MAJOR changes to the face of Worcester are proposed for the coming years, with a number of significant planning applications to transform the city centre. With many signs pointing towards the return to some kind of normality soon and with the journey on the government’s roadmap out of lockdown seemingly running smoothly, attention now turns to how the city rebuilds from an extremely difficult year and what the future will look like for Worcester. Regeneration and redevelopment, in its many guises, has always been high on the agenda and hot on the lips of many even before the pandemic struck, with huge developments and grand ideas and multi-million-pound promises coming and going.
SUPPORT: Artistâs impressions of the Shrub Hill regeneration and medical centre; from left: Cllr Geraghty, Cllr Bayliss, Cllr Agar and MP Robin Walker A MAJOR multi-million-pound bid for government regeneration funding in Worcester has been backed by councillors. Worcester City Council revealed £28 million plans to regenerate several parts of the city including the tired Shrub Hill area building a new medical centre on the banks of the River Severn, hundreds of homes and a new Building Block training centre in Dines Green. The bid was backed by the city council s policy and resources committee on Monday (January 25) and will now be submitted to the government.
WORK: An artist s impression of the Shrub Hill regeneration A HUGE regeneration of the city s Shrub Hill area looks set to be part of a multi-million-pound bid. Worcester City Council has revealed plans to regenerate several parts of the city including the tired Shrub Hill area. Plans include redeveloping the First Bus Depot site in Padmore Street near Worcester Shrub Hill station into 350 new homes and 2,000 square metres of commercial space. The ageing Isaac Maddox House site in Shrub Hill Road would also see a new enterprise centre and up to 100 homes built. A new walking and cycle route between Shrub Hill station, the planned regeneration area and the city centre would also be created.
Worcester City Council said it will submit a bid to the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund at the end of January, setting out how £28 million could deliver long-term economic growth for the city and aid recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The council also said the work would act as a catalyst for business start-up and growth, providing a range of co-working and individual business spaces, alongside a training and business hub to help residents and small businesses evolve business ideas into real opportunities. Last year, Worcester was one of 101 towns across the UK to be given the opportunity to create a Town Investment Plan and pitch for funding.
Paul Harding, of Discover History looks at the background to the gold chain of office worn by Worcester mayors TODAY tourists pause to watch a civic procession, today the mayor’s charity banquets put thousands of pounds to good causes and the mayor has the casting vote during important council meetings. However if we turn back the clock to the medieval period, Worcester had no mayor. Instead the city relied on the powerful guild that was created by the 1189 Charter. This had evolved to become two chambers known as the 48 and the 24. These were made up of important men who made decisions about the city. They were led by the high bailiff (a forerunner of the mayor’s post).