Deal struck to re-open Broadmarsh walkway

A vital route into Nottingham city centre is set to be reopened again after the city council struck a deal with a contractor.

Immediately prior to entering administration, intu closed the walkway Lister Gate walkway which connects Collin Street and Lister Gate through the Broadmarsh Centre for health and safety reasons.

The Broadmarsh Centre site was passed to the City Council by the Government’s Official Receiver. Once the City Council took control of the centre, councillor David Mellen, leader of the City Council, said that reopening this walkway was the City Council’s “first priority.” The city council now says it has instructed the contractor who had been working on the intu development, Sir Robert MacAlpine, to undertake works to make the walkway safe to re-open at cost of around £350,000.

These works will begin shortly and the Council expects the walkway to reopen “soon”. The proposals mean the public right of way will be reinstated, but there will only be restricted access to some shops in the centre.

Councillor Mellen said: “When the lease on the Broadmarsh Centre was disclaimed to the City Council, we said our first priority was to reopen this walkway safely and as quickly as possible, and we’re now in a position to do so.

“The Lister Gate walkway is an important through route for the city and its closure has been inconvenient for a lot of people. We have had to balance making sure the walkway is safe with the need to get this public right of way reopen and we are now in a position where we can begin work to do that, just as people are coming back into Nottingham after the COVID pandemic.

“The withdrawal of intu from the site presents a financial challenge for the City Council at a time when our budget is under immense pressure. Equally this is a great opportunity to look again at the plans for this key site taking into account different ideas. We won’t be able to do this by ourselves and we will need to work in partnership.”