The Bedford Square Gateway Project in Loughborough town centre has entered its final phase.
The project will regenerate Ward’s End, Devonshire Square and Bedford Square to make it more attractive to visitors.
Today (Friday), Ward’s End and Devonshire Square will reopen to traffic. Most of the work there is now finished.
The area has been improved with high-quality paving, wider pavements, new street furniture and a new wide-open space in Devonshire Square to host events and activities.
Cllr Jenny Bokor, the Council’s lead member for Loughborough, said: “The Council has invested significantly into this scheme for the benefit of local businesses and residents.
Ward’s End and Devonshire Square look much more inviting to shoppers and visitors and we have retained most of the parking in the area.
We know it has caused disruption and we would like to thank everyone for their patience.”
Ward’s End and Devonshire Square are now complete except for a few minor works.
The roads will reopen at 4.30pm today. There are some minor works to carry out in coming weeks, including the replacement of temporary paving. However, the latest phase of the scheme is essentially complete.
The £3.8 million regeneration scheme has been funded by Charnwood Borough Council, Loughborough Town Deal and the LLEP.
Cllr Jonathan Morgan, Leader of Charnwood Borough Council and LLEP Board member, said: “This milestone means most of the regeneration scheme is completed and you can already see the difference it has made.
The area is a much nicer place to visit and spend time in.
Andy Reed OBE, interim Chair of the LLEP Board, said: “We know that town centres were impacted significantly by the pandemic, both in terms of reduced footfall and in the shift to online shopping.
By investing for the long-term in the revitalisation of our public places, while also improving access for pedestrians, we can support local businesses while meeting the sustainability goals of our wider Economic Growth Strategy.”
Work started on The Bedford Square Gateway project in early 2021. The final phase of the scheme is now underway.
