People are to be asked for their views on a project costing nearly £1m which would see a string of changes to more parts of Norwich city centre.

City and county councillors today (Thursday, March 21) agreed to consult on proposals which would see changes to the area around London Street, Bank Plain and Opie Street.

Transport for Norwich wants to spend just over £900,000 of £6m awarded by the Department for Transport through the Transforming Cities scheme.

The work would see London Street and Opie Street repaved. Parking bays in Opie Street, including for blue badge holders, would move to Bank Plain.

There would also be changes where London Street meets Bank Plain. Paving would be replaced, while the turn-round area there would be removed and paved over.

Norwich Evening News: Almost £1m could be spent on a scheme which would see changes made to Bank Plain. Pic: Dan Grimmer.Almost £1m could be spent on a scheme which would see changes made to Bank Plain. Pic: Dan Grimmer. (Image: Archant)

Council officers say that would provide 'continuity across the street' and create a 'significant open space' outside the OPEN venue in Bank Plain.

The current disabled parking bays in that area would move to Bank Plain, as would some others in nearby Bank Street.

In Bank Plain, pavements would be widened to 'significantly improve' the area for pedestrians.

And the existing pedestrian crossing, near Queen Street, would be converted to a Toucan crossing - designed for cyclists and pedestrians.

Norwich Evening News: The main entrance to what was then Barclay's Bank (now Open) in Bank Plain in 1926. Pic: Archant Library.The main entrance to what was then Barclay's Bank (now Open) in Bank Plain in 1926. Pic: Archant Library. (Image: Archant)

Officers said: 'Bank Plain is not currently an inviting pedestrian environment, but is part of the main link from the station to the city centre and that is not immediately obvious to visitors to the city.'

Footpaths would also be extended in Bank Street, while the road surface would be upgraded with what officers describe as 'a more attractive material'.

The changes would be an extension to work which is already being done in the Rose Lane/Prince of Wales Road area and, if approved, work could start in autumn.

A spokeswoman for Transport for Norwich says: 'The project has just been awarded funding through our successful bid to phase one of the Transforming Cities fund.

Norwich Evening News: London Street pictured in 1981. Pic: Archant Library.London Street pictured in 1981. Pic: Archant Library.

'We're now looking for approval to consult on the detail of the scheme so that feedback from the public and stakeholders can help inform the final version of proposals put forward for construction.'

Members of Norwich's highways agency committee agreed to put the changes out for consultation when they met at City Hall this morning.