Railway station revamp hit with funding delays

BRUNEL PLAZA SCHEME PUT ON BACK-BURNER BY COUNCIL

- WILLIAM TELFORD

THE redevelopment of the road through Plymouth railway station into a pedestrianised area with tables and chairs has been put on hold while Plymouth City Council tries to find out how to pay for it.

Work on the planned Brunel Plaza has been stalled and the pre-application submission has been closed.

In 2021, plans were released showing how what was described as a “poor gateway” could be transformed into “high quality gateway and arrival point into the city”.

Three and a half years later, the preapplication has been classed as a “closed development inquiry” and the city council said it is not ready to progress with it.

It comes just months after the council admitted the ambitious £80 million transformation of the railway station is facing years of delays – also because of funding issues.

Construction of a multi-storey car park, the next major milestone in the masterplan for the area, is now not going to start until 2027.

The public realm work was due to be completed before that, but the council now says it is in talks with the Government about funding.