London West End Projects
We are delighted to announce that Michael Grubb Studio has been appointed by LDA Design to provide lighting design services for three new and improved green spaces in London’s West End.
The transformation of Princes Circus, and Alfred Place and Whitfield Gardens off Tottenham Court Road form part of the Council’s £35 million West End Project, the largest council-led transformational scheme the borough has ever seen, prioritising the pedestrian and cyclist experience in central London.
The plans include a dramatic redesign of bustling Princes Circus on Shaftesbury Avenue, with a new pedestrianised area improving access between Covent Garden and the British Museum. This proposal involves removing traffic from sections of Bloomsbury Street and Shaftesbury Avenue to create a larger, traffic-free public square, with widened pavements and safer cycle routes.
A new park will be created in Alfred Place, turning a road into a green oasis lined with wild flowers, lawns, places for play, and a meandering path.
Plans will also revitalise cherished local park Whitfield Gardens, off Tottenham Court Road. Improvements will be made to the square, with planting that thrives in shady locations and enhances biodiversity. The park will also be made fully accessible.
Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet Member for Improving Camden’s Environment, said:
“It’s time to green the West End, or Camden’s part of it at least. We are creating a totally new park in Alfred Place, innovatively turning road space into green space. This will be the first new park for this part of the borough in a quarter of a century.
“With uncertainty hanging over other important roads in the area such as Oxford Street, it is important that we take what steps we can to ensure the West End is as clean, green, and safe as possible.