PLANS for a £12.5million walkway rivalling the New York ‘High Line’ have been released for the public to scrutinise.
The designs for the 1,000 metre long Green SkyWalk were unveiled last Wednesday (March 4) at the Business Expo event at The Three Counties Showground.
The project was created by Worcester based company One Creative Environments Ltd and will run aside the current railway line.
It aims to connect key parts of the city including The Hive, The University of Worcester’s city campus, Foregate Street Station, Worcester Racecourse, the University of Worcester Arena and the main shopping areas.
Planning applications will be submitted to Worcester City Council this summer. The build is expected to take two to three years and once funding is secured, construction could begin as early as this autumn.
It’s hoped the project could boost the city’s economy by £55million to £217million by attracting investors and generating new employment.
The walkway will also provide a new route for pedestrians when flooding occurs in the city.
Mark Martin, landscape architect and executive director of One Creative Environment believe the new development will put Worcester firmly on the map and will raise the city’s profile worldwide.
“Not only will Worcester Green SkyWalk provide some tangible benefits for the city in terms of better infrastructure and investment, it will also be a stunning piece of architecture and landscaping.
“Plans include creation of the longest living green wall in the world which will run alongside the railway line, creating a fantastic space in the city and greater biodiversity,” he added.
Following the release of the designs, an exhibition will be held later this month until mid April at the Guildhall where the public can go and examine the proposals and give their opinions.
“We really want the people and businesses of Worcester to get behind the project. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the city to create something very special, preserving a historic part of Worcester and transforming it for the future,” he added.
The University of Worcester and the city council have already invested in revitalising the area with the modern city campus and the development of The Hive.
Professor David Green, University of Worcester vice chancellor and chief executive, said: “It is an imaginative and innovative scheme that would be a great addition to the regeneration of this part of the City.”
“The Green Skywalk would give residents, visitors and students an easy link between St John’s and the City, one that would be both practical and picturesque.”
