Happy New Year to all readers. 2024 is going to be an eventful year for our ongoing regeneration programme, so I want to update readers about how we expect projects to be delivered.

Kings Quarter Redevelopment (£200m regeneration programme)

• The completion of the Forum – new 130 bed 4* hotel, 130,000 sq ft office space (enough for about 1000 jobs), new gym, 400 space car park with green wall.
• Completion of first phase of the University – first students learning and new public library from September 2024.
• Work starts on the next phase of residential apartments being built by the council (Whitefriars Phase 2).
• Train station improvements finish – new underpass and car park.

Food Dock: Fully occupied and thriving by the end of the year. The £3m commercial invest-ment the council has made has enabled this project and will deliver returns in coming years.

Westgate Street: Public realm enhancements.

Putt Putt Noodle: The council has brought a big non-retail use into the city centre, providing family entertainment and looking at the daytime and evening economy. Open early 2024.

Work starts at St Oswalds: The beginning of site development for 300 new homes, 200 of which are affordable, facilitated by the council on land we currently own.

Greyfriars: Preparation for planning, design, and finding a builder following the recent award of £11m levelling up funding. Major works not likely to start until, at the earliest, the end of 2024.

The council is making a significant and positive difference to the city, diversifying the city centre away from an over-reliance on retail, increasing the number of people in the city centre every day by 1,000s (office workers and students), and providing much needed affordable homes. The level of investment we are seeing from the private sector and the interest Government are showing in the city (£31m in levelling up funding) is a real sign of a city that can deliver, is a good place to invest and is ‘on the up’.