Local people will be celebrating the facelift for their neighbourhood shopping area and unveiling a plaque in memory of fallen soldier Luke Southgate at a ceremony at 2.30pm on Monday 19 July.
The project to refresh St Olave's Precinct on Bury St Edmunds' Howard Estate has been hailed as a real community success. A project steering group included representatives from the Howard Estate Association of Residents and Tenants (HEART), the Over 60's Club, Bury in Bloom, Howard Primary School and St Edmundsbury Borough Council contributed ideas to the design of hard and soft landscaping of the area, which includes resurfacing and remarking of the car-park area, installation of more attractive footways and planting of a small garden area which incorporates artwork prepared by local pupils from Howard CP Primary School and Howard Middle School.
As well as marking the achievement, a plaque commemorating the life of local man Senior Aircraftman Luke Southgate (20) of II Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment who was killed in Afghanistan in February this year, will be unveiled. The Southgate family is planting a tree in his memory, supplied by Anglia in Bloom, whose president, Mike Ames, will be planting another tree to mark Bury St Edmunds' finalist place in the RHS Britain in Bloom 2010.
Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council said, "I admire the way that the community has embraced this project. The thought and attention to detail they have brought has transformed the area and made it a desirable and enjoyable amenity. It has set a standard for others to aim for".
The £110,000 cost has been funded through a planning agreement from the nearby Asda development and by the precinct owner, Land Master Properties.
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Issued by: Sally Easton, Communications Unit, St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Phone: 01284 757033 or 07903 847132. Email: sally.easton@stedsbc.gov.uk
