SHAUN LOWTHORPE Work on the final phase of a major project in Norwich to pedestrianise and regenerate the area around St Andrew's Hall and the Playhouse theatre is to start on Monday.

SHAUN LOWTHORPE

Work on the final phase of a major project in Norwich to pedestrianise and regenerate the area around St Andrew's Hall and the Playhouse theatre is to start on Monday.

Norwich City Council has already carried out more than £700,000 of work to transform St Andrew's Plain.

The final phase of the project will include creating a square linking St George's Park to the Playhouse, and closing St George's Street and Princes Street to through traffic from late January.

New paving will also be installed, along with improved street lighting.

Several trees will be removed and stored offsite for their protection before being reintroduced once the paving work is complete.

The road layout is also changing, with the removal of the bus lane in Fye Bridge Street and Wensum Street, and the restoration of the right turn for traffic leaving Colegate at the Magdalen Street junction, and vehicles leaving Elm Hill, Quayside and Fishergate.

Princes Street will be closed to through traffic from its junction with Elm Hill. The west end of the street will become one way eastbound, with traffic exiting via Redwell Street.

The £730,000 scheme, which is due to be finished in December, is funded by Norfolk County Council, the East of England Regional Development Agency, the EU's Civitas scheme and the government's new growth point fund.

Part of the EU spatial metro project and the Norwich area transport strategy, the aim is to attract people to the area, cut traffic levels and improve safety by encouraging cars to use other routes.

City council leader Steve Morphew said the work would improve the area and benefit the whole city.

“This is an incredibly popular scheme, and I welcome the increased pedestrianisation for Norwich,” he said.