Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Transportation and Highways

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a briefing note of the Director of Transportation and Highways that provided an update on progress with key City Centre Public Realm Projects. The Cabinet Member for City Services and the Deputy Cabinet Member attended for this item.

The Cabinet Member for City Services introduced the item indicating that the Public Realm works in the City were important to the regeneration of Coventry. The City Centre would flow better, there would be more trees and greenery and the experience of going to the City Centre would be improved.

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Jo Shore, the Council’s Head of Public Realm, gave a presentation to the Board which highlighted the following:

•  The challenges which included; transforming the City ready for City of Culture 2021; creating plans that people could support; changing perceptions of Coventry; ensuring the city stayed open for business while the work was underway; creating a place all could be proud of and combining the best of the old and best of the new.

•  Highlighted opportunities including City of Culture 2021 and the Commonwealth Games, which had helped with accessing grant money. An improved public realm would be an important tool for regeneration to accelerate change and maximise investment.

•  A number of specific schemes were highlighted including Upper Precinct; Smithford Way and Market Way and Bull Yard. Upper Precinct was on schedule for completion in March 2021.

•  Significant work was being undertaken to ensure the Heritage of the City was showcased through the public realm works.

•  Lighting was being enhanced to include the Whittle Arches, the Three Spires and Greyfriars Green.

•  A number of projects were in development including Greyfriars Lane, Pepper Lane, Canal Tow Path, Bayley Lane, Pool Meadow, Hertford Street and Unity Lawns.

•  Wayfinders were being developed to get the City ready for visitors.

•  Protective and security measures were being put into place in readiness for City of Culture.

The Board questioned officers, received responses, and discussed the following issues:

•  The vision was to build connectiveness between the City Centre and the rest of the City. Work was being undertaken with Public Health to maximise the benefit of the Wayfinders and encourage people to walk/ride into the City Centre. The changes at Junction 7 would be the first example of this taking place.

•  It would be great to make imaginative use of the ring road, however there were restrictions due to funding and highways regulations.

•  The Coventry Point site, now clear, would be used initially for a logistics and storage area for other work taking place in the City Centre. It would then be opened up and resurfaced in line with the improvement works in Smithford Way. This would be complete by March 2021.

•  An update would be provided to Members on the number of pieces of permanent public art which would be installed in the City Centre and minutes of the Public Art Gateway meeting would be requested and circulated if appropriate.

•  There were plans to review vehicle access to roads which had been closed due to Covid-19, including the High Street. An update on the outcome of these discussions would be provided to Members.

•  There were plans to dress the concrete blocks on The Burges.

•  The flow and style of new buildings were subject to the planning process.

•  The new fountains in the City Centre would be subject to a schedule of works and maintenance programme. Light and colour had been built in but not music as that required the purchase of licences at an additional cost.

•  Officers would feedback to West Midlands Transport colleagues, issues around the readability of the wayfinding posts at the station.

•  An App was in development to make the City accessible ahead of City of Culture. Ensuring those who do not use Apps are not excluded, was noted.

•  Welcoming signs across key arrival points were being considered.

•  It was challenging to get the message to residents about the work in the City Centre and the Team used a range of media to get communications out. 

•  There were ongoing discussions about the use of murals in the City Centre.

The Cabinet Member for City Services highlighted the importance that the public could envisage the end vision for the City Centre and that the Wayfinders would be important for helping people get the best from the City.

The Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration indicated that the City Centre needed to evolve, to get the best of the old and the best of the new, including St Mary’s Guildhall and the Telegraph Hotel. The current project was the biggest capital scheme the City had seen, and others were watching us to see what we achieved.

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3):

1)  Notes the contents of the briefing note and the presentation.

2)  Recommends that Cabinet Members further develop communication with residents on the end vision for public realm and that all Members support the dissemination of that information.

3)  Requested that the Board be provided with the following:

a) Information on the number of public art installations which had been approved.

b) The minutes of the Public Art Gateway.

c) An update on the potential permanent closure of the High Street to vehicles.