People are being asked to have their say about how they want the future of Lichfield city centre to look.

City centre masterplan artist's impression

Lichfield District Council has been conducting research in recent months to consider options for the mix of businesses, housing and retail that could make up the both the land earmarked for the failed Friarsgate development and the wider city area, including the Bird Street car park.

But before the scheme moves forwards to work with builders, architects, retailers and other organisations, the local authority is asking residents to have their say on how the area can be an attractive proposition for visitors, businesses and local people.

Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said:

“It is essential we assess the views of Lichfield’s residents and businesses when formulating development plans for the city centre.”

Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council

The work is the latest part of the city centre masterplan project.

The council has appointed design consultants Create Street to develop a digital survey to find out views on what city centre buildings should look like.

Director Nicholas Boys Smith said:

“The evidence is as clear as crystal – creating places that people find beautiful and in which they want to be is provably good for prosperity and happiness.

“I am delighted that Lichfield District Council is leading the charge and is so committed to understanding what people like.”

Nicholas Boys Smith, Create Street

The survey will be launched in the near future.

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AnnS
2 years ago

“The evidence is as clear as crystal – creating places that people find beautiful and in which they want to be is provably good for prosperity and happiness.
“I am delighted that Lichfield District Council is leading the charge and is so committed to understanding what people like.”
Nicholas Boys Smith, Create Street

Well, this gave me a good laugh. The only charge that LDC are leading is how much their debacles have cost and will be costing the tax payers.

Diane
2 years ago

Don’t bother to ask the opinions of anyone aged under 60. They are only interested in what the over 60s have to say as that is all they want to live in the town centre due to the number of new builds popping up advertising their properties being for that age.

Ben
2 years ago

This is where we discover they plan to make everything look like a new build residential house so the residents of Lichfield can’t tell buildings apart, nor when new houses are introduced due to it being mass upon mass.

That said with the Friarsgate site due to use a 61% of land distribution is to housing as well as the fact its now put the future of Lichfield Bus Station at risk, maybe a joke like this is a little too close to reality for comfort?

Joe Bloggs
2 years ago

No more housing, yes to new retail, plus improved parking, with a big green open space for people to sit as well as a children’s play area, a nice cafe next to the bus station ( leave alone) .
Good for residents and visitors.
The LDC will do exactly as it wants no matter what the residents say. This is another tick box exercise by the useless Council.

Carl Sholl
2 years ago

Interesting picture. It appears to include a bus station and the old council offices, both of which would be good. The building on the right where the multi-storey car park now stands also appears to have cars parked on the roof. Could it be that the Council is now planning to keep the parking too?

L Bywater
2 years ago

Twenty years plus on, and a no one can make a decision, but surely that is true to form for Lichfield, by the time something is decided it will have gone out of fashion. That big draw to get and keep people here to spend money instead of driving miles to do so. Tamworth, Burton on Trent, Birmingham, Cinema, Ten Pin Bowling, etc

Carl Sholl
2 years ago

@Ross: Too good to be true then.

James
2 years ago

I honestly this this whole area should just be turned into a massive green space, to offset all the new properties which have propped up recently. A nice city centre open green space in the heart of the city. The first thing people will see when arriving by train or bus. Flower patches, benches, maybe a fountain. Would look really special. Cinema and bowling aren’t needed, the space is too small and there’s loads of that in nearby towns.

Rosie
2 years ago

LDC considering Options!! Options already fixed as the above plan which is 20 years ongoing. Looks like approx 30 houses being built in this plan. Also will Buses have to reverse into Bays. Are decisions again being made behind the Cloisters of LDC. No public Consultations. The final Nail for Lichfield Coffin …..Despots Reign.

Simon
2 years ago

When are they actually going to make some progress on this? It’s just one consultation after another. They’re deliberately stalling so they don’t have to actually do anything. Another consultation looks like they’re being active but really nothing is actually happening. So poor. Get on with it!

The area around Bird Street car park leading onto Minster Pool could definitely be improved. Imagine cafes and restaurants (with outside seating) spilling out towards Minster Pool, making the walk much more attractive and vibrant. That definitely needs to happen in my view, as well as the regeneration of the Birmingham Road site with leisure and retail (not more housing).

John betz
2 years ago

New housing developments are destroying lichfield. Generic designs with no character don’t belong in Lichfield.

Gary
2 years ago

@John betz, I think everyone agrees, but Lichfield’s planning department does not listen or care. We all (starting at Council level) should be pushing developers to come up with better designs for Lichfield which fits the character of the city better, but it’s all about money, so they won’t. Nothing else apparently matters. Redrow homes are the best of the bunch out of the large developers in my view, at least their designs are relatively attractive and look less like dolls houses. It’s a shame that, if more houses must be built in Lichfield, they can’t build the majority of them!

Steve C
2 years ago

Wouldn’t matter what we suggested, LDC wouldn’t take any notice and do their own thing, as per normal. Lichfield needs to attract visitors and tourists so get off your backsides and do something !! For a start, free parking would help,. At the moment Lichfield is just a massive building site.

Marilyn Gorin
2 years ago

I totally agree the flats that have been built on the old job centre site at green hill looks so out of place just square boxes . The planners are spoiling Lichfield and stop rubber stamping everything that lands on their desks.

Richard
2 years ago

By the time a decision is made the ancient councillors will finally have croaked it, which considering they’re mostly 80 plus years old then shouldn’t be too long. Then we can finally get under 60s listened to and have a superb development fit for families and not just the elderly.

Clare
2 years ago

Why consult? We all know what they will do… more generic little box apartments for old people- don’t pretend, we know it’s a done deal

What do w e want? Green space, a bus station and integrated public transport

AND we need a health centre AND the roads improving for starters!

Woody
2 years ago

Here we go again!!!!
If we have no idea what to put on this site then do nothing, leave bus station as it is,replace the Multi story car park that is falling down any way with a decent size one that is fit for the size of todays cars Etc. build a decent set of toilets for all our visitors that come by train and coach and a refreshment area for the passengers waiting to depart, for the remaider of the area, landscape it, as has been already surggested, by James
But it has all been said before, and we are still been asked!!!!!!!!!!!

John betz.
2 years ago

@gary….I’ve been a brickie most my life. Redrow and persimmon do build better houses but it’s the city planners and council that give the go ahead to the developers who design the houses.

Deanna Dallow
2 years ago

I have lived in lichfield all my life it is a beautiful city but I unfortunately can’t get to see all of it because I am disabled and use a electric wheelchair I can’t get all the beautiful places or shops I would really appreciate and recommend there to be a lot more areas and shops that disabled people can get to.

Robert
2 years ago

Cinema,roller rink which can double as an ice rink during winter months outdoor eating area some more toilets (those at the bus station are totally iphobnadequate, just 2 cubicles what a joke more seating ,get rid of the multi car park ,

Jamie
2 years ago

Start by removing the so called domestic recycling centre that is now a fully fledged tip for external commercial businesses. Each day this week the queue at 8am has been 9-10 massive vns, tippers, it’s starting to stink, I live here, this is not acceptable.

The roads are a mess, more houses and cars and no infrastructure development, the roundabout that meets TV Rd and Eastern Ave had its chevron knocked over 4 weeks ago and still not repaired despite me complaining at their office 5 times in person, there is steelwork showing from the drain cover (3 inch by 7 hole) in the road outside of the amey depot at TV Rd too, that damage is 4 years old, over 2 years we have faced stupid plastic barriers in the road at the bottom of my street by the so called recycling center, the rd outside of tee police station looks worse than any Rd being bombed in Ukraine, we tried to sell our house and can’t as people are turned off with the look and feel due to the dirty centre, the awful plastic barriers – these people do not care, I wonder how far they wish to push the taxpayer…. The crossings across half the town have no audio, blind people and kids are basically forgotten, some crossings have a 4 second allowance, there is no filter coming out of tesco lights which is lunacy considering the traffic which could be halved with the click of a finger, filter lanes are easy to implement, the city is run. BY idiots with no sense I am quite sure.
I am just getting started here, each time I report it direct to the council it’s not their responsibility…… Oh, so what are you here for then???

Richard
2 years ago

A fully pedestrianised Town centre with outside eating. Keep increasing this to draw more people then hopefully more shops to come.

Stop bikes and cars from centre, bikes already are but nothing is done.

Replace tip it needs to be twice the size and no commercial tipping. Huge vans takes an age to clear out and its meant to be residential why are they allowed? Lichfield tip is a no go area most of the time.

Fix pavements, cherry orchard has 3 schools incorrectly placed on it with rotting pavements I’m amazed you haven’t been sued yet.

Forget friars Gate improve what you have and stop all housing within city centre.

Denyse
2 years ago

I don’t understand people who move next to the tip and then complain about it.

sue M
2 years ago

Upgrade the bus station..put more toilets there . .turn friars gate into a green space knock down that terrible multi story car park..we dont need anymore food outlets? Build a modern visitors centre…I’m over sixty and l despair of all the assisted living apartments!! turning lichfield into one giant nursing home ? the council doesn’t really care what lichfield residents want they don’t listen

Woody
2 years ago

The link for the survey have a look and print your thoughts

“Lichfield City Centre Resident Survey Now Open
Create Streets has launched a digital survey to ask people for their views on city centre redevelopment
A digital survey seeking views on redevelopment in Lichfield city centre is now live.
The city centre redevelopment plan is now seeking residents’ opinions before Lichfield District Council approaches architects, designers and businesses to build detailed plans for the Birmingham Road, Frog Lane area of the city.

Prize -winning design consultancy Create Streets has been appointed to launch the innovative, interactive digital survey to ask the people of Lichfield for their views on what any new city centre buildings should look like and how they should complement the existing infrastructure.

The survey is now live at https://communities.createstreets.com/LichfieldCityCentre

Leader of the Council, Councillor Doug Pullen encourages as many people as possible to take part

“I want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute their thoughts to the survey considering the design and feel of the new development. Lichfield is already a fabulous place to live, work and visit, but we need to ensure that any new buildings reflect the strong cultural heritage and that we co-create spaces that are attractive and in keeping with our beautiful city. The residents of Lichfield are the best people to ask. We will look at every single comment made in the survey and all opinions will be taken into account as we further the plans.”

The survey will be open for four weeks and the results will be shared over the summer.

Published: 29 April 2022″

Steve
2 years ago

Where is the link for this?

Woody
2 years ago

Steve, this is the link off LDC website
https://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/news/article/594/lichfield-city-centre-resident-survey-now-open
Copy and paste to address bar

Ken H
2 years ago

Can not get survey site to work.
But I think it would be a waste of time, because all they want to do build flats on the Tempest Ford garage and more and millionaire apartments on Bird Street car park, the only decent car park there is for the centre.
Will not listen to anything else