Halford Street is to be pedestrianised between Charles Street and Yeoman Street.   This will make crossing Charles Street safer and more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists entering the Cultural Quarter.  New trees are proposed to provide shade and greenery to an area currently lacking.  The trees will be lit at night.

 

A seating area will be designed by artist Andrew Skelton.  The seats will be made of a concrete incorporating recycled glass, which will sparkle and reflect the use of glass in the Performing Arts Centre.    The seats will also incorporate artefacts representing the area, selected by local people, set in resin blocks.  The seats will be lit from their base at night and have been designed to give a place to sit for people with varying physical abilities.

 

The two street lights in this area will be upgraded to Woodhouse Campus lights and the Jason Bruge colour waymarkers will be retained.

 

The pedestrianisation will complement proposals to convert one old building to a restaurant providing outdoor seating.  The entrance to Yeoman Street will be narrowed to make crossing safer and easier for pedestrians.

 

Cyclists on the Belgrave Way cycle route will be guided through the space using attractive floor tiles, and a floorscape map will aid orientation throughout the cultural quarter.  People with visual impairments will be guided through the space using a colour contrast and slightly recessed guidance strip.

 

Grey granite will be used as the surfacing material, and will be protected by a membrane to prevent staining, following lessons learned from Gallowtree Gate.  To reflect the textile manufacturing history of the area a thread, made up of pink granite and tiny uplighters, will weave its way through the granite.  The space will include mounting points for banners and flags and will be part of a processional route from the City Centre to the Performing Arts Centre.  The area will be covered by CCTV.  A proposal for artist work to be projected on to adjacent buildings is being discussed.

 

Access will remain for the users of the businesses on Halford Street.

Emergency Service will be able to gain access to the area via Yeoman Street.    No other vehicles will be permitted to access this area.

 

The telephone kiosk and post box will be relocated to outside the Rutland Centre.

 

 

Work on the pedestrian crossing over Charles Street is already underway.    The work on the Halford Street pedestrianisation will commence in June 2007, and is planned to take four months.