Phoenix Green

Leicestershire County Council’s Phoenix Green scheme to improve the environment and access in Coalville town centre was completed in May 2006. The centerpiece of the scheme is a new foot/cycle bridge which spans the mineral railway in Coaville town centre. The scheme has transformed an area of derelict land and removed an old, stepped railway footbridge. It has improved safety through new railway fencing and will provide an attractive area of urban green space.

The replacement bridge provides much better access to schools and shops, particularly for disabled and elderly people, and people with push chairs and shopping trolleys. It has also overcome the last major obstruction on the Stratford upon Avon to Derby section of the National Cycling Network. Funds for the £785,000 scheme were provided by Leicestershire County Council (including funding from SHIRE grants and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs funded FLAG grant scheme) (£267,000), the Leicester Shire Economic Partnership (£280,000), Sustrans (£25,000), the Big Lottery Fund (£78,000), Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN) (£25,000), the Onyx Environmental Trust (£70,000), the National Forest Company (£7,000), North West Leicestershire District Council (£40,000). In addition Network Rail generously donated land in its ownership that was required for the scheme and topsoil was provided free of charge by David Wilson Homes.

An arts project for the Phoenix Green bridge was carried out in 2006/07 to engage with young people and create an arts feature for the town. Young people were involved in the development ideas, themes and designs and with painting exciting and colourful murals on the new bridge with the help of Leicester based artists, Artists Anonymous. The project has been backed by County Council along with North West Leicestershire District Council, Mantle Arts and David Wilson Homes Ltd. The artists were assisted in their work with young people by the County Youth Service and the Positive Futures programme.

The murals were completed in May 2007 and have proved very popular in Coalville. Passers by of all ages have praised the work and several have asked for more artwork in the town.

Following the positive response to the Phoenix Green murals, proposals for an arts scheme for the Forest Road bridge are being developed. Young people in Coalville have prepared exciting and vibrant designs for the Forest Road footbridge in the town. The designs will be incorporated into a range of artforms for the bridge that will help transform an area that had become run down and blighted by graffiti.

The artwork will include murals, arts metalwork, mosacis and floorpainting and will complement refurbishment of the road bridge and bridge approaches including repainting the railings, rebuilding the approach walls and resurfacing the footway. Painting of the murals will begin on Monday 31 March and will be completed within three weeks. Children and young people involved in the project have come from Belvoirdale Community Primary School, Saint Clare’s Catholic Primary School, Newbridge High School and Durban House.

Installation of the arts metalwork panels and mosiacs, which will also be based on the workshop designs, will be carried out in early April. The artwork reflects National Forest themes and includes motifes of birds, plants and trees.

The Forest Road project is backed by Leicestershire County Council, Network Rail, FLAG (Forward with Leicestershire Aggregates Grant), the National Forest Company, North West Leicestershire District Council, Mantle Arts and Ibstock Brick Ltd. The arts element of the project will be led by Leicester based artists, Artists Anonymous who will be helped in their work with young people by the Leicestershire Youth Service.

Mike Thomson, Team Leader Community Development, telephone 0116 305 7090 or e-mail mthomson@leics.gov.uk