Kingswood revamp: What you need to know

A city area's high street is set to be transformed, as more than a year's worth of work aimed at giving it a new lease of life has begun.

More than £3m from a mix of the West of England Combined Authority, National Lottery Heritage Fund and South Gloucestershire Council is going to see shop fronts restored in and walkways improved in the Kingswood area of Bristol, while a nearby park is also getting an upgrade.

Sean Rhodes, Kingswood councillor on South Gloucestershire Council, said it is about residents seeing that "they're being valued", so what value is being added?

Here is everything you need to know about the work.

Phase one of the work, which comes as part of a wider Kingswood regeneration project, will focus on Regent Street.

Work on the shopfronts will include the removal of existing signboards and the installation of new ones, new light fixtures, awnings, repairs and redecoration. Public toilets on Moravian Road will also be refurbished.

In the autumn, changes will then be made to the road and walkways including the installation of a new bus stop, new seating and planting and new public art and murals, while the Kingswood clock tower will also be refurbished. The tower will get new lighting and be cleaned and repaired.

At the same time, Kingswood Park will be upgraded thanks to £2.67m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with a new play area, ramps and a mobile cafe, as well as modern toilets and a drinking water station. Upgrades to the amphitheatre in the park will see its seating area and performance space expanded.

It is hoped the work will be finished by the end of 2027.

While it is happening, and order to improve the shopfronts, scaffolding will be required along Regent Street. It has already gone up around the Kes Club.

That will then move along Regent Street away from the park as each shopfront is upgraded.

Green Party councillor Rhodes told BBC Radio Bristol he is "enjoying" seeing the work start.

"My impression is people are pretty positive about it," he said.

"A lot of this work is about improving the place, but this is also about the people in Kingswood.

"This is about the people in Kingswood recognising that they're being invested in, they're being valued."

Councillor Chris Willmore, cabinet member with responsibility for regeneration at South Gloucestershire Council, said: "These improvements mark an important step in the regeneration of Kingswood town centre.

"We have been guided by the feedback gathered during public engagement and by improving shopfronts and public spaces, we are helping to create a more attractive, welcoming and vibrant town centre that local people can be proud of."

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