Britain's 'biggest city centre play park' opens this weekend in Armada Way
The updated plans follow the decision, in 2023, to cut down more than 100 trees and subsequent legal battles
Last updated 14 hours ago
Britain's biggest city centre play area will finally be revealed this weekend - more than three years after 100 trees were controversially cut down in Plymouth.
A party's being planned in the city centre at lunchtime tomorrow as the hoardings are removed for the updated and almost £30-million project.
There's also a new underground drainage system which will improve local water quality
Plymouth City Council's deputy leader Jemima Laing said: "I think people are going to be blown away.
"The thing for me that I just can’t wait to see people enjoying and when I say people I mean little people, is our incredible city centre play area.
"It's the biggest city centre play area in the country and we have an incredible pirate ship as of course we're Britain's Ocean City."
She added: "The world has changed around how people shop, lots of people shop online and we need to give people reasons to come into our city centre.
"We know this is attracting investors into our city centre. Homes England is buying big plots of land around Armada Way and we know that businesses are thinking of opening up around Armada Way because they can see the potential.
"We've also got this incredible SUDS or sustainable urban drainage system which is an incredible feat of engineering and an enormous infrastructure project which is going to keep terrible things out of Plymouth Sound. It's something most people won't see but it's going to have an enormous impact."
The official opening gets underway at 12pm on Saturday with a short ribbon cutting ceremony before children can get onto the new play village.
Ms Laing added: "Lots of amazing things are being planned along the half kilometre stretch of the city centre which has been transformed into gardens, terraces with 176 new trees and 25,000 fabulous new flora and fauna from wildflowers to grasses, reed beds and shrubs. There’s a giant dodecahedron hideaway, cargo nets to climb, bars to swing from and a layer of mulch for soft landings."
Councillor Mark Lowry, Cabinet Member responsible for Armada Way, said: “We’ve all been waiting for this day for a long time, and I can’t wait to see everyone enjoy themselves. We wanted to bring new life into the city centre – it won’t come much livelier than this.
“It’s certainly been a journey to get here. We know it has been tough at times for our businesses just look at it now. It is brilliant! This scheme has utterly transformed the look and feel of the city centre. We invested in this scheme because we want our city centre to be a great place to visit, to be a destination.
“Our city centre is already bucking national trends with footfall well and truly up and we hope this regeneration will encourage more families in particular to enjoy this fabulous free facility and perhaps treat themselves to a pasty and a coffee while their children enjoy this new play village. “This scheme has so many features worth reminding people about – over 25,000 flowers planted, over 500 spaces for people to sit on – and we’ve seen so many people enjoy the south facing views on sunny days. We have opened up the city centre as a place to be and a place to enjoy.”
Steve Hughes, chief executive of the Plymouth City Centre Company which represents the interests of the 550 businesses in the city centre, said: “We are delighted with the way Armada Way has been transformed into a beautiful urban park where people can gather, watch or join in events or sit outside at one of the many pavement cafes.
"With new seating, lighting and lots of open space it is more welcoming and attracting lots of interest from new businesses wanting to open here. It’s great news for the city centre.”
An independent review was launched following the decision to fell more than 100 trees back in 2023