Innovative new pocket parks have been installed in communities across Derby.
Six pocket parks have been installed in the heart of communities across the city, creating welcoming spaces for citizens to spend time, enhancing the local area and encouraging active travel such as walking and cycling.
Pocket parks are fully accessible temporary structures that sit alongside roads, creating a safe space for citizens to sit with a coffee or catch up with a friend over lunch.
Each pocket park is unique, designed with the local community’s needs in mind and incorporating accessible seating and secure cycle parking. Incorporating a variety of plants and foliage, the structures will also enhance biodiversity, as well as enhancing the look and feel of the local area.
Citizens can find pocket parks in the following locations:
- London Road, Alvaston
- Burton Road/Harrington Road, Littleover
- Uttoxeter Road, Mickleover
- Etwall Road, Mickleover
- Chapel Street, Spondon
- Nottingham Road, Chaddesden
- University of Derby’s Britannia Mill site
Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability said:
Pocket parks are more than just green spaces. They’re a testament to our commitment to enhancing our local communities creating spaces for citizens to spend time together.
We’ve worked hard to put pocket parks in carefully chosen locations where they can create a real benefit to the local community. Citizens may notice that the pocket parks have been installed close to local shops and businesses, making it easier for citizens to choose alternative methods of travel - such as cycling and walking - when visiting their local amenities and helping to reduce pollution and congestion on the roads. We hope this will also increase footfall to local businesses and boost trade.
This is another step in our mission to build a Derby we can all be proud of and I’m looking forward to d hearing about the benefits these pocket parks bring to the local community.
Alex Shipp, Head of Design, Meristem Design said:
Parklets and pocket parks transform unloved spaces into community hubs. The new units across the district centres of Derby create a network of green spaces embellished with hundreds of pollinating plants, Sheffield stands, coffee tables and a variety of seating options for all to enjoy. The pocket parks will help boost revenues on our struggling retail scene by creating dwell space for visitors to the area and create a space for the public to enjoy consumables purchased from local businesses.
Meristem enjoyed collaborating with the council to give each and every unit its own unique design to fit their respective locations and we hope they are well received and respected by the community to enable all to enjoy.
Pocket parks are classed as temporary structures as they do not require a concrete base, making them much easier and cheaper to install into communities. Each pocket park will be installed for a minimum of five years however, the structures can be moved to alternative locations if the needs of the community change and their initial location becomes unsuitable.
Funded by the Government’s Future Transport Zones Fund, and made of durable materials such as galvanised steel, composite decking and hardwearing wood, the structures are designed to withstand heavy use over time so that the whole community can enjoy their benefits.
Funding has also been allocated to ensure that each pocket park is properly maintained and monitored for a minimum of five years.