Exeter’s major
Princesshay re-vamp
starts to take shape
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| • FUTURE OF EXETER: Blue Boy Square. |
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| • NEW Building on the corner of Paris Street and High
Street |
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| • Bedford Street from High Street |
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| • Bedford Street with Roman Walk on the
right. |
By David Beasley
david.beasley@archant.co.uk
EXETER'S new-look city centre is fast taking shape – the £225
million Princesshay development is on course for completion in autumn
2007.
The development represents the biggest single regeneration project
in Exeter's history, and the biggest building plan since the end
of the Second World War.
The city centre is slowly but surely being transformed; the old
buildings at Princesshay, the last vestiges of the town centre that
survived Exeter's blitz, have now been swept away and are gradually
being replaced by new shops and apartments.
When the work is finally complete there will be more than 60 shops,
cafes and restaurants, 120 flats, a 270-space car park, a tourist
information centre, a heritage centre with access to Exeter's historic
underground passages, and a new public art gallery.
In Bedford Street, brickwork and roofing continues to be laid while
on the other side of the road work is progressing on the development's
new shops and apartments. In Paris Street a steel frame has been
erected for the building which will house Next, Zara and Top Shop
and Top Man.
One of the key elements of the development is to open up views towards
Exeter Cathedral, with a series of interconnecting streets and landscaped
areas.
But while the work has caused some disruption, developers Land Securities
say they're doing their best to minimise it.
Project manager Neil Read said: "City car parks remain open
and routes into the centre accessible for the duration of the construction."
He adds that in order to carry out construction in Paris Street
it has been necessary to increase the working area. Paris Street
is now restricted to one-way traffic, with vehicles travelling eastbound
towards the Paris Street roundabout diverted via Sidwell Street
and Cheeke Street.
But, despite fears that the traffic plan would cause problems in
the area, six weeks after it was instigated the plan has been accepted
by businesses in Paris Street.
Janet Hartley-Herbert, consultant for the Sofa Workshop, said: "We
haven't had any major problems with the traffic.
"The works are well managed and the construction hasn't deterred
people from walking up Paris Street."
At the opposite end of Paris Street, the Proberts' staff agree
that the one-way system is working well: "We haven't noticed
any problems so far with the new arrangements. The traffic doesn't
seem to be queuing anymore than before. In fact the traffic seems
quieter," said Proberts' manager Julie Reed.
Kodak Express manager Guy Newton said that the new system "hasn't
made any difference to the traffic" while Francesca Bliss of
Wesley Owen Books and Music, said: "The traffic hasn't caused
any major problems and we have been open and trading as normal."
The developers insist that the traffic plan - which will remain
in place for one year - will not affect pedestrians, as access through
Paris Street will be maintained with the pavement on the shops’
side in use and the footpath alongside the hoardings, on the Princesshay
side of Paris Street, significantly widened.
Park and Ride bus services and buses travelling towards Sidwell
Street continue to operate as normal.
Due to the one-way traffic restriction, however, bus services travelling
in the opposite direction are required to set down and pick up in
Sidwell Street instead of Paris Street.
Land Securities' Development Manager Graham Thompson states:
"The traffic management plan has been designed to ensure that
the traffic flow in Paris Street is maintained and business and
shoppers face minimum inconvenience.
“I am extremely pleased, therefore, that the businesses in
Paris Street have found the new one way system to be effective."
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