24 November 2004
LEADING ARCHITECT APPLAUDS LEICESTER’S REGENERATION PLANS

During a recent tour of Leicester, George Ferguson president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) gave his backing to Leicester Regeneration Company’s plans for the city.

Although he labelled some of the city’s buildings as dire and awful, saying they should be knocked down, Mr Ferguson was optimistic that the plans to regenerate Leicester could correct mistakes and herald a brighter architectural future.

He said: "There was a time when planning was dominated by highway engineers. It does look as if there was an authority here that was obsessed with moving cars around, at the expense of places."

Following a visit to Leicester's emerging cultural quarter where he saw the work of Leicester Regeneration Company he said: "The work here is exactly what will make a difference to Leicester. It's having that sense of vision and a masterplan. Leicester has got a hell of a lot of history which it can make so much more of. It's got a big selling job to do, but it's got a lot to build a future on."

John Nicholls, Chief Executive of Leicester Regeneration Company, said: “It was exciting to show George Ferguson our work and to get his enthusiastic support for what we’re trying to achieve. We believe we are on the right track, but to get that confirmed by the country’s top architect was really encouraging.”

ENDS

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