Plan to reopen link between Broadgate and Hertford Street

[dutchman]

A £2million project has been unveiled to re-open a ‘dead end’ in Coventry city centre.



The area underneath Broadgate House would be opened up for the first time in 45 years by demolishing the Nationwide building and re-establishing the link between Broadgate and Hertford Street.

Coventry City Council is seeking permission to remove the 1970s building and return the Grade II Listed Broadgate House building to its original design.

The Telegraph understands the council is also in talks to open a cafe in the building above the passageway.

However, demolition work cannot start until permission is granted by the Secretary of State as the Nationwide building is technically also Grade II listed because it touches the original structure built in 1953.

The council completed the purchase of the building this week and Nationwide has been given a two-year lease while they search for an alternative location.

Broadgate House was one of the first buildings to be completed after the war and was part of the master plan created by the then city architect Donald Gibson.

It is described as the best surviving building in the city of Gibson’s original plan and one of the few Festival of Britain-style buildings remaining nationally.

The Hertford Street-facing side of Broadgate House features sculptures of ‘Coventry heroes’, which have been largely obstructed from public view by the addition of the Nationwide building. But the new scheme aims to make these figures a prominent feature once again.

[rebbonk]

I personally fail to see how this will help anything.

[Davey]

I think it's an excellent idea and will give a much more open and comfortable feeling to Hertford St, and leads on nicely towards the new Station development.

Hopefully the quality of Businesses in the street will improve over time too, it's a bit crummy at the moment.

[dutchman]

Bank demolition will open up this long-lost view of Coventry city centre



A former bank is set to be knocked down later this month - opening up a long-lost vista of the city centre.

Nationwide moved out of the building under the Lady Godiva clock in Broadgate earlier this year to pave the way for the demolition.

The work will re-open the link between Hertford Street and Broadgate, a view which was lost when the archway was bricked up in the 1960s.
£2m dramatic plans

The demolition is the start of a £2million project to re-open a ‘dead end’ in the area underneath Broadgate House.

The route is set be opened up for the first time in almost 50 years by demolishing the Nationwide building and re-establishing the link between Broadgate and Hertford Street.

The Telegraph first revealed the plans in 2015, but the process has been a complex one with Coventry City Council needing to seek permission to remove the 1970s building and return the Grade II Listed Broadgate House building to its original design.

Broadgate House was one of the first buildings to be completed after the war and was part of the masterplan created by the then city architect Donald Gibson.

It is described as the best surviving building in the city of Gibson’s original plan and one of the few Festival of Britain-style buildings remaining nationally.

The Hertford Street-facing side of Broadgate House features sculptures of Coventry heroes, which have been largely obstructed from public view by the addition of the Nationwide building.

But the new scheme aims to make these figures a prominent feature once again.

[rebbonk]

Yep, we are gonna walk up Hertford St and gaze on Mutton's patio. - How scintillating.

[dutchman]

Coventry sculptures and link to Broadgate opened up for first time in 50 years



SCULPTURES can be seen in their full glory for the first time in over 50 years as part of a scheme to open a long-forgotten view of Coventry city centre.

The People of Coventry statues which feature four groups of figures depicting Coventry past, present and future have been obstructed from public view by the Nationwide building on Hertford Street facing Broadgate House.

But following the demolition of the 1970s Nationwide building to create a new walkway between Broadgate and Hertford Street, the sculptures by Trevor Tennant – who also designed the Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom Clock – have been illuminated.

The work is part of a £2.3million project, which includes funding of £642,000 from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), and has also involved removing existing concrete paving slabs and installing new LED lighting.

The second phase of the work will now get underway to replace the temporary tarmac surface on Hertford Street with new surfacing and lighting before the end of this year.

It is the first time for 50 years the link from Broadgate to Hertford Street has been opened to the public to make it more accessible as Coventry starts the countdown to being UK City of Culture in 2021.

Cabinet member for jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council and CWLEP board director Coun Jim O’Boyle said: “It’s a long-forgotten view of Coventry City Centre, and many local people and visitors will love it.

“We have lots of plans to revamp and improve parts of the city centre and this project is important because it helps to link Hertford Street with Broadgate.

“The next phase will be to lay new paving on Hertford Street so we’re hoping it will improve the look and feel of the pedestrianised street too, and be a boost to businesses.”

[rebbonk]

Accepting that the tarmac is temporary, it still looks a bl**dy mess!

The vista that once lay through the bridge has long since vanished. CCC should have left well alone.