The proposals aimed to transform people’s relationship to and perception of the river, turning it into an exciting, iconic and dramatic route through the cities’ historical core. Eight kilometres of fully accessible foot and cycle paths dramatically widened access to the riverside, five new footbridges create perpendicular connections between communities and centres of amenity, and seven new public spaces were created along its banks, providing a focus for life and activity with widely varying characteristics.

The designs aimed to reflect the different characteristics of the river corridor, responding to these in subtle ways, while creating a unifying element with a strong identity of its own. This was achieved through a consistent modular treatment for the routes themselves and a series of dramatic lighting ‘Beacons’ which act as hubs of mapping and information as well as a visual symbol of the park.

The project succeeded in harnessing the enthusiastic support of a diverse range of partners and generating a momentum towards change. Broadway Malyan was subsequently reappointed to support a further funding bid and in successfully secured appointment with Form Associates and Gifford as design team leaders for the pre-implementation phase.