Projects

Leicester Old Town

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Leicester Old Town Regeneration

Total programme of 100 acres
Phase 1:
Major canal-side redevelopment
350 apartments
New waterside restaurants and specialist retail

The Project

Leicester City Council identified a broad area that would undergo a regeneration process encompassing the Old Town of Leicester, De Montfort University, St Augustine’s riverside site and existing Council offices in Greyfriars. The BLL/Inpartnership team carried out an initial analysis of this area and proposed a broad structure involving a long term investment model as a way of taking the strategic partnership forward.

Leicester has a rich cultural and architectural heritage; from its Roman ruins to its magnificent churches, the 350 odd listed buildings and monuments in its city centre, its numerous markets and the impressive New Walk – the first pedestrianised street in England – the city is awash with a sense of history, tradition and identity.  Leicester identified the need for integrated transport policies and sustainable imperatives long before these issues became critical nationally. Its regeneration strategies aim to augment the quality of life for its residents through physical improvement, and by bringing the most socially deprived areas into the successes that the rest of the city enjoys.  Leicester exists as a city with many successful pieces – what is missing are a number of key connections. The theme of our vision, a mission for the redevelopment and regeneration of the historic Old Town area, “Connect Leicester” is about identifying these missing connections; physical, social, economic, cultural, environmental and technological, and focusing on the most innovative and positive ways of closing the gaps.

During the development of the physical Framework Plan for the Leicester Old Town we have included representation from the LCC team as well as the Leicester Regeneration Company. We have engaged in stakeholder dialogue with De Montfort University, Leicester Grammar School, land and asset owners in the area, and other interested parties.

Our design objectives are to create community and sense of place through an assemblage of buildings and spaces. Our goal is to transform this important part of the city from a disparate disconnected no man’s land of cars, trucks and car parks into a pleasant, well defined, connected, pedestrian orientated environment.  We want to connect and integrate the assets of the area, the medieval town, the waterfront, De Montfort University, Royal Infirmary back into the city centre. We want to create a new heritage district that Leicester can be proud off.

Some of the main goals of the scheme are listed below:

• The creation of a vibrant waterfront destination along the edges of the Old River Soar and the Grand Union Canal. This includes introducing more residential buildings and eatery establishments to the area.
• A new pedestrian link from St Nicholas square down to a new square in front of De Montfort University, and continuing Southwards down to Infirmary square. This will form the back bone of the rejuvenated Old Town area.
• The construction of two East-West connections from the city centre to the waterfronts of the river and the canal.
• The unification of the historic district in the medieval town area. This would include distinctive signage graphics and an identity for the area, as well as a comprehensive program to promote the area as a major heritage destination.
•  Extending the fabric of the city centre into the Old Town Area so as to expand the urban core to include and integrate with the Old Town.