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'Eyesore' area to be transformed into a pocket park

Carmelo GarciaLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imagePhoenix Consultants Five people - two younger men, an older man, and two women, stand with a sausage dog on a pavement in front of an unsightly, overgrown grass verge in a residential area. There are short brown bollards on the edge of the grass verge and large green blocks, which look like Lego bricks, on the grass. Behind the grass verge is the side of a house, which has ivy growing up it.Phoenix Consultants
Phoenix Consultants and Gloucester City Council are working together to transform the grass verge in Mount Street

An area described as an "eyesore" by a councillor - after large, rectangular concrete blocks were placed on a grass verge to prevent parking - will be transformed into a little park.

Residents of Mount Street, Gloucester, raised concerns about the blocks when they were first installed in October last year.

They were later painted green, however, Rebecca Trimnell, who represents the area at Gloucester City and Gloucestershire County Council, said residents coined the names "Little Beirut" and even "Legoland" for the area, due to the blocks resembling the toy blocks.

This autumn, planters with nature-inspired murals painted on them by local professional artists will be fixed to the blocks.

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News imageRebecca Trimnell Three green concrete blocks sit on a grass verge on the side of a road - there are traffic cones in front of them and a brick wall behind.Rebecca Trimnell
The concrete blocks were introduced on Mount Street to stop illegal parking

Gloucestershire County Council and Phoenix Consultants, which is designing, making, and installing the planters, met at Mount Street in August to start the project.

The bespoke planters will be filled with year-round plants, which are hoped to benefit local wildlife, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council had been considering ideas like paving the area but Jenna Skidmore, a resident who helped spearhead the project, suggested it contacted JOLT, Gloucester's creative hub, to assist in tendering work from the city's artists.

"We think it will look great and hopefully there will be more projects like it," Skidmore said.

News imagePhoenix Consultants Three colourful planters full of flowers and decorated with floral murals, stand on a grass verge in a residential area behind some short wooden bollards. There is a small floral mural backdrop on the side of the house behind the verge.Phoenix Consultants
The planters will be erected first, followed by the installation of the backdrop mural

Phoenix Consultants said a backdrop to the pocket park with additional mural artworks would also be created in the future.

"This pocket park aims to uplift a neglected spot while focusing on how to transform it in a way that is beneficial to the local residents, becoming a third space where locals can catch up, have picnics, and enjoy the area to its fullest," it said.

Trimnell added she was excited to see the new community space come to fruition.

When the blocks first appeared, she had said she wanted to ensure they were not left there indefinitely as they were a "total eyesore".

"I am pleased that the area will now be creatively transformed using the concrete blocks to create a much more welcoming place for residents and visitors alike," she said.

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