Dates revealed for next phase of £2.5m city street overhaul

Work to create more pedestrian- and cycle-friendly routes through parts of the city centre is to begin later this month.

The toilets at Tombland were demolished as part of the improvements. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

A regeneration scheme for the Tombland area of Norwich which aims to see a complete reconfiguration of the cathedral side of the road to create greater space for pedestrians, started in August this year.

The road has been closed to city centre-bound traffic as part of the £2.5m revamp of the area as part of the Transport for Norwich scheme which has also seen the removal of the redundant public toilets.

Now work is soon to start on the second phase of improvements to Tombland and Upper King Street to create more pedestrian and cycle friendly routes through the area.

During these works’ Queen Street will be closed on the approach to the Ethelbert Gate entrance into Cathedral Close.

The work focuses on the eastern side of Tombland and follows the demolition of the disused toilet block.

It will include the re-paving of the cobbled areas with granite paving to create a more attractive open space along with the reintroduction of the newly refurbished Obelisk monument, planting of five new trees along with a soft landscaped area within the footprint of the old toilet block.

As part of the work, from November 23 Queen Street will be closed to traffic and all parking suspended.

The St Ethelbert’s Gate entrance to Cathedral Close will also be closed to vehicles for the duration of these works.

Pedestrian access will be closed until Christmas but maintained again thereafter.

Also, from November 23 the St Ethelbert’s Gate approach to Tombland will be closed permanently to vehicular traffic.

The work on Tombland includes a new pathway adjacent to Zizzi and Giggling Squid restaurants and the permanent removal of access to vehicles from Tombland through St Ethelbert’s Gate.

There will also be a new permeable decorative surfacing added around trees with five new trees and a soft landscaped area within the footprint of the old toilet block.

Last month members of climate action group, Extinction Rebellion lined Tombland with placards and banners to to make a stand against the felling of trees across the county.