Preparation for work on a new NHS diagnostic centre in Nottingham will see temporary changes to the way people walk through the Green Heart and into Lister Gate.
It was announced on Tuesday (22 July) that formal agreement has been reached between the NHS and landowners Homes England for construction work to begin on a new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).
This state-of-the-art facility will be at the foot of Lister Gate, just outside what would have been the old Broad Marsh shopping centre entrance.
The site will be handed over to local construction firm, Henry Brothers, on Monday (28 July) and initial enabling works will be carried out for around 17 weeks until the end of November.
There will be two key changes for the public to be aware of during this time for safety and to protect the Green Heart:
- One of the walkways through the Green Heart will close and pedestrians will need to divert to the left and centre (blue section seen on map)
- A controlled crossing point will be established between the top of the Green Heart and the foot of Lister Gate. The street will be closed for short periods each day to allow plant vehicles and deliveries to be moved between the contractors’ compound and the construction site (yellow section on map)
Hoardings and signage will be in place along the boundary of the site to make clear to pedestrians and cyclists how to move safely through the Green Heart, while the contractors will aim to avoid busier times of the morning and early evening with construction traffic.
Cyclists will be asked to stick to the outside path of the Green Heart rather than attempting to use the narrower pedestrian route through the middle of the site when coming down from Lister Gate or up from Collin Street.
The crossing point will be permanently manned and when vehicles need to move on or off the site, two metal gates will be pulled across to allow this to happen safely before the public can walk by once the street is clear.
Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council and Executive Member for Strategic Regeneration, Property and Communications, said: “This is an exciting development in the city centre which will deliver a fantastic new medical facility at the same time as further transform a key part of Nottingham.
“There will be a small impact on the public during the initial phase of the project, which we expect to be completed by late November in preparation for the main construction to begin.
“To ensure people’s safety and to protect the Green Heart, which is now a hugely popular spot in our city, there will be temporary hoardings in place which will close off part of the path, as well as a manned crossing point at the foot of Lister Gate for site traffic.
“The new paving of the Green Heart will be protected and any planting which is disturbed during these initial works will be replaced.
“We’ve worked closely with all parties involved – the NHS, Homes England and the contractors – and will continue to monitor the situation over the coming weeks. We thank the public for their patience while this essential work takes place.”