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London’s got tonnes of fabulous green spaces, but we’re always happy to welcome more. So we’re pleased to report that a new green piazza right next to St Paul’s Cathedral has been approved.
Pedestrian and cyclist access around the cathedral is set to be drastically improved, with the complex one-way system currently in place, a gyratory built in the 1970s, to be removed. By creating Greyfriars Square the City of London hopes to improve the access between St Paul’s and the former site of the Museum of London. The new piazza has been designed by LDA Design.
In a meeting this week, City of London members voted through the plans for the square which includes a children’s play area and plenty of greenery.
Some members were concerned about the location of the playground next to Newgate Street, but planning officers told them it had been considered in previous papers and that location was the most suitable. There were also worries about cyclists riding through the square, but officers said a traffic order would be put in place to stop that from happening.
A City of London Corporation spokesperson said: ‘The Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee have approved initial design proposals for Greyfriars Square. This new public space is part of the first phase of the proposed transformation of the St Paul’s gyratory.
‘The proposals seek to close the carriageway at King Edward Street and the Newgate Street Slip Road and create approximately 3,000 square metres of new public space, including a children’s play area.
‘A more detailed design proposal will come back for review by the committee later this year.’
Londoners will have to wait a while for Greyfriars Square to be complete as building isn’t set to begin until 2025.
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