Bulldozers flatten ‘eyesore’ factory
WORK PART OF SOAR ISLAND REGENERATION SCHEME
AN unloved Leicester landmark has been demolished as part of a plan to regenerate a rundown former industrial area of the city.
The cement batching plant on Soar Island has been flattened to make way for some of the 335 homes that will be built on Frog Island.
Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “That batching plant was always very conspicuous and, in many people’s eyes, an ugly feature.
“I do not think many people will be sorry to see it swept away.
“Now it has gone, that island will eventually become a smashing place to live as part of our wider plans to bring people and a bit of life to an area of the city that was, for many years, overlooked and neglected.”
Developer Keepmoat said Soar Island will eventually include shops and possibly a cafe as well as 11 apartments with either one or two bedrooms and 23 houses with between three and four bedrooms.
It also proposes to create public spaces on the island.
Jenny Thomas, 51, who lives in Tudor Road, near Soar Island, said: “I’ve lived here for 20 years and not made much effort to get down by the river because, well, it hasn’t been nice.
“At the moment, it’s a massive building site, but whatever they have at the end it’s got to be better than a load of empty old falling down factories.
“That cement works about summed the whole place up – grey and grotty – so good riddance, I say.”
The city council has earmarked the area around the city centre for nearly 5,000 homes over 15 to 20 years as part of its efforts to meet its government-set housing targets.
It is encouraging private developers to take up former factory and industrial sites on the banks of the River Soar for housing or offices.
THE dark and dull concrete of a 1960s Leicester landmark has been transformed by graffiti artists.
The six huge pillars supporting the Burley’s flyover on the city’s inner ring road have become huge canvases and are now adorned with various different colourful designs including trees, clouds, flowers and images of local landmarks.
The work has been commissioned by Leicester City Council to try to make the link between the city centre and the Golden Mile more attractive and has been carried out by street art specialists Graffwerk.
Graffwerk has previously repainted the pedestrian crossings in Charles Street near the city council offices and was chosen to paint the huge £50,000 mural by the new link road that connects Belgrave Gate and Mansfield Street.
The area under the flyover used to be home to a series of lotus flower sculptures, which have been moved to the newly-created open space in Archdeacon Lane, close to the Charter Street Bridge entrance to Abbey Park.
The new public art is part of a £2 million scheme to improve Belgrave Gate for people on foot and cyclists.
Deputy mayor Councillor Adam Clarke said: “In Belgrave Gate, we are creating a much more attractive and direct route from the city centre to the Golden Mile and Abbey Park.
“These attractions are just a 15-minute walk from the Clock Tower and we want to encourage more people to make that short journey by foot or bike.”
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “The transformation is amazing.
“It was slightly grim and dark under there and now it is a genuinely eye-catching piece of public art.
“They have managed to use the rough texture of the concrete to add to the effect.”