The major city centre project is finally coming to an end
Queen’s Gardens will fully reopen on Friday, May 29(Image: Donna Clifford/Hull Live)
Hull’s Queen’s Gardens is set to fully reopen this week after a £21m refurbishment. The major city centre green space has been undergoing a full transformation for around four years.
A phased reopening of the site began last July when the Rose Bowl section of the gardens welcomed back visitors. In mid-April this year, a large part of the site, including the main central artwork and Guildhall Road walkway, reopened..
Hull City Council has now announced the gardens will fully reopen on Friday (May 29). The gates around the site will be taken down throughout the morning, marking the end of the major city centre project.
The regeneration scheme has been delivered by local contractor CR Reynolds, who have been on site since 2022, working to designs by Southern Green Landscape Architects in collaboration with Purcell Architects. The completed works include new boundary walls, paving, accessible ramps and steps, and new landscaping and tree planting.
Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “Queen’s Gardens is one of Hull’s most loved green spaces, and it’s fantastic to be able to fully reopen it to the public following such a significant and carefully delivered transformation. This project developed into much more than was originally proposed when it was first set out.
“Whilst the original plan just focused on improvements along Guildhall Road, as works progressed and the deteriorated condition of the historic dock structure beneath the gardens was fully uncovered, it became clear that much more extensive work was needed throughout the site to properly repair it, secure the long‑term future of the gardens and deliver an amazing high quality space Hull residents deserve. Addressing these challenges head‑on has ensured the gardens are safe, welcoming, and built to last.
“I’d like to thank residents, businesses and visitors for their patience while this work was carried out. The result is a wonderful and inclusive city centre space that reflects Hull’s maritime heritage, while meeting the needs of a modern city.”
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Ros Southern, director at Southern Green Landscape Architects, said: “This project has not been about papering over the cracks. Hull has done a proper job, starting with the required engineering, making tough decisions such as removing unsafe trees, and then adding high‑quality design and materials to create a park landscape that will last for many years to come.
“Echoes of the original dock layout are now more strongly evident, and we have worked with some amazing artists to embed features rooted in Hull’s maritime heritage. Look out for restored stone carvings, scrimshaw artwork and seafaring imagery featuring whales, belugas and seals.
“The planting is now more diverse, with a wide range of shapes and sizes including many British native species sourced from UK nurseries. The rain gardens not only look great but also play an important role in managing surface water.
“As the gardens mature, there will be open grassy spaces, shady trees to sit beneath, ponds and fountains, and plenty of flowers providing colour and supporting pollinators such as bees and insects. We feel very honoured to have played a part in this incredible project, and we know people in Hull have been incredibly patient while such a complex design and installation has taken place.”
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