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These are the first images of a £10million scheme to reduce street clutter in Mayfair and Belgravia.
Westminster council has approved designs for the first two projects in the programme, which will neaten some of London's most fashionable areas.
Work on Mount Street in Mayfair - home to the Connaught Hotel, Scott's restaurant and fashion boutiques - and Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, will start in January. Measures include upgrading and extending pavements, removing traffic signals, simplifying junction crossings and improving parking.
Property company Grosvenor, which is carrying out the works, also plans to plant trees and improve lighting.
The work has been inspired by internationally renowned urban design consultant Jan Gehl, whom Grosvenor commissioned to improve public areas across its London estate.
The cost of the project is unclear, but Grosvenor has pledged to refund Westminster council the final figure five years after completion in return for an initial investment of £10million.
The work in Mayfair covers Mount Street from Berkeley Square to South Audley Street, including parts of Carlos Place and Farm Street. The Belgravia area in the project centres on Elizabeth Street from Ebury Street to Chester Row and Chester Square.
Robert Davis, Westminster council deputy leader, said: "This financial model allows us to unlock significant investment at little cost to the council to the benefit of the community."
Reader views (4)
I work on the edge of Belgravia and fully agree that there is absolutely no need to spend any public money to improve what is already a very uncluttered and very attractive space, especially given some of the eyesores just a stones throw away.
- Paul, London, 23/11/2009 09:35
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Predictable knee-jerk response from Kathy force-fed by the provocative headline. This is a decluttering exercise which if it works could and should be extended nationally to save money and make our streets cleaner. The initiative is led by the property company that looks after that area and is after funding from Westminster that it says it will repay. The question is why can't Grosvenor pay for this exercise itself initially ? Decluttering could and should be used in poorer areas but their councils are probably too busy cleaning up litter and repairing the roads etc
- Squiz, Islington, 23/11/2009 09:29
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Kathy, London
Absolutely spot on, these areas do not need this, as they are lovely already.
- P Staker, London, 20/11/2009 15:28
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Why are they doing this in already extremely nice, clean, lovely, wealthy, posh and rich areas? What about the poorer areas that really need a makeover. Oh, of course, they're doing it because all the wealthy people live there of couse and all the most expensive shops and businesses are there, who cares about the poorer members of society and how nice, or not, their areas are?!
- Kathy, London, 20/11/2009 13:48
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