Shepshed market place reopens after £2.5m revamp

Trees have been planted and more parking spaces have been created

A multi-million-pound revamp of a Leicestershire town centre has been completed.

Charnwood Borough Council has been leading a project to renovate Market Place in Shepshed.

Work to create a larger pedestrianised area, add more car parking spaces and bike racks, and plant trees, has been carried out over recent months.

The authority said it hoped the £2.5m project would boost the number of shoppers using businesses in the town.

The finished scheme was officially unveiled on Friday.

Andy Reed of the LLEP, Jenny Tillotson and Jewel Miah, of Charnwood Borough Council, open the new square with Jane Lennie, from Shepshed Town Council

Council leader Jewel Miah said: "It is so pleasing to see this project completed and it has made the area a much more attractive place for people.

"I hope these improvements will have a positive impact on the town.

"The area is now better for residents and is much more accessible and safer."

As part of the work, Brook Street has been realigned in a new 20mph zone.

The scheme was funded by £850,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and also with a grant from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), and cash from developers and the borough council itself.

Shepshed Town Council and Shepshed Town Team also worked on the project.

The council said future work was proposed to revamp the nearby Bull Ring and Hall Croft.

Market Place before the work was carried out