DETAILS of the proposed works to smarten up the street scene between Poole Museum and Scaplens Court are now available to view for the first time.

They include new limestone paving, the replacement of existing brick paver drainage channels and new bike racks. Bins storage areas will also be removed along with old street furniture.

Also planned, as a separate application,  is the move of the museum cafe from the third floor of Oakley’s Mill to the ground floor of Scaplens Court.

The works, to a 114 square metre area, are proposed as part of the ongoing plans to revamp and improve the museum, which is currently out for public consultation.

The designers say they are aiming to create a better defined link between the two museum buildings and to make the area more inviting: ”in support of delivering a world class cultural centre and community hub that will greatly enrich the experience of Poole Quay and Old Town by the people of Poole and its visitors.”

Application papers describe the existing area as “uninspiring, cluttered and in poor condition.”

“It is currently used as a through route and is not fulfilling its potential to be a destination in its own right, with its own distinctive identity. The current appearance of the street scene undermines the historic buildings fronting the site. It is characterised by poor quality, mismatched street furniture and ad hoc public realm surfacing improvements, like patch repairs in the brick paving, which fail to unify the public realm. Certain elements also constitute health and safety risks, such as the damaged inspection covers which pose a tripping hazard, or the surface drain channel, which encourages the rain water to stream down the passage.”

Proposed changes include resurfacing the modern brick paved area between two sites with a Purbeck limestone used in the current museum entrance; replacement of the existing surface drainage channel with below ground drainage and cast iron grate; the introduction of discrete way-finding/interpretation signage within paved surface and the relocation of the bike racks.

Defunct street fittings will be removed along with the  bin store area which would be moved to the Gaol.

A separate planning application may see the Museum cafe moved from the third floor of Oakley’s Mill to the ground floor of Scaplen’s Court, the cafe to be accessed directly from Sarum Street.

“This gesture will open the site to the general public and encourage street life. There will be an opportunity for the cafe to have outdoor tables making the site inviting and vibrant,” said the report.

Comments on the application, ref 21/01087/F, can be made via the BCP Council planning website where the details can be viewed.