Plans to pedestrianise London's Parliament Square for 2012 take shape
London's Parliament Square could be turned into a pedestrianised tribute to the history of British democracy under proposals being drawn up for London mayor Ken Livingstone.
Parliament Square is to be transformed from a congested traffic island into a paved pedestrian piazza aimed at celebrating the history of British democracy in time for the London 2012 Olympics, says The Guardian.
The mayor has commissioned Vogt Landscape Architects, a Swiss firm which helped redesign the area around the Tate Modern gallery in South London, to prepare a blueprint for the £18m scheme.
Early sketches suggest the area in front of Westminster Abbey and Parliament would be paved, giving access to the centre of the square which is currently cut off by busy roads.
But the plans have already prompted controversy after the designers said they may move eight listed statues currently on the square to create a space free of "clutter". English Heritage is unhappy with this prospect.
The designs will go for public consultation in May, with a full planning application expected to be submitted to Westminster city council in August.
The development is being undertaken by the Greater London Authority and Westminster City Council. It will be funded by Transport for London.
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