Southside Public Realm traffic management update
The Southside Public Realm Improvement Scheme will be delivered in two stages:
- an interim scheme for completion pre-Commonwealth Games (completed in June 2022), and,
- a final scheme post Commonwealth Games, due to commence in Autumn 2023 for approximately 12 to 18 months.
Phase 1 of the interim measures were completed in the run up to Christmas 2021. Phase 2 of these works were completed in June 2022, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
The Phase 2 works will complete the Hurst Street corridor from Hill Street to Inge Street (adjacent to the Hippodrome Theatre). And the delivery of a new public square outside the Hippodrome, Southside Building and Arcadian as a new events space for the area.
The first package of Phase 2 included work on the Hurst Street footways from Smallbrook Queensway to Thorp Street, which was completed in March 2022.
The ongoing transformation of the public square, with new below-ground ducting, drainage, and finally new surfacing with a uniform level from building frontage to building frontage was completed in June 2022, ahead of the Commonwealth games programme.

Aerial view of the new Hippodrome Square