Moor please! This is how our new city centre play area is going to look - a piece of the moors, but with a slide.
New images show the play area which will be created in front of the House of Fraser and Debenhams buildings for children and parents to play and relax. It will sit on one of the islands that will be appearing along Old Town Street as part of a major project to transform the upper end of the city centre.
The play area has been designed to reflect the natural environment in and around Plymouth, but with fun in mind. Boulders formed on Bodmin Moor will be piled up for children to climb over, along with two slides and a rubber crumb surface to help with safer landings. There will also be a curved seat for parents to enjoy watching children at play and a small performance space is also planned.
Councillor Mark Lowry, Cabinet Member for Finance and City Centre champion said: “We want families to enjoy coming to the city centre. We’re refreshing its look to keep people coming back time and time again.
The new play area is about creating something children can clamber over, to use their imagination on and to be strong enough to withstand whatever the weather and being in a city centre throws at it. You can’t get more robust than granite that has been with us since the Ice Age.”
He continued: “We are constantly investing in the city centre and want it to continually attract thousands of shoppers from across Devon and Cornwall as well as local people. We have a really strong offer in Plymouth, with great shops, cafes and restaurants. We’re doing what we can, the retailers are putting everything into their businesses - but we need local people to support them as much as possible. To put it bluntly, if we don’t use it, we’ll lose it.”
The transformation is a collaboration between British Land (who own Drake Circus and the block which houses House of Fraser and Debenhams) and Plymouth City Council. British Land has permission to create a number of smaller retail pavilions within this space to entice smaller brands. Plymouth City Council has agreed to fund to the public realm improvements and is keen to ensure the area looks as attractive as possible.
New trees and planting is being planned with the old raised planters taken out and replaced with a series of islands, complete with lush greenery and trees.
Some trees whose growth has been restricted or are not particularly healthy will be going, but in their place will be 27 large new trees including Scots pine, silver birch, pin oak, wild cherry and lime will be planted.
The trees, between six and eight metres high when planted, will add shade and extend the existing tree cover and will be planted in deep tree pits connected to a new separate surface water system, which means they will be better irrigated using rain and flood water.
The planting will include native species such as primrose, cowslip, Lady fern, Scalymale fern and Broad Buckler fern, woodrush and campions to create a woodland edge in the heart of the city. It will include many flowering species that will provide a vital supply of nectar for pollinators such as bees.
Contractors have been on site over the last month to create a new taxi rank on Whimple Street to replace the rank on Old Town Street, removing the current conflict between pedestrians. It means Old Town Street can also be part of the transformation to replace some of the tired and dated street planters
Plymouth's city centre is a key part of Resurgam, the city's economic recovery programme. It is not just the upper end of town due a makeover. Frankfort Gate and the West End is changing. The old footbridge was demolished last month creating more space in Frankfort Gate, which is also getting new planters and features. A plot overlooking nearby Colin Campbell Court has been earmarked for a new walk in health hub.