£4m boost for Leicester city centre

Three busy streets in Leicester city centre that are home to businesses including Shoe Zone and Lloyds TSB are set to benefit from a £4 million revamp.

Leicester City Council is planning major improvements to Horsefair Street, Pocklingtons Walk and Market Place South as part of the Connecting Leicester project, which aims to make the city centre more attractive to investors and developers.

The footpaths on Horsefair Street will be reconstructed with high-quality block paving and the realigned carriageway will be resurfaced. A new contraflow cycle track will be created, and a new footpath will connect the street with Town Hall Square and Dolphin Square.

The improvements will extend onto Pocklington’s Walk, where footpaths will be improved, and the carriageway realigned and resurfaced. A contraflow cycle track will provide a direct link from Horsefair Street to new cycle lanes on Welford Road, Newarke Street and Belvoir Street.

In addition, a small number of Pay and Display parking bays will be created on Chancery Street to offset the removal of parking on Pocklington’s Walk.

Market Place South, meanwhile, is set to be reconstructed and resurfaced.

The improvements will be part-financed with up to £1.85 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “It is vital that we continue to invest in the regeneration of this high-profile part of the city centre and continue to provide safe and attractive routes for cyclists and pedestrians.

“This major scheme will transform the look and feel of this part of the city centre, providing much improved facilities for all road users and creating a new direct link between Leicester’s popular market and the historic Town Hall Square.

“The award of almost £2 million of ERDF support is a tremendous endorsement of what this scheme will help achieve.”

The scheme will be completed in stages, with the first works set to begin this month.