Sir John Hawkins Square could soon be renamed Justice Square.
The quiet city centre spot is located between Higher Lane and Palace Street and is a popular pedestrian cut-through from the city centre to the Barbican.
The square was constructed in the 1980s when the next door Plymouth Magistrates Court was built and named after Sir John Hawkins, a former city mayor and naval innovator. Hawkins was also heavily involved in the slave trade.
In 2020 the Black Lives Matter movement prompted a nationwide conversation on how the people involved in the slave trade should be commemorated and so a proposal was made by the Council to rename the square.
At the same time, the Council made a commitment to ensure that The Box, which was due to open that year, told a much fuller story about our city’s seafaring history and fully acknowledged the role that the likes of Sir John Hawkins played in the slave trade.
This has since been achieved in additional to the installations of an information board in the square itself.
A proposal to name the square after black football pioneer Jack Leslie was put forward but subsequently a road near Home Park, the stadium where Leslie made his name, has been named in his honour.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing and Cooperative Development, said: "I'm very pleased to be able to finally move forward with the renaming of the square.
"We think that Justice Square is a fitting name for the area given its obvious proximity to the court but also as a homage to the positive role the justice system plays in our society."
The process in renaming the square has started. A Public Health Act 1925 Notice will be displayed for 21 days from Wednesday 8 November.
This gives anyone the opportunity to lodge an appeal (either in writing or by email) to Plymouth Magistrates Court by 4pm on 29 November 2023.
If any appeals are lodged, the proposed renaming will be decided by the Magistrates. If no objections are submitted or all objections rejected, the Street Renaming Order will come into effect on the date indicated on the notice.
There are no residential or business properties addressed within the square.
A copy of the Public Health Act notice displayed in the street, which includes contact details for the court, can be found below: