NEWS | Exciting multi-million pound vision for Queen's Gardens to go before planners

The transformative £11.7m Queen's Gardens redevelopment will go before Hull City Council’s planning committee on Tuesday 16 November.

Preparatory work has already begun on the site after the project was given pre planning support last December.

The Queen's Gardens refurbishment will improve accessibility and visitor flows, deliver structural repairs through rebuilding the perimeter walls, introduce bespoke pieces of public art, improve biodiversity and regenerate a much-loved open space.

The project will make the gardens fit for purpose, futureproofing the space and its ability to host large-scale events. The history of the gardens will be incorporated in its design, reconnecting it with the origins of the space as a former dock.

Last month a contractor, local construction company CR Reynolds Ltd, was appointed for the project.

Councillor Daren Hale, leader of Hull City Council, said: “The Queen's Gardens refurbishment will create a first-class and unique urban green space in the heart of our city. There are some fantastic mature trees and a number of historically endangered species being replanted as part of this initiative.

“The historic gardens are in need of refurbishment, and the redevelopment is a key component of the Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City project.

“This a major and exciting project for our city, one that will benefit residents and visitors for many years to come.”

The project includes the refurbishment of the Rose Bowl and its historic fountain, the inclusion of various art installations and the creation of a large and flexible event space.

The art installations, from internationally-renowned and award-winning artists Katayoun Dowlatshahi and Heinrich & Palmer, will include a new seating area in the Peace Garden, integrated artworks on new amphitheatre-style seating, as well as maritime-inspired installations and lighting along the boundary of the gardens.

Careful consideration has been given to the project to ensure that the space is futureproofed and environmentally friendly.

The plans incorporate modern, eco-friendly features including electric charging points for taxis, the introduction of plants and trees to increase the gardens’ biodiversity.

The plans include the planting of new, more suitable and native trees to replace those that are in a poor condition or require removal due to the design of the park or the undertaking of essential structural repairs.

For every tree removed, three trees will be planted in the gardens and in other locations across the city centre.

Trees will be replaced and planted providing appropriate replacement species, improving foliage and providing a good source of nectar and pollen for birds, bees and insects to enhance biodiversity. Some of the trees within the planting scheme are on the endangered species list.

The plans for the gardens are sympathetic to those of Sir Fredrick Gibberd, one of England’s most distinguished 20th-century architects who redesigned the gardens in the 1950s.

The Queen's Gardens refurbishment is an integral part of the Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City project as it will link the Hull Maritime Museum to the North End Shipyard – which will be the new home of the historic Arctic Corsair. Reflecting 400 years of shipbuilding history, the North End Shipyard is where both HMS Bounty and HMS Boreas, once commanded by Horatio Nelson, were built. The shipyard is being transformed into a new visitor attraction, which will tell its rich story for the first time.

The plans for Queen's Gardens will go before Hull City Council’s planning committee on Tuesday 16 November.