Ambitious £3m vision for Leicester cathedral gardens unveiled
Church leaders have unveiled images of proposed new £3 million gardens outside Leicester cathedral.
Staff at the historic building want to create an area with trees and flowers that could host outdoor services and concerts.
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An artist’s impression of the proposed new £3 million gardens outside the historic Leicester Cathedral
As previously reported in the Mercury, the clergy and Leicester City Council are jointly funding the £3 million scheme and yesterday artist's impressions were published.
The move will see the precincts of the cathedral being combined with the car park of the redeveloped St Martin's House diocese building for a new public space.
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The gardens will be capable of being turned into an outdoor venue with seating for up to 800 people.
They will include a tranquil graveyard created with the gravestones that stand outside the cathedral.
In 2009, before St Martin's House was started, the cathedral announced plans to transform the grounds but a lack of cash was a problem.
The diocese plans to raise its half of the £3 million through grants and private donations.
The Bishop of Leicester, Tim Stevens, said the scheme, which is waiting for planning permission, was going ahead thanks to the backing of city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby.
He said: "We have long wanted to give the cathedral its proper setting in the city and to make our spaces more attractive. Cathedral Gardens will now allow us to do just that.
"We are very grateful to the city mayor for his backing in getting us to this point and look forward to realising our vision during 2013."
The city council cash will come from the £19 million Connecting Leicester fund set up by the city mayor.
The cash will also be used for a new Jubilee Square at St Nicholas' Circle nearby.
Sir Peter said: "Cathedral Gardens would provide a wonderful setting for our city's cathedral and is an excellent example of what could be achieved through a shared Connecting Leicester vision."
The new gardens will include a central lawn and a water feature outside the cathedral.
The planning application will also include the demolition of a wall on the north side of the St Martins House car park to create a new cafe that will link Cathedral Gardens and the entrance to the Guildhall. Demolishing the wall is likely to be a stumbling block though.
Chairman of Leicester Civic Society Stuart Bailey said: "The wall is a listed building in its own right and we and English Heritage have expressed our concerns about losing it."
He said there were also concerns about plans to straighten the footpath to the east of the cathedral.
The plans are being sent to the city council and the Church of England's own planning authority for approval. Artist's impressions are available at:
www.cathedralgardens. dioceseofleicester.com
Comments
by cjt72
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 9:37AM
“So Lord Soulsby has launched his Connecting Leicester (£19M), Street Lighting improvements (£14M) and will give the Church of England £1.5M. Where did all of this money come from? are we paying too much council tax or is he just neglecting the suburbs and ploughing money in to his own pet projects?”
by Lutyens2
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 7:51PM
“Whinge, whinge, whinge, whine, whine, whine. I bet you lot are the same crew who for years have been saying why doesn't Leicester do something like blar, blar, blar.
Soulsby is having a go at giving Leicester some of its gloss and sparkle back to make it a place you want to visit. He may not always get it right or please everyone but at least something is happening.
And I get fed up hearing about "why don't they spend it on x y z poor, destitute or old or other such bottomless pit. It is spending like this that creates growth, wealth, wellbeing and happiness that helps eliminate the "deserving" x y z. If you read your own comments about the pictures and Foster cans then you could say he is killing two birds with one stone (or it may help them upgrade to a decent wine bottle rather than the tinny).”
by karinfall1955
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 7:12PM
“Don't you just love artists' impressions - smartly dressed folk and never a Fosters can rolling around :o)”
by PLYMFOX01
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 4:02PM
“SPS wont allow it because it wasnt his idea. Saw the Mayor "off duty" at the Leicester Transport Heritage Trust bus running day a week last Sunday, he looked very sheepish to be honest, almost like he was expecting someone to give him some grief.”
by llamalamb
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 3:26PM
“Just the place for a royal burial then.”
by DBLeicester
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 2:24PM
“''The diocese plans to raise its half of the £3 million through grants and private donations.'' - So are we to take it that LCC is paying the other half then? Considering the Council have to make millions of pounds of cuts, they seem to have plenty of money to splash on projects like this and Jubilee Square. Where has the £19m appeared from? There must be a money tree in SPS garden, oh no that's right, it's the Council Tax payer that's paying for everything... unbelievable - as services to children, the elderly, the homeless, the most needy and vulnerable in society are being slashed, SPS decides to spend our money on a fancy garden - you just can't make this up. Whatever next...?”
by MjCclarke
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 8:51AM
“Remarkably convenient timing with the possible find of the remains of KRRIII and pleas for the cathedral to provide a new restng place if identification is confirmed. However if the remains were say re-interred where they have been for past 500 tears with part of the friary foundations visible the curch plans would be an asset to a King's trail, but I believe the north wall and path should remain in situ within any new land scaping”