Revamp of shopping street boosted by art kiosks plan

A planning application submitted by Leslie Jones Architecture will be decided at a meeting next Monday, February 27, for three single-storey kiosks in The Moor.

One small unit would be built near Moorhead; another small unit would be built near the Rockingham Way junction, and a larger unit double the size of the smaller ones would be built adjacent to the Matilda Street junction.

In the report set to go before next Monday’s planning committee, city planners say that the units, to be either small shops or cafes, would all have outside seating and be of a “uniform design”.

The report adds: “The works are intended to compliment the new public realm on The Moor, the lower section of which is already in place. Works on the upper section are planned to start in June and complete in May 2013.

“Part of the philosophy behind this new public realm is the removal of a significant amount of existing clutter and the provision of some high-quality new features such as these kiosks.”

The applicant is also behind a proposed three-storey retail unit in The Moor, which has been given planning permission to be built opposite Debenhams.

No objections have been received in relation to the application, which has been recommended for approval at next week’s meeting.

A competition will be held to find an artist to “refine the details of the kiosks”, which could include features such as patterns in the stainless steel framing of the structures.