The Site
The park is on the site of now demolished empty 1960’s department store buildings. There is a 10m level change across the park. It is situated between Worcester Street and Bromsgrove Street on the eastern side of the town center, an area which has struggled in recent years with lack of footfall and empty properties. The site is next to a conservation area and there are some interesting historic buildings nearby.
The vision for the project was to; bring nature and green space into the town centre; improve pedestrian connectivity; reveals views and vistas not seen for more than 60 years; create a public space to support the cultural, social and economic life of the town.
The Opportunity
When the buildings were demolished, it created a huge opportunity to create a public place for the town. Although Kidderminster is surrounded by beautiful countryside the town centre itself was very hard. The Park gives new green space and the removal on the 1960’s shops has also revealed intrinsic historic qualities of the town that had been hidden. It’s now possible to stand at the top of the park, and get a vista that you didn’t have before. Looking across the town centre to see landmarks within the town centre and the countryside and beyond. The buildings that were demolished, were crushed and all the material used to create formation levels for the park.
Previously, the only way to move between Worcester Street and Bromsgrove, was via the narrow, steep and unwelcoming ‘Step Entry’. The Improved connectivity the park creates given has been essential to deliver the two strategic outcomes that Wyre Forest District Council required:
The first outcome is increasing the economic viability of Worcester Street that will support attracting better private investment and improving the look and feel of the town.
The second outcome, which is critical to the overall vision for the district, is to open up Lion Fields, where Wyre Forest District Council are looking to build circa 150 town centre homes.
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Inspiration
The idea was to create somewhere that’s very ‘of Kidderminster’, with subtle reference to the towns carpet manufacturing, a place well crafted with good design quality, and the landscape elements of walls, planting and paths all woven together up the hill. The design also picks up on very typical ways that Kidderminster buildings use bricks, often imaginative, well-crafted and invariably Flemish bond.
Choice of colours reflect the underlying sandstone geology of the town with ‘redder’ colours being chosen. This is enhanced with recognisable planting combinations for Kidderminster’s natural landscape. Inspiration being taken from natural areas in the Wyre Forest, Habberley valley and Hartlebury Common.
The park is named in after Charles Talbot MBE as a mark of affection and respect for someone who worked tirelessly in Kidderminster and Wyre Forest public life for almost 60 years.
Read more about The story of building Talbot Park
