Solar canopies rise in £30m city centre makeover

Work has started on four solar canopies as part of a city centre's £30m makeover.

The 13ft (4m) high canopies, which cost a total of £200,000, are being installed as part of a wider push to make Armada Way in Plymouth brighter, greener and more welcoming.

The transparent solar panels will collect energy throughout the year to power water pumps and lighting along the newly redesigned route.

They will also offer shelter from downpours, with built‑in seating and phone‑charging points designed to turn the space into an easy spot for friends to meet.

"We are trying to create landmarks and we hope people will think of the sun canopies like they do the sundial and arrange to meet friends and family under them," city centre champion Mark Lowry said according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"I am really pleased with the design and it looks incredibly exciting. I think the architect has done a fabulous job."

Covering 1,614 sq ft (150 sq m), the canopies will generate enough electricity to power four homes, Plymouth City Council said.

The revamped site will also include a large children's play area, about 180 new trees, green spaces, areas for wildlife, water features and an amphitheatre. The project also features one of the country's biggest sustainable urban drainage systems in a city centre, aimed at storing rainwater and easing pressure on old sewers.

Construction is being carried out by Morgan Sindall and is due to finish by mid‑summer.

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