Urban Design Archives - Planning Design Ltd

Glapwell – Home is where the art is

20th September 2023 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice have gained planning permission for Meadowview Homes to build 64 homes on the site of the former Glapwell Estate and hall. They share the land with Glapwell Nurseries / tea rooms and also the amazing Grade II Listed Gardener’s Bothy which is one of the last remaining elements of the Glapwell Estate. They are designing unique homes and integrating bespoke art and landscaping which will connect the old and new communities of Glapwell to the past.

Once the development is completed, parts of the site will, for the first time, be classed as public open space. For years the site has had no actual use or purpose and the fencing surrounding it was unsightly and dilapidated. Meadowview Homes are restoring the Gardener’s Bothy to conserve it and ensure its long-term future. They are also reintroducing a formal garden setting as part of the development which will contain public art, unique garden features, and a children’s play area for residents to enjoy and to link up the site to surrounding parts of the village.

The public art element will be in three separate areas across the site but all will have a distinct design theme running through them to bring cohesion to the pieces. This will contain a large 3.6m diameter dry stone sculpture. The stone will be laid radiating to the central hole. The inner and outer edges will be contained within a corten steel ring. The faces of the circle will be dished drawing the eye into the centre. In the Bothy Area there will be a sculpture on the lawns on each side of the road with the same design style as above but at a smaller scale. The faces will be flat not dished and again they will be contained within corten steel bands. The sculptures will sit on circles of pitched stone replicating the face of the feature on the horizontal surface.

Meadowview Homes chose an award-winning dry stone waller Andrew Loudon who uses local materials and themes that reflect the community. He is working in collaboration with CB Arts Chris Brammall one of the leading metalworkers in the UK and responsible for the sculpture on the Chesterfield roundabout. The design drawings and landscaping theme have been provided by Janine Crimmins who has won 4 RHS medals. Meadowview Homes are confident that the artwork by these established artists will be an asset to the local community.

Glapwell – a rich heritage

Rich in industrial and cultural history it’s only fitting that Glapwell Gardens will add to that history with its own unique public artwork.

Glapwell Art was part of a planning obligation negotiated between Meadowview Homes and the local council. Known as a Section 106. S106 agreements are legal agreements between Local Authorities and developers; these are linked to planning permissions and can also be known as planning obligations. A Planning obligation will aim to balance the pressure created by the new development with improvements to the surrounding area ensuring that where possible the development would make a positive contribution to the local area and community.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd regularly work with developers to negotiate S106 agreements but this was the first time negotiating an artwork. Our heritage assistant Ruth Gray, who is an artist herself was able to steer the project and formulate a public consultation which has just completed.

Planning & Design Practice are a team of Planners, Architects and Heritage specialists. Based in Derbyshire, we are perfectly located to work nationally for our clients. We offer a comprehensive range of services, specialising in Town Planning, Architecture, Heritage, and Urban Design. For a no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please contact us on 01332 347371 or email enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk

Please Note: A Version of this article appeared in the September 2023 issue of Derbyshire Life.

Women in the City: Designing out Fear of Crime

17th May 2023 by Gary Stringer

Part of our Planning Team, Emily Anderson looks at how planners can reduce fear of crime in our cities, and how environmental design principles can help make our urban spaces safer and more inclusive.

Although it may not be thought about in our daily lives, the way in which different groups of people experience the city varies dramatically. Women, and those who identify as either women or non-binary, are one of these groups.

Since the late 1980s, research on how women experience the built environment and how this impacts their fear levels has steadily increased; this research includes my own Master’s Dissertation on how media impacts women’s fear of crime in the city, and how urban planning can reduce this fear. Many academics and researchers have found that women are more likely to adapt their routes through where they live, particularly at night, due to a fear of crime (Pain, 1991; Valentine, 1989). More recently, movements such as Reclaim the Night and Reclaim the Streets have sought to bring attention to the fear that women experience in the public domain.

Research has shown that darker spaces, the reputation of the area, and a lack of surveillance are features of an urban area which have been shown to cause an increase in fear in women. As planners, we can help reduce some of the fear that women and other marginalized groups experience in cities and towns. Greater Manchester Police have pioneered a theory of “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design” (CPTED) which comprises of five principles:

Physical security
Surveillance
Movement control
Management and maintenance
Defensible space (Greater Manchester Police, n.d.)

When contributing to the design stage of a project, whether it be a large housing development or a regeneration scheme in a town or city centre, planners should make sure that the five principles of CPTED have been considered. Examples of this could include the use of natural surveillance, whereby the users of the streets can be seen from residential or shop/office windows, as well as other people on the street.

Surveillance, either through CCTV or natural, could also be enhanced through the addition of street lighting, especially in darker areas such as alleyways and underpasses, and any areas which had a reduced amount of footfall.

Through the incorporation of the design features mentioned above, as well as the inclusion of different groups of people in the consultation process, we can help make our cities and towns more inclusive and safer for all who use them.

Emily Anderson, Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

Urban design is about making better places and creating communities. It is about creating healthy communities that support well being where people want to live and be proud of, where houses, jobs, school, shops and community facilities are brought together.

Urban design has a key role in tackling climate change, in making future places more robust to withstand the impact of climate change and adaptable as conditions change. At Planning & Design Practice we have a talented group of planners and urban designers who can work with you to create outward looking inclusive designs which will be supported by Local planning Authorities.

For more information on our team and our services, or for a no obligation consultation to discuss your project please contact us on 01332 347372 or email enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.

15-minute cities

6th March 202328th February 2023 by Gary Stringer

In the recent weeks, the term ’15-minute city’ has become splashed across our news feeds. The term has caused controversy and has divided different groups of people. This article will define what 15-minute cities are and set out the reasons for and against the concept.

What is a 15-minute city?

Coined by Carlos Moreno in 2016, a 15-minute city is an urban design in which residents are able to access all of their basic essentials at distances that would not take them more than 15 minutes by foot or bicycle. In this case, essentials are classed as healthcare, greenspace, leisure, education etc. It is not meant to provide everything you would ever need within a 15-minute journey, but rather prevent the use of private transport where possible.

15-minute cities or neighbourhoods have been actively researched in academia in the last few years, but in particular research took-off since the Covid-19 Pandemic. This included research such as Moreno et al., who discussed how a 15-minute city could increase quality of life for residents in a post-pandemic future; or Khavarian-Garmsir et al., who explored how a 15-minute city can contribute to sustainable communities, but how it can also ignore the needs of different social groups. It is in-part this latter point which is causing the controversy in the news.

Advantages of 15-minute cities

The key feature of a 15-minute city is for essential services to be provided within a 15-minute active travel journey time. Active travel includes walking, running, cycling; essentially any form of travel that does not produce carbon emissions and involves you moving your body in some way. There are numerous benefits to this:

Reducing carbon emissions through travel helps mitigate the effects of climate change;
Mental and physical health benefits;
Enhanced social cohesion in communities.

The proximity of 15-minute cities can also help those with low mobility, such as the elderly or disabled, to still access the services they need and allow them to be as independent as possible. Similarly, it can also encourage outdoor active play in younger children and teenagers who might typically spend all day in their rooms if they cannot access services that they want or need.

On top of the social and environmental benefits of the urban design concept, 15 minute cities can also bring economic benefits through the increase of job accessibility and a lower cost of maintenance related to higher-density developments.

Disadvantages of 15-minute cities

Like most things, there are a few disadvantages to what otherwise seems like an ideal concept. One of these is the criticism that it is too physically deterministic. For example, in relation to the groups of people previously mentioned, who is to say how far a 15-minute walk will take them? For those who are less mobile, other forms of active travel such as cycling may not be an option, and therefore the distance in which services can be located is smaller.

It can also be argued that 15-minute cities are/will be difficult to implement in existing neighbourhoods and cities due to the built form, and that trying to implement them now would cause more issues than benefits.

Conclusions

Regarding the news as to what’s happening in Oxford at the moment, The Byline Times do a good in-depth look at what conspiracists are arguing about the 15-minute city. In short, people are arguing that the cameras which will be used to monitor those with permits to drive certain routes will be used to track residents’ every move, and the Council will prevent them from going anywhere further than 15-minutes from their home, therefore removing their personal freedom. It is needless to say that this is not the case and that this idea has been perpetuated by social media. Unfortunately, due to the nature of social media, it is hard for someone to gather all the information and facts without a form of bias being seen.

As detailed in this article, 15-minute cities have a number of benefits, and although the concept isn’t perfect by any means, it can be argued that it is the future of urban form.

Emily Anderson, Planner, Planning & Design Practice.

Delayed and dismantled – Sheffield Shipping Containers run aground

22nd February 2023 by Gary Stringer

In November, an article surrounding the changes in Sheffield’s nightlife economy was published, looking at the growing variety of events, mixed-use spaces and quirky developments being experienced by those visiting Sheffield city centre. Since then, one of the main developments mentioned, the Steel Yard Shipping Containers, has been closed and is being dismantled due to a series of controversies, a lack of profit and Council errors in the erection of the containers.

The previous article detailed the optimism and excitement we felt for this the new, mixed-use, alternative development in the city centre. Steel Yard planned to utilise steel shipping containers to ensure sustainability – steel being synonymous with the city and a more sustainable alternative to brick and cement. It was envisaged that the development would boost the regeneration of the Fargate area with initial investment into the development intended to help the recovery of the post-pandemic economy in the city centre, driving footfall and providing a boost to the night time economy.

Consisting of eight units, the pop-up spaces would help independent businesses gain a foothold and raise their profiles within the city centre, together with introducing green infrastructure, outdoor seating, food vendors, a sports bar and much needed city centre public toilets.

However, the development was hit with controversy. The opening was delayed by 3 months, from July 2022 to October due in part to the discovery of underground water pipes on the site. This exacerbated existing problems. There were unplanned relocation costs to maintain sewer access, which raised total costs to £420k from the original £300k. Additionally, the council were spending £17k a month on top of £10k to cover fuel and hire a generator because mains power cables were removed. This led to further building work being paused, unfilled units and the bar on the first floor never opening. By early 2023, businesses were told they had less than 3 weeks left to trade as the whole park was to be closed by January 30th.

In light of the decision to dismantle the Steel Yard Shipping Containers, the Strategies and Resources Committee at Sheffield City Council are discussing three options for the future of the containers, including; relocation to an area near the Sheffield Train Station, reuse within the community or sale of the units. With the dismantling of the containers expected to take until March to complete, organisations will be able to submit an application for the future of the units ahead of the Council’s decision on the proposals in April. The preferred option for the containers is for use within the community, with a recommendation to move them to a city centre park to provide public toilet facilities and a café. This will allow local community groups to improve facilities and improve a local park to create a longer-term positive use for the city.

The dismantling and removal of the Shipping Containers will make way for the £15.8 million revamp and redevelopment of Fargate as a whole. This focusses on renewing and reshaping the city centre in a way that drives growth, improves experience and ensures future sustainability. This will be completed with funding from the Future High Streets Fund to implement landscaping, green planting, seating areas and landscaping.

We look forward to watching how Fargate can develop into a sustainable, enjoyable and transformative landscape within the city centre, as well as discovering the positive future for the relocated Shipping Containers.

With an office at Park Hill we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients and projects in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Urban Design – A tool for change?

28th November 202224th May 2022 by Gary Stringer

As a society we need to take the power to create change. Jonathan Jenkin, Consultant at Planning & Design Practice sets out how Urban Design can be a tool to facilitate this ambition.

What is urban design? This is the description on Wikipedia:

‘many assume urban design is about the process of designing and shaping the physical features of cities, and regional spaces, it is also about social design and other larger scale issues. Linking the fields of architecture as well as planning to better organize physical space and community environments.’

In its true sense urban design is about designing and shaping the physical features of our towns, villages, and cities to allow us to meet our social and environmental goals.

In its very essence it is a socialist idea where the people come together to design and build their own environment that better meets their own needs and those of future generations. In the face of the climate crisis, environmental degradation including poor water and air quality, increases in poverty, a health crisis caused by obesity, international conflict, and reductions in our commitment to community and society the challenge, for us as a society is greater than it has ever been, and urban design should be seen as a tool for real change.

We say we want to create beautiful places, which promotes social development, provide us as citizens with places to live, work, learn and be taken care of, which is integrated into the natural environment and promotes biodiversity.

But we do not give ourselves the tools to do this. We are dictated to by the needs of those who control the market in goods and services and the commoditisation of basic needs such as housing. In the last 40 years privatisations and the mantra of allowing the market to decide has emasculated the idea of community action in the pursuit of social and environmental goals. Capitalism should serve society and the environment unfortunately society has become the servant of those who control capital, and the environment is used by capital with little or no account given to its value. We need to regain control over many aspects of our lives. For a truly sustainable future we need to build social and environmental capital so that it can lead and direct capital to where it best serves our society and environment.

We need to make this change and to do so now, or the outlook for our children and grandchildren is truly bleak. We have to learn to live well within tight environmental limits while being able to meet our own goals and aspirations within a wider society.

To live well our basic needs must be met. We need good healthy food, we need good housing, a high-quality education system, a vibrant cultural life, an effective health system and rewarding jobs. All this within a clean and biodiverse environment where environmental capital is built and developed, paving the way for an even better world.

To start we need to plan for the long term. A national plan that sets out the baseline conditions and what we need to change for a sustainable society and community. This national plan should be a key battle ground where we as a nation agree the steps that have to be made and the time frame in which the necessary changes are brought about. Our aims for a better society and a better world for our children should be followed through at the regional and local level through elected representatives and our own involvement. We can as a society set our own standards, that private companies have to meet if they want to compete in our social market.

We can use urban design to create the physical framework of our better world. This starts of by looking at the baseline conditions of our own settlements and towns. Identifying what we have and what we need to change and accommodate. A thirty-year plan with clear goals, open to change, but with a set of basic conditions that have to be met. These basic conditions could include standards for housing for all, access to education, access to health services, the supply of good food, emission standards, air and water quality standards and the development of environmental resilience.

We should have the freedom to design and build places where they are needed not just on land that owners want to see developed. We need the power to develop and to protect. We need to protect the past but also, we need to create new stories and new histories. We need to build environmental capital, so that we can live in balance with the carrying capacity of our world and this requires radical change.

A multi-faceted approach to urban design, developed within with a clear set of social an environmental objective will help us to create a new more sustainable physical world where we have different but better, more fulfilled, and healthier lives. Using urban design powerfully is a tool for radical change.

As a society we need to take the power to create change. By doing this we take back control allowing us to make a real difference to our own and others’ lives.

Jonathan Jenkin, Consultant, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

Main Image: Damstead Park – Alfreton

PDP secured outline planning consent for up to 149 dwellings, public open space and wildlife areas at land off Each Well Lane, Alfreton, Derbyshire.

Covid, shopping and climate change

29th November 202229th March 2021 by Gary Stringer

As we ease out of lockdown, our Managing Director Jonathan Jenkin, looks at the changes that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to our high streets, and the complex interplay between climate change and our retail habits.

Covid 19, the rise on online shopping and the collapse of multiple retailers provides opportunities to reduce travel demand and by doing so carbon emissions. The market has seen a rise in local shopping habits with vacancy rates in district and local centres remaining low. In Derby for example vacancy rates in suburban local shopping locations such as Chaddesden, Chelleston and Mickleover have remained low while vacancy rates in the city centre have soared as multiple retailers and banks have deserted the city.

This means that people are shopping locally and much of the comparison goods shopping is taking place online. In order for new retail business to locate in the city centre they will need a significant drop in rents and rates as retail is now far more competitive because online shops do not have the costs of bricks and mortar. Retail is still needed to help to support non-retail social and leisure activity. Eating and experiences combined with specialist shopping should help centres to regain their vitality and viability and by staging events and conferences in city centres trade will revive and activity levels will increase. Most city centres have good public transport options and the centres are often in easy walking distance of inner city residential areas. They need to become the focus for civic and public activities so that events and nights out can take place without significantly increasing carbon emissions.

During the Covid pandemic out of town shopping has however seemed to be a safe place to shop. Shoppers are insulated from others by driving and vacancy rates in out of town car based retailing have held up well. Car based shopping is not good in terms of climate change. Not only is it wasteful of land and creates vast areas of tarmac but carbon emissions to regional and local retail parks is significantly higher than either town centres or local shopping. It maintains a dependence on the private car with the health and social dis-benefits that go with a car based lifestyle.

Covid and climate change provide an opportunity to revive the high street, renew city centres and create more sustainable cities. But to achieve this out of town retailing must be curbed. Britain has an over-supply of retail floorspace so it is depressing to hear that a major sub-regional outlet centre is to open in Cannock. It is supposed to create 1000 jobs in a town with a high unemployment rate but the centre is almost entirely car based and its opening will lead to more than 1000 jobs being lost elsewhere. Some of the regional shopping centres such as Meadowhall and the Metro Centre are showing their age and again these provide an opportunity for redevelopment and re-use for housing, offices and industry so it is disappointing that owners of these centres (most of which are now bankrupt and are being supported by the banking sector) are looking at revamping and expanding their centres as retail and leisure destinations.

Climate change needs us all to change to become less of a consumer society and a more healthy and socially aware society rooted in place where we have a network of friends and family living close to each other. Attractive and healthy places to work and to live with day to day needs met close to home allow children to reclaim the streets, it allows older people and those with disability to get the services they need close to home, it means more time spent outside walking and cycling and more time being part of a town and village rather than as an atomised consumer rooted to the next gadget.

We have major challenges ahead but also major opportunities to create a better society. Retail presents an interesting picture, two directions of travel but only one that is compatible with the long term health of our society and with climate change.

The future of Derby Assembly Rooms

29th November 202214th December 2020 by Gary Stringer

Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director of Planning & Design Practice Ltd has objected to the proposed demolition of Derby Assembly Rooms. This large and iconic building dominates Market Square and has hosted numerous events and has been at the heart of city activities for almost 40 years.

The building was built to a high standard but a fire on the adjacent car park roof in 2014 destroyed the main plant and machinery and this immediately led to the central functions, the assembly rooms themselves being closed. The carpark remained open for use and it continues to be used and provides funds to the council. The ground floor restaurant space overlooking Market Square remained in use as did the tourist information centre until the council moved the tourist office to Riverside Chambers. Using insurance monies some repairs we made to the plant and machinery but the Assembly Rooms has never re-opened.

The Assembly Rooms themselves have become dated and are not now considered to be suitable for use as a major concert venue and for live theatre without a major overall and partial redevelopment. Renovating and updating the Assembly Rooms will be expensive and a new event, concert venue and theatre have been approved on land across the city centre at Becketwell. The council cannot afford to support both projects and two similar venues are unlikely to be viable in the city. The council were however supporting the renovation of the Assembly Rooms but costs have spiralled due to the council’s requirement of a minimum 15 year lifespan for operation following renovation and this requires that the existing building structure can be guaranteed to last at least a further 15 years without major further expenditure. The problem is that as a 1970s construction the building contains roof panels that only had a projected 30 year life span. To remove and replace these would be expensive and has made the project unviable. However the roof panels are in good condition and have not deteriorated and could easily last a further 30 years without needing removal. This cannot be proved, so essentially it is a matter of insurance rather than the condition of the building.

The council have thus applied to demolish the Assembly Rooms with no plans for anything to replace it. Leaving a large void in the heart of the city would be devastating and the plans for an area of open space are poor and ill conceived. The removal of the Assembly Rooms would lead to the loss of a whole side of Market Square with no existing buildings at the rear of the Assembly Rooms to front the square.

The detailed structural report that accompanied the application for demolition found the building to be essentially sound and in good order for its age and having been empty for 6 years. The Assembly Rooms are a strong piece of architecture which contribute to the appearance and character of the city but it divides opinion (similar in its Marmite character to the famous Preston Bus Station).

Starting with a new brief, the council should undertake minor works sufficient to allow the building to re-open. The fire damage is not as extensive as first thought and new plant and machinery can be installed. The Pick Everard report states that the roof does not present a danger to the public. Whist the roof needs to be the subject of regular inspection it would allow the building to re-open.

Firstly the council should re-open the shops and restaurants on the ground floor as part of the regeneration of the city centre. Most the ground floor fronting Market Square can be opened up for very little money and although the rents will be lower because of the collapse of retail, it would allow new businesses to open up breathing new life into the Cathedral Quarter. The tourism information centre should re-open in Market Square so that visitors to the city can continue to be supported but using a central location that is visible to the public.

To prosper the city centre needs visitors, the hotels in the city need support, the museums and shops need support. It is folly to the extreme to lose the visibility of tourist information from the centre of the city. The Darwin suite of the Assembly Rooms could be re-opened in the spring following the relaxation of Covid 19 rules for conferences, events and meetings including weddings. Offices around the suite can be let and the city can use catering companies which currently support Connect Derby to provide food and beverage.

The main issue is what to do with the Assembly Rooms themselves. The Assembly Rooms is a dated working theatre space and events space but who could use it? The Guildhall is used by local amateur dramatics groups and as a small venue for touring theatre and the Assembly Rooms because of its size and scale is not appropriate for these groups. The Guildhall itself is currently closed. The Assembly Rooms theatre and events space could be used by Academy trusts and LA secondary schools, sixth forms for youth based performances, for graduations and for a wide variety of other events as it has always done.

It would allow young people the opportunity to perform in a good sized auditorium, and as a semi-professional space with technical support and management (perhaps extending DEda’s brief) paid for through a variety of sources including the education authorities and trusts and through income generated by events. Being in the city centre it is accessible by young people who can travel in by bus and by non-car means.

For secondary schools and sixth form it could be a new shared facility. With a population of over 260,000 and more than 28,000 secondary school children and sixth formers the number of events and the level of use could easily justify the continued use of the space. The space would also be open through the council for others to use where the education calendar would allow. Using the Assembly Rooms in this way would bring young people into the city centre and their parents. It would add to the vitality to the city centre and would make the city a city of opportunity.

We need to breathe new life into the city centre and re-using what we have is a more sustainable option. Small steps, opening up the Assembly Rooms and getting events going will do much to help to revive the city centre. The commitment of the council to the re-use of the Assembly Rooms and the opening up of active uses onto Market Square will show the councils self-belief and from there private sector investment will follow.

Now more than ever we need to invest in our city and our people, particularly our young people. The council needs to be more ambitious and use what it has as well as looking to build its future.

Towering ambition for Sheffield city centre

30th November 202222nd September 2020 by Gary Stringer

Sheffield City Council continue to demonstrate ambition for Sheffield city centre, having granted planning permission for a mixed use development (application ref. number 18/00858/FUL) which involves the creation of student accommodation comprising 330 bed spaces, and the retention of existing retail space on the first two floors of a tower block located at 50 High Street.

The site is centrally located on the main High Street in the retail heart of the city. It is bounded to the North by the High Street, to the east by Arundel Gate, and to the west by Mulberry Street/Path. The building is joined to the south by Mulberry House. The location of the building at the junction between High Street and Arundel Gate is significant because it stands at the entrance to the City Centre Conservation Area, one of 38 within Sheffield.

This is a large building that was historically used as a department store until the last occupier (TJ Hughes) vacated the site in 2013. Presently, the building has 6 floors (excluding basement). The lower two levels are currently occupied by retail shops – British Heart Foundation, Poundland and Sports Direct. The upper four levels of the building and one small retail unit fronting Arundel Gate at the southern end of the building remain vacant.

It was established that structurally the building could accommodate an additional two storeys of accommodation and this was deemed appropriate by the planners. The proposal will retain the building’s retail offering at the lower and upper ground floor levels and the creation of 330 student bedrooms across the remaining 5 floors.

The proposals will bring the entire building back into use and refurbish its elevations, enhancing its use and appearance as well as improving activity / vibrancy in this part of the city – all of which will have a positive impact on the building, High Street and the wider City Centre.

The site is highly sustainable, especially for a student development. Sheffield Hallam University is very close to the site with campus buildings situated immediately opposite the site and the main City Centre Campus just 200m to the south. The University of Sheffield is slightly further away but still close and easily accessible by excellent public transport facilities (bus and tram) that are located immediately outside the building on High Street, Castle Square and Arundel Gate.

Overall, the proposed scheme will secure the future of existing vacant floors of an underused building in the City Centre, which is considered to be a good location for a student focused development; it is a highly sustainable location with very good transport and walking access to both of Sheffield’s Universities. It was therefore concluded that the benefits of regenerating the site and giving it new life will have a positive effect on the area.

Based at Park Hill, we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Harry Capstick, Graduate Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

Backing Becketwell

16th May 202230th October 2019 by Gary Stringer

At Planning & Design we are pleased to see our peers amongst the business community, together with stakeholders such as Marketing Derby, providing their support to the redevelopment plans for the Becketwell area, a site which has been crying out for revitalisation for a long time, having been earmarked for development in the Local Plan since 2006.

This recently submitted planning application for a £200m mixed use development covering the former Debenhams store, Pennine Hotel, NCP Car Park and Laurie House at Becketwell is the culmination of many years of hard work and the council should be congratulated for its work in acquiring over 200,000 square feet of land in various different ownerships to make this whole project possible.

Phase one of the ambitious regeneration scheme comprises plans for 342 Build to Rent apartments and a new public square on the site of the current United Reform Church, bringing new professionals and footfall to the city centre.

The residential development will comprise of two buildings, the tallest of which will extend up to 19 storeys in height. This building will contain 246 apartments above a ground floor café and restaurant that overlooks the new square. The smaller building will house 96 apartments with a convenience store at ground floor fronting Victoria Street.

The outline planning application is supported by a request to include a range of other complementary uses of the site, including up to 25,000m2 of new grade A offices, innovation centre and leisure to complement the apartments and a planned multi-storey car park, with a smaller courtyard public square called Summerhill Yard that reflects that part of the site’s historic street name.

“The problems of the high street are well documented and Derby will only thrive as a city if more people can be attracted to live and work in the city centre. The Plans for the redevelopment of the Becketwell area of the city centre will allow well designed modern buildings to sit alongside some of our fine old buildings, champion good architecture and will help Derby compete with other cities, both within the UK and around the world,” said Richard Pigott, Director of Planning & Design.

“It is also worth recognising the benefits that the development will bring to the wider area. Surrounding historic streets like Victoria Street and Macklin Street, which have fine old buildings in need of investment, will also benefit. I would encourage anyone with an interest in the scheme to view the application documents on the council’s website and register your views.” The planning application reference number is 19/01245/OUT and a decision is due by 21st November 2019.

The scheme includes £8.1 million in Local Growth Fund investment from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and received 89% support in a recent public consultation, demonstrating the public’s appetite to transform this derelict area which has stood as a symbol of neglect for decades.

Planning & Design have worked on numerous commercial projects which have involved changing the existing use of buildings located within the city centre. The long-term vitality of town centres is an important planning concern and diversifying the uses of retail and leisure units can make significant contributions to the street scene and the local economy. For more information or to discuss your development proposals please get in touch.

Planning Design invests in Sheffield

29th October 20199th October 2019 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design have made a significant investment to their presence in Sheffield with a move to new premises and several key appointments.

Housed in a former 1930s’ car showroom, Planning & Design now reside in The Workstation, Sheffield’s leading business centre for creative talent and innovation in the heart of the city’s thriving Cultural Industries Quarter.

Located less than five minutes from Sheffield train station, The Workstation is home to some of Sheffield’s most exciting cultural, creative and digital businesses with Planning & Design joining renowned design studios, high growth tech firms, award winning theatre companies and filmmakers.

Proximity to the train station also affords easy access to both the group’s main office located in Derby city centre, and clients nationwide.

Leading the Sheffield office will be Michael Bamford. A chartered town planning consultant, Michael started with Planning & Design in 2015 and carved out his early career with the group. Having left the company in early 2018 to work with a National Consultancy based in Sheffield, he returned to Planning & Design this summer and takes the lead on the operation of our Sheffield Office.

Transferring from the Derby office to join Michael will be Graduate Planner Harry Capstick. Having completed his undergraduate degree in Town Planning and Geography at Sheffield Hallam University, he initially joined the team in June 2017, where he completed a 6-month work placement. Upon finishing his degree, Harry re-joined the team in July 2019.

As well as both Harry and Michael having worked and studied in the city, Planning & Design also has a close connection with Sheffield, having long maintained an office in the city and with numerous clients and projects in the region.

“The Sheffield City Region provides real opportunities for growth and development. The city has close links with the Peak District National Park and a long history of high tech engineering. We are excited to be opening a larger office in the city to meet the demand for town planning and architecture. The Region is forward thinking, it is looking for sustainable growth and is open to meeting the challenges of Climate Change and Brexit.” says Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director of Planning & Design.

Comprising town planners, architects and architectural assistants the staff at Planning & Design bring a wealth of experience from a range of backgrounds and various parts of the UK. Our planners have worked in the public & private sectors, and have excellent working relations with Local Planning Authorities. Our team of RIBA Chartered Architects and Architectural Assistants have a wealth of experience working with homeowners, developers and the public sector.

“We are looking forward to welcoming existing clients to our new home in Sheffield, and to creating new relationships in the city, and across the region, says Michael Bamford.

“Sheffield is home to a rich architectural heritage, with iconic developments such as Park Hill as well as innovative urban renewal, as demonstrated by developments such as can be seen at Kelham Island and at the Workstation. We are looking forward to being a part of Sheffield’s future development.”

Please contact Michael if you require assistance with planning applications, appeals or local plan representations or require advice on lawful development certificates or development appraisals, michael.bamford@planningdesign.co.uk or telephone 0114 221 0618.

Photo (L-R): Harry Capstick, Richard Pigott, Jonathan Jenkin, Michael Bamford, Jon Millhouse.