Drop-in event for Broad Street ‘placemaking’ project

The team appointed by Orkney Islands Council to come up with designs for potential improvements to the Broad Street area of Kirkwall will be holding a public drop-in event today, Saturday.

The aim is to give people the opportunity to discuss views, ideas and suggestions with the team before detailed designs are drawn up.

The drop-in session for the public will take place between 1pm and 7pm at Kirkwall Town Hall and Community Centre.

On Monday, representatives of a number of groups, organisations and businesses are being invited to workshop sessions with the design team.

According to the OIC, there will then be a week-long public exhibition in mid-May of the detailed designs, where people will have a further opportunity to provide feedback before Elected Members meet in June to discuss the proposals.

Gavin Barr, the council’s executive director for development and infrastructure, said: “The design team is fully briefed on all the comments we’ve received so far from previous consultations on possible improvements and enhancements to Broad Street area.

“But when they arrive in Orkney, they’ll effectively be starting with a blank sheet of paper. This is the start of a concentrated consultation and design process that will result in detailed design proposals – and the team is keen for there to be input right at the start from those with an interest in the future appearance of this important part of central Kirkwall.”

The project area covers Broad Street, Palace Road and Castle Street.

The team is made up of urban designers Gillespies and transport engineers WSP, who have been tasked to come up with designs for potential improvements to streets, junctions and public areas, which allow the safe movement of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists at current levels, respect the identity of the area, enhance its attractiveness, and create new opportunities for social activities to take place.

Ideas already suggested for consideration include better street lighting and improved drainage on the Kirk Green.

The OIC’s development and infrastructure committee will meet on Thursday, June 11, to consider the designs and feedback received, and make recommendations to a meeting of the Full Council in July on whether to proceed to construction of potential improvements.

The Council has succeeded in attracting £1.3 million in funding commitments from the national transport charity Sustrans and the Kirkwall Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), which could be used to undertake the work if there is a decision to proceed in July.