Ceremony as next phase of £30m city revamp opens

Views to The Hoe open up as next phase of Armada Way is unveiled

Another section of a controversial city centre regeneration project has opened.

The Armada Way scheme in Plymouth has been the subject of debate since more than 100 trees were felled by the Conservative-run Plymouth City Council as part of the works in March 2023.

When Labour regained control of the council in May 2023, it developed a new scheme at a cost of £30m - more than twice that of the original.

The latest phase to open was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the council said the regeneration offered "a first real glimpse of how the transformed city centre is beginning to take shape".

It said "the cluttered 1980s landscape has been transformed to open up views to Smeaton's Tower and the Naval Memorial on The Hoe".

The authority said this section included 94 new trees and thousands of flowering plants and a new lawn.

'Worth celebrating'

Council Deputy Leader Jemima Laing said: "With such a huge area of the city centre now open to the public again, we think this is worth celebrating.

"The whole area has been reshaped and replanted with lots of specially selected trees and plants and the new terracing will give people lots of places to sit and enjoy.

"We want people to meet up here, have a picnic here, linger longer in the city centre and to love where they live."

The council said a series of pumps and irrigation systems would water plants and trees and reduce maintenance and watering costs.

The phase also includes a cycle path which links the railway station to The Hoe.