Decision due on new river link

A decison is finally set to be made on demolishing an eyesore former takeaway to create a new gateway link between the city centre and the River Severn.

Councillors will this week discuss a move to demolish the former Jaqk’s takeaway in Foregate Street, Worcester, to make way for a new entrance and walking and cycling path towards the River Severn.

The former takeaway in Foregate Street was bought by Worcester City Council as part of plans to demolish the building to link the city’s main Worcester Foregate Street station with the new multi-million-pound redeveloped Arches, the Hive and the River Severn.

The city council first revealed three years ago it was planning to buy and then demolish the takeaway to create a new path.

The move received a number of positive comments during consultation with Oliver Carpenter from Neweys Hill in Northwick saying it was an “excellent step forward” for the city.

Jenny Ellwood from The Moors was also supportive saying: “Opening up these top arches has the potential to create a really nice cultural and tourist area running from The Tything down to the Hive.

“Worcester also needs more safe pedestrian and cycle routes.”

The boarded-up former chicken shop, which greets people leaving Worcester Foregate Street has been shut up since closing in 2021 and looks a far sight from the vision for the area first revealed by the council in a handful of artist’s impressions more than two years ago.

Last September, the city council said it was still putting together a planning application to demolish the former takeaway and was expecting to submit it “later in 2022” but it was not put forward until March this year.

Those images showed a cleaned-up and greener Foregate Street with new plants and trees leading up a freshly paved trail towards the recently regenerated and re-opened railway arches.

The demolition of the former takeaway and the new route does still form a key part of the £4.5 million Arches project which has seen a number of new creative and performance spaces opened in the historic Victorian railway arches.

The huge project was awarded more than £3 million in funding from the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England.

The city council’s planning committee meets from 3pm in the Guildhall on Thursday (June 22).