Street scene and environmental improvements on Eastcheap and Leys Avenue

Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation’s proposals seek to regenerate the physical spaces between the buildings along Leys Avenue and Eastcheap.

Delivering a high quality environment in these areas will create:

• A central pedestrian link connecting existing retailing areas and the proposed developments in The Wynd and Arena, also providing improved links with Morrisons foodstore, the Garden Square Shopping Centre and the green spaces of Broadway Gardens and Howard Park and Gardens.
• An improved, less cluttered, Street scene for all users with clearly defined and enlarged pedestrian space. Easy access parking and fixtures and features inspired by Garden City design principles, with enhanced surfacing materials and new landscaping.
• An attractive and enjoyable shopper, visitor and family experience which encourages longer and repeat visits to the world’s first Garden City.

• Groups of half circular seating benches set in an extended pedestrian area between Leys Square and the top of Leys Avenue [The Colonnade], edged with evergreen hedges and colourful, fragrant planting.
• An attractive water feature and long seating bench in Leys Square.
• Three NEW bronze sculptures - taking their inspiration from one of the Garden City’s most important icons, the 1909 “Four Square Our City” processional banner – set within an attractive water feature and creating a striking new gateway / landmark feature.
• Space for farmers and other markets, public activities and events.
• Clearly defined pedestrian crossings, a series of more informal crossings and broad footways along business frontages.
• A carriageway for traffic travelling down Leys Avenue. It is anticipated that traffic flows will be reduced. There will be no car parking provision within the new ‘town square’ area.