The Rushes
Mar 30, 2007 by Guy Hunt
A major mixed-use development transformed a former bus station into a new shopping centre for Loughborough. The 1.86ha re-development of the city centre provided retail units, a health and fitness club, bars and restaurants, underground parking, and 35 apartments.
L – P : Archaeology were involved in the project from the initial planning stages through to the beginning of construction. This large town centre site required different approaches to the different heritage constraints present on site.
Historic building assessment and subsequently historic building recording of late Victorian school buildings and an early electricity generation building where undertaken by L – P. The electricity generation shed had been built in around 1904 and housed one of the earliest steam electricity generation turbines. Part of the school façade was retained and incorporated into the new development.
The main archaeological issue on the site was the street frontage area of the Rushes itself, probably a Medieval thoroughfare. L – P undertook a desk based assessment and was subsequently commissioned for archaeological evaluation and excavation . The excavations revealed much evidence of post Medieval development of the Rushes; the street was probably a market place during much of its history.
L – P acted as consultants and project managers throughout the archaeological works, ensuring that heritage issues were dealt with smoothly, and without delay and undue cost to the client.
| Client: | Metrobrook |
| Site: | The Rushes, Loughborough |
| Development type: | Town centre redevelopment |