Plans to improve an urban space between The Level park and the Aquarium roundabout include a tree-lined avenue and a ‘park road’ for buses and cyclists.
A new vision for Valley Gardens is being developed and from 16 September there will be temporary changes to the space to show people how it could look in the future as the next round of consultation begins.
For two weeks the lawns around St. Peter’s Church will host a ‘borrowed’ garden* created by Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, a pop-up café, seating designed by University of Brighton’s architecture students and a sound installation by Sonorous.
The Playbus will be visiting three days a week and Streetdiner Food Market will be there on Wednesdays and Sundays. Other events in the rest of the area include Brighton Digital Festival, the Chilli Festival, the Fun Fair and the Brighton Japan Festival.
The area of 23 acres of green spaces running from The Level down to the sea by Brighton Pier is also a junction for three major routes into the centre and has become dominated by traffic. The plans aim to redress the balance and make this green space, which dates back to the early 19th century, accessible for all.
Last year the council asked people their views on Valley Gardens as they are at the moment and 83% said they would like to spend more time there if facilities or the environment were improved.
Councillor Ian Davey, lead member for transport, said: “We are listening and developing the vision from what people are telling us they would like to see. Our aim is to improve the whole of Valley Gardens as a public space so that people can enjoy spending time there.
“Valley Gardens is one of Brighton & Hove’s hidden gems, part of the city’s heritage, which has been somewhat lost with busy roads on both sides cutting the area off from the communities around it.”
*The ‘borrowed’ garden is made up of edible plants borrowed from community gardens and projects across the city. The Harvest pop up garden will be on the South Lawn by St Peter’s Church.
The consultation period runs from 16th to 29th September.