Albion Square proposals are a ‘dismal failure’ say Lib Dems
ICE ARENA REMOVAL ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’
THE council’s revised plans for the redevelopment of Hull’s Albion Square have “dismally failed” residents and are “not good enough”, it has been claimed.
Hull City Council released an artist’s impression of what Albion Square will look like after the development on Tuesday.
While a large urban park will formpart of the development, previous plans for a new ice arena have melted away.
Instead, other areas of the city centre are being explored for a new ice arena.
Councillor Mike Ross, the Liberal Democrat opposition leader said: “The Council has dismally failed residents of the city, they promised a new ice arena and they’ve made a screeching U-turn.
“The Liberal Democrats will be demanding how much money Labour council bosses have wasted on the development so far.
“With dither and delay on the ice arena developments, leaving residents in limbo, the council have serious questions to answer.
“They’ve rowed back with no new plan for what happens to the ice arena now.
“It is not good enough and the residents of Hull will rightly be demanding answers.”
Detailed plans for the Albion Square development will be submitted to the local authority’s planning committee later this year.
The new design includes residential, office and retail space, as well as the large urban park and additional eco-friendly elements.
The wilding of the area will create a new city centre green space.
Alan Boyson’s iconic Three Ships Mural in Albert Square will be retained as a key part of the development.
Hull City Council leader, Councillor Daren Hale, said: “The Albion Square development is a transformational project for Hull, in the heart of our city centre.
“These new plans will create a city centre oasis, a place where people will be keen to live, work, relax and socialise. We know how important green spaces are to residents and visitors. That is why we have invested significantly in the refurbishment of Queens Gardens, Pearson Park, Pickering Park, East Park, as well as in many other parks and green spaces across the city.
“There is a huge demand for premium city centre residential property, as we’ve seen with the success of projects like the Fruit Market on the marina, so this mixture of first-class residential property and office space is the ideal option for Albion Square.
“The inclusion of an urban woodland will create an iconic city centre location that the whole city can enjoy.”
A bike hub, solar panels, EV charging points and other
eco-friendly elements will all feature in the development.
“We sit on the energy estuary and declared a climate emergency in 2019, before publishing our Hull 2030 Carbon Neutral Strategy,” added Cllr Hale.
“The proposals for Albion Square reflect our commitment to delivering sustainable and responsible projects for our city and residents.”