Plymouth

Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. It is located at the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar and at the head of one of the world's largest and most spectacular natural harbours, the Plymouth Sound. The city has a rich maritime past and was once one of the two most important Royal Navy bases in Britain, a factor that made the city a prime target of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. After the destruction of the dockyards and city centre in the blitz of 1941, Plymouth was rebuilt under the guidance of architect Patrick Abercrombie and is now one of the few remaining naval dockyards in Britain and the largest naval base in Western Europe. Important locations in the city include The Royal Citadel, Devonport Dockyard and The Barbican from where the Pilgrims left for the New World in 1620.

Plymouth 2020

Plymouth is currently undertaking a massive project of urban redevelopment, the largest since the city was rebuilt after the Second World War. The Vision for Plymouth launched by internationally renowned architect David Mackay and fully backed by Plymouth City Council is set to see vast areas of the city centre demolished and rebuilt by the year 2020. Two of Plymouth's greatest eyesores; the old Drake Circus shopping centre and Charles Cross carpark, have already been demolished and are currently being replaced by the new £200 million Drake Circus circus. 2005 alone is set to see the demolition of the Bretonside bus station and the Ballard Centre to be replaced with high quality urban living and office space and construction on a new Arts Centre adjacent to the University. Future plans include the demolition of the Civic Centre and the Plymouth Pavilions to create a boulevard linking Millbay to the city centre. Millbay itself is also to be regenerated with mixed residential, retail and office space alongside extensive harbour facilities.

Related Topics:
David Mackay - Millbay

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