Six months on from the start of the multi-million-pound regeneration project in Waltham Cross town centre, the major improvement woks, supported by Government Funding, are progressing well...
Over recent months, many important milestones have been reached, including the closure of a dated and uninviting underpass at Monarchs Way, to be replaced by two street level pedestrian crossings at the same location. As part of the project, the entire town centre will soon benefit from new and modern street paving, some of which can already be seen in several sections in the area with more scheduled to be laid on completed foundations this month.
To date, other work activity has included the repositioning of existing utility cables, installation of power supplies for new streetlighting, manholes and drainage installation in different parts of the High Street, as well as ongoing ground surfacing work to accommodate the new street paving.
The new town centre design will see new street furniture, the opening of part of the High Street for light vehicle access, and new paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
Over the years Waltham Cross town centre has grown increasingly tired in appearance, which in turn has affected its appealability to residents, visitors and additional businesses that could help diversify local offerings and in turn contribute to more career opportunities as well as improved day and nighttime economy.
Councillor Steve Wortley, Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration, said:
It is very exciting to see how well the works are progressing, especially as surface elements of the new design are starting to become visible now.
I am confident that the coming changes, will help put Waltham Cross back on the map as a key location to visit, live and work.
The modernisation of the area comes as part of the wider Renaissance Programme for Waltham Cross which aims to Restore Civic Pride, Enhance Life Chances and Improve Health and Wellbeing. In 2023, the same programme, saw the successful installation of a Living Wall alongside a section of the town centre; the sustainable feature comprises 6,500 plants covering 200 square metres of wall space which naturally helps to improve air quality through a total extraction of 460kg of CO2 per year, and production of 340kg of oxygen.
Much like Queen Eleanor Square, which was developed in the town centre in 2019, it is expected that the overall town centre improvements will breathe new life and vibrancy back into the area, helping to revive its historical value complemented by modern-day features. The works are expected to complete by the end of autumn this year.
Members of the public can access frequent progress updates and other project information at www.broxbourne.gov.uk/WXRegeneration