Mill Lane & The Gateway

The pedestrianised area of Mill Lane, which runs from the city centre end of the campus down to the riverside, has been transformed into a striking public pathway, complete with rain gardens, which capture excess rainwater to feed trees and plants. 

The scheme also incorporates seating areas, flower beds and the same stone which was used to give Cathedral Square a complete makeover before the globally-significant reinterment of King Richard III. 

Decorative granite ‘bookends’ create low-level dividers and direct pedestrians along a meandering flow – echoing the fact that the thoroughfare ultimately leads to the river. Decorative shrubbery sits in flower beds covered in chipped slate. 

Floor lighting and contemporary LED lighting columns gently bathe the area in light after dark. Quality modern street furniture provides amenity and additional style. Golden gravel surfacing – used a lot throughout modern Leicester – is punctuated by areas of high quality block paving.

The resulting design provides a safe and attractive environment whilst maintaining a coherent aesthetic throughout the heart of the campus. The public space now provides an area in which to hold events and open days. 

De Montfort University worked in partnership with Leicester City Council to come up with a design which fits in with the city’s Connecting Leicester project, which has started to link landmark buildings as well as historical and retail areas with a series of safe, pedestrianised, cycle and family-friendly routes.