CHANGES to part of a Leicester housing estate have been proposed to help reduce crime, create more parking and improve the area for residents.
Designs have been drawn up by Leicester City Council for Ottawa Road and the corner of Edmonton Road in St Matthews, which will see old brick garages and bin stores cleared away and replaced with new parking bays, new street lighting and railings installed, and the closure of an unsafe alleyway connecting the street to St Matthews Way.
At nearby Lethbridge Close, improvements will be made to make a communal courtyard area more open and safer, along with raised flower beds and landscaping, and the removal of a partially-hidden pathway. Several brick garages and bin stores will be cleared away.
Work will also be done on gardens facing onto St Matthews Way, including adding screening to the railings to reduce traffic noise and improve privacy, installing new sheds, clearing undergrowth and brambles and planting with bulbs, replacing washing lines and installing private patio areas outside ground-floor flats.
The plans follow long-term work with the neighbourhood housing team, ward councillors and the local tenants’ and residents’ association to identify the problems they most want to see being addressed, such as fly-tipping, shortage of parking and safety issues.
Architects A+G have been brought in to draft up designs for the area.
People now have the chance to give their views on the proposals, in an online survey at Leicester City Council’s website.
Leicester assistant city mayor for housing, Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, said: “We’ve been working with our local housing team and residents to look at where improvements could be made to communal areas and gardens, and also to address the shortage of parking spaces.
“These designs have drawn up with those goals in mind, both to improve the look and feel of the area, and to create much-needed parking bays for residents.
“The work will also improve safety by closing off a couple of pathways which don’t provide good visibility.
“I’d urge local people to get involved and give us their views on these plans, by looking at the artist impressions and plans we’ve made available online, and telling us what they think of them.
“We want to make sure these changes address local concerns and needs, so we need local input to help us do that.”
In total, carrying out the work is expected to cost in the region of £850,000 and could get underway later this year or early 2022.
People can see the designs and give their views from Monday, April 6, by visiting consultations.leicester.gov.uk. The closing date is Friday, April 30.
Alternatively, the plans can be viewed at St Matthew’s Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) in Manitoba Road.
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