Half a million pound boost for public realm in Cultural Quarter

22 September 2011

A newly landscaped area of public realm is set to be created outside the entrance of the Sea City attraction after Southampton City Council won more than half a million of funding.

Planning permission was yesterday afternoon given at the Planning and Rights of Way panel for the new public realm area, after Southampton City Council successfully secured £550,000 of external funding for the area outside the new visitor attraction which is set to open in April next year.

PUSH awarded the council the grant in May, which will be topped up with a further £250,000 match grant allocated in the Local Transport Plan – funding coming from the Department for Transport.

The public realm work will include landscaping works, a new lighting scheme, new signage and a visitor cycling storage.

Councillor Royston Smith, Leader of Southampton City Council said:

“We are doing all we can to ensure the area around Sea City will be a welcoming open space and we are pleased that we yet again have found a way to secure external funding to improve public realm in the Cultural Quarter. This will be a space for residents and visitors to enjoy and will be in keeping with the high quality new tourist destination.

“Improving public realm will not only enhance Southampton’s image as a cultural attraction, but will also uplift the quality of the public realm to a level that will create a catalyst for additional inward investment.

“The investment attracted to develop and deliver the Cultural Quarter totals £175m, securing 2,000 vital jobs for the city.”

For further information:

Contact: Isabel Hokken, Media Officer at Southampton City Council
Tel: 023 8083 4672
Email:isabel.hokken@southampton.gov.uk