No litter or any graffiti - visitors heap praise on the 'marvellous' Green Heart in Nottingham

A general view of the Green Heart public space at the site of the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre in Nottingham city centre with people sitting on benches next to path, grass and plants visible on left and right and buildings visible in background
-Credit: (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)


Many doubted. Many were the cynic.

But a week on from the grand opening of the long awaited Broad Marsh Green Heart, the city centre's newest park is looking as good as new. There's but a hint of litter, nor a speck of graffiti.

"I think it's excellent compared to what this area was before," says visitor Patricia Haywood, 75. She's made the trip from her home in Woodthorpe today specifically to see the Green Heart from the first time.

"There's lots of places to sit. I've just sat over there and had a bit of lunch that I brought out with me for a change, with the idea that I probably would do this. They've made it look very natural.

"The Broad Marsh shopping centre was always a bit second rate to the Victoria Centre anyway and gradually over the years it just went downhill. The area in general, I think it's marvellous what they've done."

The £10m investment is the latest step in Nottingham City Council's regeneration of the Broad Marsh area, after the old shopping centre was partially demolished following the collapse of property owners Intu. Amongst the flora and fauna of the space are sandstone benches, decorative slabs and a marsh pond for wildlife.

Patricia Haywood, 75, from Woodthorpe, clutching handbag and gloves over shoulder in right hand and with coat on and left hand in pocket, with Broad Marsh Green Heart green space behind with grass and path, etc
Patricia Haywood, from Woodthorpe, came down to the city centre specifically to have a wander through the Green Heart -Credit:Nottingham Post

"It'd be nice if there was more of it - which I'm sure there will be," says Shelagh Hubbard, from Radcliffe-on-Trent. "It's smaller than I thought it would be. But it's wonderful. It's certainly better than the wreck that was here before. I don't know what they're doing behind that fence. If that's more green space, then great. But there's people here, sitting down, having their lunch and stuff like that. It's great to see it used."

"My concerns are if they're going to run out of funding and it's going to end up half-finished and it's then going to not be given the due respect it deserves," added husband Chris. "But for now, yes, it's a start. We need more green areas. There's no question it's a good, positive thing. It just needs to keep moving."

The pair point at the remnants of the Broadmarsh Centre which still remain, looming large over the easterly side of the park. "That needs to go," says Chris. "Big time. That's just my opinion."

Chris and Shelagh Hubbard, both 71, from Radcliffe-on-Trent, smiling, with Broad Marsh Green Heart green space behind with grass and path, etc
It's smaller than expected - but still a marked improvement on the area, say Shelagh and Chris -Credit:Nottingham Post

Shelagh agrees. "That's a monstrosity. It really is."

It was only in May that the full most recent masterplan for the entire area was revealed by Nottingham City Council. It's hoped that the Green Heart is really just the beginning of things - with future endeavours set to bring 1,000 new homes and 20,000 square metres of office space.

And just two months earlier, in March, photographs had shown the Green Heart site as a barren wasteland of mud as diggers trundled across. The transformation has been rapid - and successful, it seems, in most people's eyes.

"It's fantastic," says another visitor, who didn't want to be named. "Much better than it was looking when it was coming together. It's a nice little place to come and chill at lunch time. you know. I think it's still a bit of a work in progress. But I think if you're coming through here from like the train station, it's a good look compared to what it was like before.

"I was here as a kid so I remember when it was the Broadmarsh centre. That was an eyesore so I think it's an improvement, but obviously there's so much lots more to happen here. It's a start. We need homes more than anything else."