Street will begin by assembling community champions, and through their work with Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, Heatherwick Studio has already begun to consider potential key businesses that may want to help instigate a health street.
The next steps include finding a 'seed space' on Lister Gate, this would ideally be a large empty building which would be transformed to become a welcoming place that naturally draws people inside. Next, the possibility of expanding and looking at other buildings will need to happen, before building a network and eventually expanding to the outsides, such as an outdoor communal space for people working in the city to enjoy a social lunch.
During the event, Suzannah Bedford , CEO and Creative Director of City Arts Nottingham, Dr Hugh Porter Clinical Director at Nottingham City Place Based Partnership and Jonathan Casciani , director at Beam Editions had a public discussion about a new mission for the high street.
They focussed on providing services outside conventional clinical settings, including diagnostics and social prescribing, relieving pressure on the overwhelmed NHS, and delivering better engagement for the people who need health services most. Dr Porter said: "We all know that the NHS is under huge pressure and already the NHS knows that more of the same isn't a solution.
"Much of our health and wellbeing is affected by our lifestyle and our environment rather than what the NHS can do and what the hospitals can do."
Lister Gate was once home to shops like Marks & Spencer Home, Boots, Shoe Zone, River Island and WH Smith. Shoppers were excited last year as it was announced Flannels would open up a store there, but the area has suffered a steady decline since intu - owners of the Broadmarsh shopping centre - went into administration in 2020, drawing shoppers and eventually retailers themselves away from the area.
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