30 June 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Notes to Editors
Media are welcome to attend a press call on Thursday 1 July at 10.30am on Broad Street, where Councillors Brown and Hayes will be available for interview. Please meet outside porter’s lodge of Balliol College. There will also be an opportunity for photography.
Work completes this week to transform part of Broad Street into Broad Meadow – a new outdoor space containing wildflower meadows and lawns.
On 1 July, Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, and Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon at Oxford City Council, will officially open the new outdoors space for residents and visitors to meet friends and family throughout the summer.
The City Council has plans for a high quality programme of community and arts events in the space over the summer weekends, the details of which are being finalised in response to the Government’s expected announcements about the regulations which will be in effect from 19 July.
The work to transform the area was completed by Oxford Direct Services (ODS) in four days and included the installation of drop-down bollards, wooden seating and planters made from local recyclable materials and re-positioning of cycle racks.
Experienced muralist Bryony Benge-Abbott was commissioned to create a large flower-inspired artwork on the highway in order to continue the theme of introducing nature into Broad Street over the summer.
The design of one of the city centre’s largest outdoor public spaces was developed by landscape architects LDA Design and informed by discussions with technical experts and local stakeholders, as well as local businesses, cycling groups such as Cyclox, and disabled people and representatives of disability groups through the City Council’s Inclusive Transport and Movement Forum.
The City Council is encouraging Oxford residents, workers, students and visitors to come to Broad Meadow and then share their views. A consultation questionnaire will be available on the council’s dedicated Citizen Space consultation portal at https://consultation.oxford.gov.uk/ open from 1 July until a month after the scheme closes.
As well as the online survey, City Centre Ambassadors will regularly visit Broad Meadow to ask people for their views in person. The public consultation and all other information and feedback gathered over the next few months will give people the chance to have their say about the scheme and contribute to plans for the pedestrianisation of the whole of Broad Street on a permanent basis.
The changes will not impact the bus stops or the County Council’s public car park in Broad Street. Access will also be maintained from Broad Street to Market Street, which is the main route for deliveries to and from the Covered Market. A two-way cycle route will be preserved throughout Broad Street.
Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon at Oxford City Council said: “Broad Meadow will be a safe, welcoming, and green space for everyone to enjoy. Within a year we want to be in a position to give Broad Street back to the people and we need to hear from everyone about how Broad Meadow has met their needs. As a listening council, we want to extend our discussions with 60 local stakeholders out to the whole of the city of Oxford.”
Dafydd Warburton, Director, LDA Design said: “The design and delivery of this new space for Broad Street ready for the summer has been intense. All along the way, we’ve wanted to use recycled materials and local makers. Now we’re really looking forward to seeing people use and enjoy the space, and to find out more about how people see the street evolving over time.”
ENDS
For more information contact:
Oxford City Council
Press Office
01865 252096