THE latest phase in the regeneration of Douglas town centre was completed yesterday (Sunday), as the finishing touches were applied to work on lower Nelson Street.
New paving has been laid to make the street look cleaner and brighter.
The scheme, which was completed on time and on budget by work teams from the Department of Infrastructure who have applied a flexible working programme to reduce the impact of the improvement work on retailers, pedestrians and vehicle users.
The scheme links the upper Nelson Street to the main shopping area.
A lighting column has been specially designed on behalf of Douglas Council and this will be erected at the bottom end of lower Nelson Street in the next couple of weeks.
The LED light, which can incorporate a CCTV camera, will be capable of displaying different colours to brighten up the surrounding area.
Access to the Marks and Spencer and Barclays Bank car parks off Buck’s Road will resume from Monday, August 6, when attention will turn to work aimed at enhancing Lower Wellington Street, from the Slug and Lettuce to its junction with Duke Street.
The paving design, which is a mixture of flags and sets, will continue down to complete the pedestrian link to the town centre.
The catalyst behind these initiatives, and many others throughout the island, has been the Isle of Man Town and Village Regeneration Scheme, which has about £7m to spend island-wide.
The projects have been co-ordinated by regional regeneration committees – partnerships between government, local authorities and private enterprise – and influenced by public feedback via consultations and roadshows.
The aim is to smarten up the appearance of the island’s commercial centres and breathe fresh life into local economies.
Grants have recently been awarded to Cowley Groves, Coffee Republic and 55 Duke Street for a range of improvements, including new shop fronts, painting and general repairs.
For further information about the Isle of Man Town and Village Regeneration Scheme visit {http://www.gov.im/ded/Regeneration/|http://www.gov.im/ded/Regeneration/}.
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