A scheme to transform Broad Street Place community garden in central Bath is taking a step forward this week with the next phase of improvement works.

The community garden was developed with neighbours and businesses to provide an improved public green space that also encourages greater biodiversity and a distinctive wild place within the city.

The garden, accessible from both Broad Street and Walcot Street, will benefit from new landscaping, planting and paving alongside installations of street furniture including a new bench and bespoke log seating.

Art works incorporating pavement art, wayfinding, murals and banners will be created by a local artist as part of the scheme.

The £118,000 scheme is being carried out by Bath & North East Somerset Council and aims to invigorate the area by encouraging the community to spend more time in the garden and use it for events, arts and activities.

The current works are funded by the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy, alongside Corporate Capital Planned Maintenance funding and further funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s Love Our High Streets fund.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “Broad Street Place is an unusual example of public space in Bath that is central yet traffic-free. It has huge potential to benefit residents, visitors and businesses by being regenerated into a peaceful green space that people want to spend time in. I’m pleased that Bath Neighbourhood CIL Funding is supporting this vision to become a reality and look forward to seeing the space being enjoyed as a fantastic asset for the community.”

Mayor Norris said: “It’s exciting to see this project to give Broad Street Place community garden a much-needed a facelift come together.

“Parks and green spaces are an absolutely essential part of our West of England region. I’m proud the Mayoral Combined Authority I lead is investing in projects to create new and improved green spaces for all locals to enjoy. That’s vital, not least in terms of slashing our emissions at pace, and in supporting our region’s precious pollinators too and so making the West the bee capital of the whole country.”

The works will be carried out in stages and are due to be completed by the end of spring 2024. Broad Street Place will remain open to the public and access for all businesses will be maintained during the works.

The Broad Street Place scheme is part of the council’s Bath City Centre regeneration programme.