Take a look at how the square outside Birmingham's Snow Hill Station will look under £3.3m plans
New designs have been released to show how one of Birmingham's busiest open spaces could look as part of £10 million improvements for the city centre's Snow Hill area.
Snow Hill Square in Colmore business district will be re-designed in a £3.3m scheme to provide an attractive and welcoming gateway to the city centre from Snow Hill rail station.
The new square will put pedestrians first and is at the heart of a number of changes to Snow Hill that will introduce more 'staying/stopping' space.
A new two-way traffic flow will be introduced on Livery Street between Cornwall Street and the Livery Street car park entrance and the right turn from Livery Street to Colmore Row will be removed.
The scheme also involves re-routing bus routes 7, 46 and 101 and re-configuring the junction of Colmore Circus Queensway and Snow Hill Queensway
Colmore Business Improvement District is working alongside Birmingham City Council, Transport for West Midlands and architect and design practice Broadway Malyan on the proposals, along with property owners and tenants who are being consulted.
Information about how the scheme will be funded will be made available during a month-long public review.
Rob Valentine, Colmore BID vice chairman, said: "Snow Hill Square makes a suitable extension of the earlier work of Colmore BID in Church Street Square and Colmore Square.
"Though a technically and legally demanding project, involving a live railway tunnel and multiple ownership interests, this space is a true gateway into the Colmore business district and needs to be a high-quality environment.
"I'm very pleased with the design, and can't wait to see this example of business-led place-making become a reality."
Birmingham City Council Leader, John Clancy, described the plans as exciting. "Snow Hill Station is an important gateway into Birmingham and these designs are a clear signal of our intent to develop a hugely important part of the city," he said.
A Birmingham City Council public consultation will take place near the entrance to Snow Hill station from today to November 2.
It is expected construction work will start in the spring and the project should be completed in summer 2018.
