Victorian railway arch can be turned into artists studio

But the design of the windows was described as “awful” and “nasty” by councillors.

A scheme to renovate Arch 64, off Foregate Street, was given the go-ahead by Worcester City Council’s planning committee on Thursday (September 18).

The arch was revealed when the old Jacq’s takeaway was demolished to create a new walkway between Foregate Street and the river.

ARCH: The design for the arch, including the windows that were called ‘awful’ by a councillor(Image: Worcester City Council)

It will now become the latest part of the viaduct to be transformed as part of The Arches project – a £4.5 million city council scheme funded by the Government and the Arts Council.

At Thursday’s meeting, Cllr Andrew Cross said: “I think this is a brilliant idea, [it is] really encouraging to see spaces being brought back into use and I really appreciate the work being done to bring back the aesthetics.”

Cllr Pat Agar said: “The facade has an elegant symmetry I would say.”

Cllr Jenny Barnes said she was “disappointed” by the windows.

“They aren’t like-for-like or closely replicating the appearance. This looks like a bit of a cheap and nasty knock-off, what’s being proposed,” she said.

Cllr Barnes also highlighted a problem with buddleia growing along the railway arches.

“We need to find a solution not just to this place but all the way along,” she added.

Planning chair Karen Lewing said: “Railways across the county have got a problem with buddleia – it’s great for biodiversity but its roots are terrible for brickwork.”

Cllr Elena Round said: “This is a premier location, it’s going to be noticed by many visitors.

“We’re trying to get as many visitors going straight through to the riverside. I wonder how many people are going to look at it and go ‘that’s not right’, ‘there’s something odd’.

“The project is great but aesthetically something’s not right. I’m looking at those windows and getting more and more irritated. Frankly, it’s awful.

She also said the scheme “lacks a bit of ambition” and the arch could have been used as a secure storage facility for bicycles.

Cllr Ed Kimberley said: “We may be in danger of making the perfect the enemy of the good.

“The proposal is very good. It is using an historic asset which would otherwise continue to fall into rack and ruin. It’s important we keep a sense of perspective.”

Cllr Alex Kinnersley said: “Only one of us in this room spotted the windows. My guess is people will be going past that, they’ll look up and say ‘oh look at that we can see that heritage now’.

“I’d be very surprised if there were many people who will go ‘isn’t that terrible because it doesn’t look like what it did before.”

Planning officer Paul Round said a condition relating to the design of the windows would be looked at in more detail.