Award success for city centre improvements

 The work, which was completed just a few weeks ago, has won recognition for the delivery team who won the 'Team of the Year 'award at the Royal Town Planning Institute's regional awards ceremony, held at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham.

The awards celebrate planning practice, development schemes and regeneration projects across the region, with winners chosen from projects nominated across the West Midlands.  Coventry fought off stiff competition in the Team of the Year category beating BCU Birmingham School of the Built Environment Rufopoly Team, Darlaston Enterprise Zone - Brooke Smith/Walsall/WSP and Gateley,  Lichfield District Council,  Birmingham City Council - Tyseley Enterprise District and Birmingham City Council Eastside Team.

Councillor John Mutton, Leader of Coventry City Council, said: "I am delighted that our hard work to really improve how the city centre feels has been recognised - I am sure it will be first of many awards.  The change in the city centre really is tremendous and it is testament to the hard work everyone has put in over the last year or so, not least to Cllr Linda Bigham who worked so hard with me to make it happen.

"Broadgate is a fantastic, safe, pedestrianised square that's already being well used for a wide range of events. Even when there aren't any events on it's great to see people just sitting on the benches talking or reading the paper. The walking route between Bull Yard and the station is now a pleasant stroll rather than a walk involving two subways and lots of steps or ramps.

"We also responded to what local people wanted and the two new grassed areas outside Holy Trinity Church and in Bull Yard really have transformed these two areas."

Over £7 million was invested in the transformation of the city centre including £3.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund. Work across the city centre included:

• Broadgate
• The station to Bull Yard link
• Improving the setting of Holy Trinity Church
• A number of changed road layouts
• New junctions at Gosford Street and Hales Street
• New taxi ranks in the city centre
• Improved road layout under the Whittle Arch

Coventry City Council's Transport Planning Officer Ben Simm also won the Regional Chairman's Award on behalf of Young Planners West Midlands. This award celebrates young planners at the start of their career.

Aged 26, Ben has worked for Coventry since September 2011 and works in the Strategic Transport Team. Ben undertakes an active role in transportation planning for the city.

Commenting on Ben's success Cllr John Mutton said: "I'm really delighted for Ben and its great news that we have such a talented professional working for us at the start of his career.  I am sure he is learning from our wider team and we are benefiting from his skills and enthusiasm too."

The Royal Town Planning Institute is the UK's leading planning body for spatial, sustainable and inclusive planning, and is the largest in Europe with over 23,000 members. In 2014 the Royal Town Planning Institute will celebrate its centenary year.