Plans for industrial estate to be on show

Another image of how the city’s Shrub Hill could look after a multi-million-pound transformation has been revealed.

The new artist’s impression, released publicly for the first time, shows how the area around Shrub Hill Industrial Estate in Worcester would be changed beyond recognition.

Worcester City Council, which is working with Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire LEP on the multi-million-pound work, will be showing off its plans for Shrub Hill at an exhibition in the Guildhall next week and is inviting residents to give their feedback.

The city’s new Shrub Hill ‘quarter’ would take in the area bordered by the railway station, Tallow Hill Road, George Street, Pheasant Street, Lowesmoor Place and Tolladine Road.

David Blake, managing director at Worcester City Council, said: “The Shrub Hill quarter is currently an under-valued part of the city with significant untapped potential.

“We want city residents to help us to make the most of the area’s size, location, and its strategic rail connectivity, and I hope they will come along to the exhibition and give their views on these exciting plans.”

“Our ambitions are that, within 20 years, Shrub Hill will become known as a high quality and distinctive neighbourhood, play a significant role in growing our city’s diverse and productive economy, and that the area will transform its connections both within the city and beyond.”

Last month, Worcestershire County Council revealed its new ‘vision’ for Shrub Hill which shows how it imagines the area will grow in the next 20 years which includes 500 new homes and predictions of up to 5,000 new jobs.

And last week, Worcester City Council submitted a planning application to create a new five-metre-wide path between Pheasant Street, opposite the

Asda car park in Worcester, to Padmore Street and the existing Cromwell Street bridge over the canal.

The scheme would also include improvements to the bridge and parts of Cromwell Street on the eastern side of the canal, to create an attractive new way of getting between the city centre and Shrub Hill without having to use a car or bus.

If all goes smoothly to plan, the council expects the work to start in March 2025.

The overhaul of Shrub Hill Industrial Estate and the surrounding area includes hundreds of new homes, and business and office space and will eventually be home to a new ‘neighbourhood’ filled with restaurants, bars and shops.

The improvements for Shrub Hill were dealt a blow earlier this year when the government snubbed a £20 million bid by Worcester City Council for ‘levelling-up’ money which included plans to transform the grade II-listed Engine Works in Shrub Hill Road into “landmark” offices and creative workshop space.

Last year, councillors backed a £10 million plan which will see former ageing NHS offices Isaac Maddox House in Shrub Hill Road become a new business hub.

The council’s plans will be on show at the Guildhall in Worcester between 9am and 4.3pm from July 24 to 28, except for Wednesday, July 26 when the exhibition opens at 9.30am.