Calls are growing for the Broadmarsh centre to be replaced with a green space following a surge of signatures for an online petition.
The Nottingham Liberal Democrats are calling on Nottingham City Council to conduct a feasibility study into having a park replace the Broadmarsh centre with the possibility of a small arts centre built into the plan.
It comes after a petition was set up online calling for a stop to the Broadmarsh development and in its place create a 'green jewel in the centre of our city'.
The change.org page has now reached more than 6,500 in a week and dozens of messages have been left in support of the idea.
Retail giant intu, who own both the Broadmarsh and Victoria centres in Nottingham collapsed into administration on Friday, June 26.
Although the company has said its stores will continue trading for the time being, it announced it was closing the Broadmarsh centre on June 12 due to safety reasons after work was halted back in March.
The uncertain future of a defining feature in the southside redevelopment has lead to many coming up with their own plans on what should happen.
The council had said it is 'happy to have a conversation' with Nottingham residents, but also notes the importance of speaking with intu and administrators, KPMG, about their plans.
Chair of Nottingham Lib Dems, Rebecca Procter said: “The Broadmarsh plans have been tinkered with for longer than many city residents have been alive.
"It’s time for the Council to be true to their promises at the last election. They promised to plant 10,000 extra trees and to make the city carbon neutral.
"That’s why we are calling on them to explore how feasible it is to deliver on the calls of thousands of residents; to demolish the Broadmarsh centre and turn the majority of that space into a public park.
“The reality is that retail was already on the decline before Covid-19. As we come out of the current pandemic, we need a city that is both clean for its residents and also attractive to its visitors.
"Having a park, with the possible addition of an arts space would prevent the city from becoming a ghost town, help existing businesses and help the vital creative arts scene within this city.”
Councillor David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We’re happy to have a conversation with local people about this major city centre site and the jobs it could create, and appreciate the strong feeling in Nottingham around it.
"We’re pleased people recognise our record on parks, which are a significant asset for the city, with 68 of them having achieved Green Flag status – the most of any council area in the country.
“We have significant green ambitions for the city, not least our carbon-neutral-by-2028 pledge, however our priority at the moment is to speak with intu and their administrators about their plans for the Broadmarsh and Victoria Centres.”
