After a successful bid for cash from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, Leicester City Council is to receive £17.6 million to put towards a £22 million scheme to remodel the city’s historic railway station. The council plans to transform the entrance to the station and create a more attractive new gateway to the city centre.
The plans will restore the station, which was built in 1840, to its former glory by forming a new entrance onto Station Street and creating more pace for travellers by restoring the booking hall to its original size.
The area immediately outside the new entrance will be remodelled, with a ramp and steps leading to a large new glazed entrance to the main concourse. The building’s original Station Street façade will be restored and the covered entrance hall areas on London Road will be transformed into an attractive new plaza for retail, food and drinks.
The station revamp is seen a first phase of regeneration in the area which the council hopes will help attract more private investment to the area.
“The award of almost £18 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund is a tremendous endorsement of the importance of this project,” said City Mayor Peter Soulsby. “The railway station is a beautiful building but badly in need of improvement to meet the modern needs of a city the size of Leicester.
“I want to congratulate officers on their hard work with their successful bids to the Government’s Levelling Up programme which has helped attract over £45 million of new investment into the city.”
Mark Lambert, Head of Infrastructure & Property at East Midlands Railway, said: “This is fantastic news for the people of the city and our customers that use Leicester station. We are looking forward to working closely with the council to help turn these exciting plans into a reality.”
The new proposals are subject to planning permission, but design and development work has already begun. Construction is expected to begin in early 2023 and hoped to be completed by mid-2024.
Along with the transformation of the Leicester Railway Station, the city council has been awarded £8.5 million to transform former factory buildings at Pilot House, on King Street, into new start-up units for creative businesses, and £19.4 million for three projects in and around Pioneer Park and Exploration Drive, complementing The University of Leicester’s Space Park development.
