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.
Construction work will begin on the new NHS 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 was 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.
A further change is to be made to the Green Heart later this week to help protect the site during the NHS works on a new Community Diagnostic Centre at the foot of Lister Gate.
The top of the central path will be closed off with pedestrians asked to divert around the edge of the Green Heart as they walk through. Cyclists should continue to stick to the outside of the site.
This is to protect the lawned and soft-landscaped areas, as well as fencing, which have been walked across in the past few weeks. The situation will be kept under constant review with the aim to reopen both paths at the appropriate time in line with the NHS works on site.
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.”
