Background

The arrival of  St Martin’s Quarter has brought new life into the area, increasing footfall and boosting the local economy. 

To capitalise on this change, Worcestershire County Council undertook a number of improvements in the Cornmarket area, as part of the first phase of the Worcester Transport Strategy. 

The Elements of the Scheme

Worcestershire County Council and Worcester City Council have worked closely together to develop the scheme, which involved:

• A complete reconstruction of Queen Street (South), the Cornmarket and New Street (North) as currently aligned, using high quality materials
• Enhanced street lighting – modern white light throughout public space
• Provision of limited, high quality street furniture
• Inclusion of public art to create sense of place and further improve the attractiveness of the area
• Provision of metered electrical supplies
• Formalisation of loading and parking arrangements in the Cornmarket

Objectives

The overall objective of this project was to design and implement a high quality scheme to improve, enhance and reclaim the Cornmarket as a focal space for the city.

The scheme was compliant with the vision for the City set out in the Worcester City Master plan and the Worcester Transport Strategy. The Cornmarket is a vibrant, people-focussed place that is a showpiece of modern public realm design in an historic setting.

The scheme design required a sound understanding of urban design, historic environment issues, transport and development issues and opportunities. It also required a clear appreciation of the overarching requirements for securing a sustainable form of development, which benefits all users.

Scheme Benefits

The renaissance of the Cornmarket has lead to wide-ranging benefits, including:

• A legible gateway into Worcester's historic City Centre, which embraces its setting and welcomes visitors into the city
• The creation of a successful, thriving pedestrian-focussed place where people can congregate for social and community interaction, including café culture
• The creation of a flexible public space, which is easily adapted to host the Worcester Victorian Fair and other events and activities
• The creation of a high quality public realm, which provides a suitable setting for the attractive historic architecture which surrounds it