Large Scale Urban Design

8/2/2019 Large Scale Urban Design

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Large scale urban designGetting the big picture right

How do we deal with the economic, social and environmental

challenges of large areas that cannot be solved through local

action? This guide outlines a new approach to large scale

urban design and includes our step-by-step guide to a new

workshop-based process.

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A new approach

Large scale urban design is about the bigger picture. It deals with theeconomic, social and environmental issues over large areas that cannot be

solved through local action.

In a tough fiscal climate, distinctive places play a critical role in generating communitypride and attracting investors.

CABE has developed a new approach to planning and urban design which crosseslocal authority boundaries, responding to the way people live their lives.

The guide provides a flexible new framework to inform decisions on where to investlimited resources for infrastructure, or where to focus the energies of developers andpublic service providers.

More about large scale urban design

Foreword from Richard SimmonsLarge scale urban design is not about hoping that micro-level interventions will addup to something that works at the large scale. Nor is it about imposing inflexiblesolutions. It embraces the complexities and uncertainties facing people today using adesign process that allows people to shape the places they want.

Introduction to large scale urban designPeople are travelling much further nowadays in their daily lives, which means that theway in which we plan and design our towns and cities and rural areas will need tochange.

The challenges that it tacklesLarge scale urban design is good at making connections, at supporting economicgrowth, and resolving competing priorities. Cross boundary working is also highlyrelevant for environmental issues.

Six distinctive featuresThe process is all about delivery so it uses a creative and visual approach whichengages everyone, but is highly selective when it comes to project scope andoutcomes.

The outputsLarge scale urban design delivers across spatial scales: from an inspiring expressionof the story of change, down to the standards and tools to guide masterplans andproposals.

The benefitsLarge scale urban design is suited to organisations and partnerships in the publicand private sector which are tasked with delivering solutions to big scale challenges,whether economic, financial or environmental.
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Introduction to large scale urban design

People are travelling much further nowadays in their daily lives, which means that theway in which we plan and design our towns and cities and rural areas will need tochange.

One of the most dramatic changesto affect planning and urban designhas been the growth of the areawithin which people live their lives,or what economists and planncall functional spatial areas. Peoplenow have communities of workcommunities of interest andnetworks of friends, customers,shops, leisure facilities and suppliers

which go well beyond the

ers

and

immediately local.

e

ssingthem in the car or on the train.

t

to work together to find answers to the questions whichresult from our way of life.

vest

ers. Those whose lives are directly affectedhave to be involved in the process.

eworks and core strategies, but thisapproach was not always taken for larger areas.

e past two years, CABE has been trialling a better way to design the biggerpicture.

These extended areas form thscale at which economic and housing markets now operate, and correspond to thecatchment areas of large retail centres, major hospitals, leisure facilities or highereducation institutions. Housing and job markets do not observe local authorityboundary red lines on a map. Nor do people notice red lines when they are cro

Planning needs to operate across boundaries as well. To take advantage of thechange from top-down regional strategies, the bigger picture has to be thought abou

in ways which allow people

So a flexible new framework is needed to inform decisions on where best to inlimited resources for infrastructure, or where to focus the energies of privatedevelopers and public service provid

In recent years, the statutory plan-making system in England has taken acollaborative approach to local development fram

So for th


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The challenges that it tackles

Large scale urban design is good at making connections, at supporting economicgrowth, and resolving competing priorities. Cross boundary working is also highlyrelevant for environmental issues.

CABE has worked with many of thecross-boundary organisations set upto tackle big scale challenges,whether economic, financial orenvironmental. Our experience ofthese sub-regional developmentbodies, joint planning units andregeneration partnerships suggeststhat they could usefully adopt amore creative and collaborative

approach to planning and deliveringchange.

gand environmental performance at the same time as its physical

characteristics.

ctorsrong links and complementary

relationships within natural economic areas.

t

gned to facilitate clustering andlinkages between the economic centres within it.

pportunities, large scale urban design will identify the most appropriateresponse.

Using financial resources efficiently

and there is limited private finance, it is essential toaddress competing priorities.

ld be

Our research showed that theirapproach could be improved by focusing more on the physical aspects of a place.Indeed, one of the strengths of the new large scale urban design approach is the waythat it focuses on improving the quality and distinctiveness of a place by considerinsocial, economic

Facilitating economic growth

In many places goods manufacturing has been replaced with knowledge-based andservice sectors, which rely heavily on access to a skilled workforce. These setend to cluster into specialised centres with st

Increasingly, competitiveness of places depends on attracting and retaining the righpeople, which in turn is dependent on providing a distinctive and high quality livingand working environment. Economic performance is also affected by how well thephysical structure of the natural wider area is desi

Where areas are failing to thrive because they are poorly connected to facilities andeconomic o

When public budgets are tight

This means that many public services, and most large scale infrastructure, shouconsidered across boundaries. Whether evaluating or planning the provision of

utilities, transport, higher education institutions or hospitals, there are significant


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efficiencies to be made through involving all parties in abenefit from using large scale urban design.

timely way. This is a key

tboundary action. These need to be dealt with alongside social

and economic issues, for example managing the seemingly insatiable desire forse and facilitating

project is consideredwithin a wider spatial, economic and social context. This approach maximises thevalue of investment and spreads the benefits brought about by the developmentacross the whole area and to all sectors of the population.

Achieving environmental sustainability

Many environmental challenges such as water management, flood prevention,increasing biodiversity and generating low carbon energy can be addressed moseffectively by cross-

travel and flows of people and goods whilst reducing resource ugreener lifestyles.

Managing large schemes and masterplanning

Large scale urban design can be used to instigate and orchestrate the delivery ofdevelopments like big retail and employment centres and large housing

developments and transport infrastructure. It ensures each


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Six distinctive features

The process is all about delivery so it uses a creative and visual approach whichengages everyone, but is highly selective when it comes to project scope andoutcomes.

There are a number of definingcharacteristics of the new largescale design approach which mait distinctive from masterplanning,local development frameworks orrecent English regional and sub-regional pl

ke

anning.

1. It is selective in itsinterests

A project based on this newapproach begins with a specificproblem and focuses on providinganswers to that problem. Restricting the remit to issues that are of genuine crossboundary importance for a natural economic area, and cannot be tackled at any otherspatial level, keeps the approach effective and efficient. This selectiveness appliesnot only to the scope of the project but also to its outcomes -a limited set of strategicthemes and projects.

2. It is spatially led, three-dimensional and visually rich

The new approach goes beyond land use planning which is generally twodimensional and deals with the physical characteristics of a place in all itscomplexity and in three dimensions (hence the use of urban design in the label). Itresults in proposals for specific projects and sites. Even though the final product aspatial strategy may show these proposals in a diagrammatic way, the processgrounds them in the physical context of a place. Detailed examination of specificissues and proposals may be necessary to ensure viability of the strategic concept.The results are highly visual, synthesising complex ideas in a way whichcommunicates to a full range of people.

3. It takes an integrated approach to analysis and designImproving the quality of ordinary places is as important as new landmark places andspaces. The new approach considers how the physical, economic, environmental,social and cultural aspects of a place all contribute to its success, and how its naturalassets can be protected and capitalised on. It integrates analysis and proposals,across all boundaries and defines an overall vision. This is achieved by translatingstrategic themes or options into a set of manageable projects.

4. It is an engaging and inclusive process

At the heart of large scale urban design is a creative process which actively engageseveryone. It is compressed into a number of workshops where key players cometogether, assisted by an expert team, to scope the work, input data, prioritise areas


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or themes, consider scenarios, draw up preferred proposals and projects and finaliseplans for delivery.

5. It is focused on delivery

An integral part of the approach is developing an implementation plan that sets out aprogramme of what to do now, with the future in mind. By providing a clear policy anddelivery framework, it stabilises, coordinates and directs development activity and, inareas with low values and little or no developer interest, creates more attractiveconditions for developers and investors. It makes clear to key partners their part infunding, investment, the provision of land, public services and infrastructure.

6. It is flexible

Implementing a large scale strategy takes a long time and the context may change,sometimes radically. The new approach accommodates new data being included,

and proposals being re-tested and revised. While being capable of providing flexibilityand change, the process and its outputs provide nonetheless enough guidance anddetail to ensure quality of the final projects, and effective decision making anddelivery.


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The outputs

Large scale urban design delivers across spatial scales: from an inspiring expressionof the story of change, down to the standards and tools to guide masterplans andproposals.

At the end of the large scale urbandesign process, the people involvewill have an inspiring story ofchange backed by a database,analysis, proposals and principlesThose involved will

.have:

an overarching story ofchange a clear descriptionof the transformation to be

brought about by a packageof interventions andinvestments in the built andnatural fabric of the widerarea, based on its identityand potential.

a creative and inspiring visual expression of this story of change that can becommunicated easily to a wide range of interest groups

a database of quantitative and qualitative information which can be analysedspatially, and through multi-layered analysis. This allows a whole range ofissues to be considered together, to identify conflicts, synergies and priorities,develop effective proposals and coordinate their delivery

a distillation of this analysis into key areas of interest which need to beaddressed at this scale or which require greater coordination

an agreed set of proposals which define the type and location of priorityprojects under key themes, including specific sites and design briefs for thosesites

a set of design and sustainability principles, standards and tools to guidemasterplans and more detailed urban design and building proposals.


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The benefits

Large scale urban design is suited to organisations and partnerships in the publicand private sector which are tasked with delivering solutions to big scale challenges,whether economic, financial or environmental.

Large scale urban design will help thoseorganisations and partnerships often a mix ofpublic and private sector partners tasked withdelivering solutions to the challenges outlined.

Key players will include those most responsiblefor delivery; local or regional government orother cross-boundary partnerships; developersand others delivering large scale projects; urbandesign and planning practitioners and policy

makers. Those whose lives are affected thecommunity are the most important people tobe involved in the process.

This urban design approach will particularlybenefit local partnerships that:

want to improve coordination betweensector-specific or local strategies,initiatives and projects

want to improve the quality anddistinctiveness of what gets built in their area

have a concentration of social, environmental or economic problems in thearea and need to have a thorough approach to dealing with declineconstructively

are performing well and growing, and wish to either accommodate this growthor spread its benefits across the wider area, particularly significant housinggrowth or regeneration

need to strengthen the links between town and city centres or within a naturaleconomic area

need to plan strategic infrastructure such as water or waste management,energy production or a network of green spaces

are planning new facilities such as hospitals or large leisure and shoppingcentres

want to protect or enhance important natural, cultural or heritage assets.

The new large scale urban design approach could be used at a variety of spatialscales (regional, city or town wide), in different delivery contexts (statutory orinformal), and internationally.


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Workshop-based process

The new approach to large scale urban design uses a workshop-based processsplit into three phases - prepare, design, implement.

Three phases

1. Prepare understand the challengeDefine the project scope, select a spatial boundary, choose your project team,inform stakeholders, gather information, analyse and write a brief for thedesign phase.

2. Design - develop a spatial strategyThis phase is based on one or more intensive workshops that are guided byexpert facilitators.

3. Implement - deliver the strategy

The implementation plan sets out how the strategy will be delivered and bywhom. This is based on the earlier exploration of delivery issues and itspreparation may culminate in a dedicated workshop with delivery partners.

Benefits of a workshop-based approach

A workshop-based approach has many advantages over other methods of spatialplanning. These include:

a shorter time scale: the design process is compressed into a number ofworkshops, making it cheaper and less likely to be out-of-date before it is

finished iterative working: frequent feedback loops and immediate design responses

are built in integration: all parties are engaged, and work brought together at different

spatial scales in a single design process engagement and sense of ownership: active participation in developing

design solutions helps stakeholders to be positive and to own the project conflict resolution: with all parties working together, any conflicts become

evident quickly stakeholders can discuss and resolve them immediately consensus building: working alongside each other allows participants to

develop an understanding of the wider issues capacity building: participants become informed decision-makers who are

able to develop strategic solutions in a structured and inclusive manner increased probability of implementation: the workshops consider delivery

issues from the start through a process that includes multi-disciplinaryteamwork and engages politicians, funders, delivery bodies and the widercommunity.

Despite these advantages, challenges remain. The biggest of these is how toreconcile different views and avoid consensus as compromise, that is, reachingdecisions that no one objects to but no one believes in either.

The new approach as outlined in this guide addresses difficult issues head on: this

will be a tough process and not everybody is going to get everything they hoped for.It selects a handful of good, deliverable projects rather than agreeing to a long list ofuntested ones. And it develops strategic themes, spatial options and proposals for
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key projects to a level that is detailed enough for the wider community to engagewith, allows for proper testing and forecasting of impacts, and provides adequateguidance for delivery partners.

The whole process at a glance

Our guide takes you through the whole large scale urban design process, step-by-step.

Prepare understand the challenge

Setting up a project management structureo Select the project teamo Select the project steering groupo Select a project championo Write your project management plan

Scoping the projecto Organise a scoping workshopo Determine the spatial boundary

Preparing the stakeholder communication plano Identify all potential stakeholderso Plan the stakeholder involvement

Gathering background informationo Review existing documentso Source missing datao Explore place identityo Create a dataset resource

Summarising and mapping informationo Select relevant datao Use GIS where possibleo Present data clearly

Analysing informationo Analyse datao Do a positioning studyo Present analysis to stakeholders

Writing a brief for the design phaseo Re-affirm project aims and boundaryo Review the project structureo Consider delivery challengeso Finalise design quality aspirationso Publish the brief

Design - develop a spatial strategy

Developing the strategyo Plan the design workshopso Check workshop logisticso Hold the design workshopso Share the results

Testing the optionso Create a testing processo Present the findingso Choose a preferred option
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Preparing a design guideo Review existing design guidanceo Draft design guideo Develop the guideo Publish design guide

Finalising the spatial strategyo Write your reporto Publish and promote the report

Implement - deliver the strategy

Developing an implementation plano Understand the challengeso Hold an implementation workshopo Write your implementation plan

Planning the deliveryo Understand delivery mechanismso Identify the delivery optionso Compare commitments to requirementso Decide who will do whato Attract new delivery partners

Delivering the strategyo Decide on planning measureso Develop a phasing plano Deliver design quality

Monitoring and revising the strategyo Measure the impact of the strategyo Revise the strategy
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Prepare understand the challenge

Define the project scope, select a spatial boundary, choose your project team,inform stakeholders, gather information, analyse and write a brief for the

design phase.

The people who set up the large scale urbandesign project start by defining its scope. Thearea of study must obviously relate to the scaleat which problems can be understood andpossible solutions tested. They select a projectteam, a steering group and a champion tosecure the necessary political backing. Theproject team writes a management plan thatincludes the aims, outputs and outcomes, atimeline, milestones, resources and risks. It also

sets out how it will communicate with all thoseinvolved, including with the general public.

The team gathers, summarises, maps andanalyses the background information needed forthe design phase. This is an intensive andcreative part of the process where participantsinterrogate data and learn a lot about their area. It is informed by perceptions of thequality of the existing area. They look at issues and data in a multi-layered way,assisted by strong and imaginative imagery and presentation of data and spatialinformation.

The culmination of this phase is a design brief that guides the next phase of work. Itsets out the vision statement for the project and includes a summary of theinformation and analysis, delivery challenges for the wide area, aspirations for designquality and indicators to monitor the forthcoming spatial strategy and/or priorityprojects.

A step-by-step guide to the preparation phase

1. Setting up a project management structure2. Scoping the project3. Preparing the stakeholder communication plan4. Gathering background information5. Summarising and mapping information6. Analysing information7. Writing a brief for the design phase
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Setting up a project managementstructure

Project stakeholders decide what the project management structure will be,and set up the project team and steering group. The project team thenprepares a management plan.

Managing a large scale urban design project willnot generally conform to existing projectmanagement structures; a new set-up will berequired. Stakeholders will need to appoint a:

project team responsible for overallproject management and deliveringproject outputs

project steering group responsible forgoverning the project, including providingstrategic guidance to the project team,signing-off key stages of work, raising awareness of the project andcoordinating work on the strategy with other activities of the partners

project champion from the steering group who is responsible for promotingthe project internally and externally, and taking the lead for getting politicalsupport.

How to set up a project management structure

1. Select the project teamThe project team, led by the Project Director, will be responsible for day-today management of the project and for delivering project outputs.

2. Select the project steering groupThe project steering group represents all the project partners members ofthe client group and provides a strategic direction for the project.

3. Select a project championThe project champion is the key member of the steering group often itschair whose main role is to lead in promoting the project and securingpolitical and community support for it.

4. Write your project management planThis is the responsibility of the project team.
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Select the project team

The project team, led by the Project Director, will be responsible for day-to daymanagement of the project and for delivering project outputs.

Project team members should be able to:

manage the complexities of a large-scale project, including multi-agency andmulti-sectoral interests

combine project management and technical expertise with excellentcommunication and partnership facilitation skills.

The team may be:

a group of representatives of the partner organisations (for example,secondments from partner local authorities)

an externally procured team that runs the project on behalf of the partnership this approach will need in-house capability and expertise to project managethe consultants.

During the course of the project, particularly its design phase, the project team willhave to be supplemented by teams of specialists to complete specific elements ofwork. For instance a cross-disciplinary team may have to be brought in to helpfacilitate or run design workshops and to guide the preparation of materials before,between and after the workshops.

Whatever model the project takes, including a component of local expertise in theproject team (for example, local authority staff) will be valuable, to bring in localknowledge, ensure strategy deliverability and knowledge transfer.

Select the project steering group

The project steering group represents all the project partners members of the clientgroup and provides a strategic direction for the project.

The project steering group is often a sub-set of the overall partnership (perhaps theenvironmental management, planning or place-making sub-group). Its role is to:

make sure that stakeholders and the public understand the merits of theproject be instrumental in agreeing the overall objectives of the project amongst the

partners keep the partners and the project team firmly focused on delivering those

objectives during the course of the project lead and motivate the project team provide signoff at key stages of work raise awareness of the project internally and externally undertake high-level negotiations amongst the partners and with external

parties transfer knowledge from the project to the stakeholders

help coordinate the work on the strategy with other activities of the partnersand other relevant bodies in the area.


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To be able to fulfil its role, the steering group must be both partisan and non-executive, as well as representative in terms of various locations within the area andthe relevant disciplines and sectors. The group derives its legitimacy from itsmembers, which should come from both public (and therefore representative) andprivate sector stakeholders. It should also include independent members - individualswith a strong track record in delivering large projects and cross-boundary strategies,to act in an advisory role.

Select a project champion

The project champion is the key member of the steering group often its chair whose main role is to lead in promoting the project and securing political andcommunity support for it.

The project champion must be fully committed to the project objectives, informed ofits progress and be able to promote it in the media, at key events and lead high-level

negotiations and meetings. He/she will be the inspirational face of the project. Theproject champion should also have excellent negotiating and diplomacy skills to helpreconcile conflicting views and interests and keep the focus of the partners on thestrategic issues and objectives.

Write your project management plan

Writing the project management plan is the responsibility of the project team.

The plan should include:

the project aims, outputs and outcomes: at this early stage these will be at arather general level, but will be amended and expanded as the projectprogresses (see Scoping the project)

project organisational structure, including roles and responsibilities an outline of the process, including key phases and milestones, timeline and the level of resources required (see Scoping the project) a risk management plan that includes a risk register and sets out the general

approach to tackling different types of risks that may arise during the courseof the project

a communications plan that identifies the stakeholders, sets out theircommunication needs and states how the results of the various stages of theproject will be disseminated (see Preparing the stakeholder communication

plan).
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Scoping the project

Defining the problem and establishing the relevance of the project tostakeholders, building a sense of common purpose, getting agreement to

proceed and determining the projects overall scope, including spatialboundary.

Scoping the project involves:

defining the problem that the project willaddress

outlining the project aims, includingspecific outcomes and outputs, as wellas success indicators

outlining the process proposing the organisational structure

that will manage the project.

Scoping the project also includes determiningthe projects spatial boundary. It is unlikelythat a projects boundary will correspond directlywith administrative boundaries. Drawing a largescale urban design project boundary is not aprecise science it often remains fuzzy. It isimportant to remain flexible in your approach and to make judgements based on theissues that need to be addressed by the project.

How to scope the project1. Organise a scoping workshop

This will give stakeholders a chance to find out what the project is all about,and for all to become convinced of the benefits of the process.

2. Determine the spatial boundaryDepending on the problem that the project has been set up to tackle, youmight determine the spatial boundary differently.
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Organise a scoping workshop

Organising a scoping workshop will give stakeholders a chance to find out what theproject is all about, and for all to become convinced from the outset of the benefitsthat participating in the process may bring them and the location they represent.

At this stage the discussion should be structured at a general level since the projectaims will not yet be clearly defined. However, it is important to achieve a sense ofcommon purpose and to build a business case for the strategy.

The stakeholders may be daunted by the unpredictability and complexity of theprocess. It will be important to spend time to build trust and give assurances that therisks will be managed over the course of the project. Much of this is about buildinginterpersonal relationships, so the partners can gain comfort with the individual/sleading and facilitating the process.

If there is agreement, discuss the organisational structure and working method forthe project and allocate appropriate resources in order to carry it through. It is onlythen that the project can proceed to the next steps (as set out in this guide). If not,discuss what needs to be done to satisfy peoples concerns.

Determine the spatial boundary

Depending on the problem that the project has been set up to tackle, you mightdetermine the spatial boundary differently.

Determining the spatial boundary is often done on the basis of one of the following

functional patterns:

labour market definition (travel to work pattern) economic activity (links between business, interrelated economic clusters) service use (travel to study, travel to shop, travel to travel and so on) housing market boundaries (residential moves).

Alternatively you might use other factors that places have in common:

historic and cultural traditions (for example, a shared post-industrial heritage) shared natural and built environment features (such as unifying landscape

features, canal or river corridors, particular townscape features) bioregions, which are interrelated natural and social systems relevant to

environmental sustainability media coverage (for example, the catchment of a local or sub-regional

newspaper or TV station).

Recent research has also begun to review non-tangible networks of interaction suchas information flows or levels of knowledge exchange (physical & virtual).

In most cases the eventual project boundary will be based on a combination of anumber of these methods. Most importantly the boundary should encompass thearea within which the causes of the problem at the heart of the project can be studied

and the solutions for it tested.


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Preparing the stakeholdercommunication plan

The stakeholder communication plan sets out who the stakeholders are andhow they will be involved. It is part of the project management plan.

There are often have multiple levels ofgovernance and numerous public, private andthird sector organisations that act at cross-boundary level. Many of these influence theareas identity and performance and have astake in its spatial development.

Large scale urban design stakeholders alsoinclude the public (various interest- and place-

based groups that sit outside local governancesystem), potential new investors and skilledworkforce which the strategy may aim to attractinto the area.

You need to plan how the project will engage with all these stakeholders.

How to prepare the stakeholder communicationplan

1. Identify all potential stakeholdersIdentify key stakeholders early on and assess their interest and potentialinfluence on the project.

2. Plan the stakeholder involvementOnce you have identified your stakeholders you should decide how and whenthey need to be involved and record this in a stakeholder communicationplan.
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Identify all potential stakeholders

Identify key stakeholders early on and assess their interest and potential influence onthe project.

Assess stakeholder interest in the project and potential stakeholder influence at thebeginnning so that you can determine the level of direct engagement and role thateach stakeholder may have.

Project stakeholders may include:

local authorities (planning, regeneration, housing, economic development,transport and highways, green space and other relevant departments) -through senior officers and elected members, particularly relevant portfolioholders

national governmental departments, cross-boundary authorities and

partnerships through senior officer and elected political representatives education and health authorities and key institutions (such as universities) housing companies and agencies highways agency in charge of major roads and motorways the environment and waterways agencies and organisations economic development organisations development or regeneration companies natural environment and heritage authorities and organisations tourism organisations, visitors and convention authorities chambers of commerce major sub-regional institutions and beacons (for example, key cultural

institutions, , major employers) large infrastructure providers and owners (for example, airports, port

authorities) private sector delivery companies such as utility providers, investors,

developers, businesses and entrepreneurs relevant third sector organisations, community and voluntary groups (interest-

or place-based).


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Plan the stakeholder involvement

Once you have identified your stakeholders you should decide how and when theyneed to be involved and record this in a stakeholder communication plan.

Decide on stakeholder involvement

To determine roles and levels of direct engagement for your stakeholders you shouldassess what their interest and potential influence will be.

Depending on their potential influence and interest in the project stakeholders maybe involved by:

formal representation on the steering group (primary stakeholders or projectpartners)

participating and contributing in workshops and meetings (secondary

stakeholders), or as observers (tertiary stakeholders).

Alternatively, others may be content to receive information and updates as projectoutputs become available.

Write a stakeholder communication plan

This should include:

list of stakeholders classification of stakeholders according to their role and level of engagement how often will the project team communicate with different types of

stakeholders what forms of communication will be used for different types of stakeholders,

at different stages of the project.


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Gathering background information

Establishing a comprehensive evidence base including hard and soft data is crucial background for understanding further the problems that the spatial

strategy should address and developing responses to them.

The hard data that you require for a strategicurban design project can be split into two types:static data, which relates to the areas physicalstructure, location, natural and built assets, anddynamic data, which is the information relatedto its population and complex social, economicand environmental processes and relationships.

It is important to obtain data at different spatiallevels, although generally it is best to obtain data

at the most local spatial level available (forinstance at street, block or plot level). In somecases this will be crucial to uncover links, inter-dependencies and causes of problems.

The soft data that you need to collect includesinformation on peoples attitudes towardschange, as well as their views and perceptionsof place identity. This is a crucial part ofdeveloping the spatial strategy because asignificant step in transforming an area is to understand and change peoplesperceptions of it.

How to gather background information

1. Review existing documentsThis includes reviewing existing cross-boundary strategies, large-scaleproposals and relevant policy documents that relate to your area.

2. Source missing dataA trawl through existing studies will often provide a wealth of relevant data. Ifthat is not enough, additional data can be obtained from public (free) sourcesor purchased from commercial providers.

3. Explore place identityAs well as consulting with key stakeholders, this phase of work may requiremore broadly based public consultation to gather feedback on existingattitudes to any possible change and wider area issues that need to beaddressed as a priority.

4. Create a dataset resourceBecause of the importance of good data and the difficulties and costs relatedto obtaining it, cross-boundary partnerships should establish a datasetresource.
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Review existing documents

This includes reviewing existing cross-boundary strategies, large-scale proposalsand relevant policy documents that relate to your area.

The purpose of this review is to:

identify the data already available investigate the range, age and relevance of data identify gaps such as additional data that needs to be obtained from other

sources or through bespoke surveys and studies.

Identifying the data that is already available should include a review of the following:

population studies (existing profile, growth projections and demographicprofile)

vision documents (community aspirations) urban design or morphology studies landscape or townscape characterisation studies regeneration strategies key statutory planning documents, strategies and plans housing market strategies economic development strategies retail studies tourism studies transport plans communications and marketing strategies landscape management strategies environmental protection and management strategies (for example, water,

energy, waste) green infrastructure and public realm strategies land capacity studies masterplans for significant areas (for example, urban extensions, town

centres, major employment areas) development briefs for sites of strategic importance strategies and proposals related to the distribution and provision of key

community facilities (health, education, leisure and physical activity, cultural) urban design, design quality or placemaking guides, charters and protocols.


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Source missing data

A trawl through existing studies will often provide a wealth of relevant data. If that isnot enough, additional data can be obtained from public (free) sources or purchasedfrom commercial providers.

Beware that obtaining relevant data from different sources and making it useful foryour strategy may not be a straight forward undertaking - the spatial coverage of thedata may be patchy, it will be provided in a variety of formats and at different outputlevels. Complex data interpretation, conversion and format alignment will be required.

If the search through the data sources fails to provide the necessary information, theremaining data gaps can be filled by commissioning bespoke studies and surveys.This should be the last resort, given the usually high cost of such work.

To identify gaps in your data, check what you have against the comprehensive list of

data sources below.

Data sources

Large scale urban design projects may not need information on all of the sectionsbelow, but you will need data on at least some of the following.

1. Location and physical structure

position in regional, national and international context spatial boundary, size, shape

settlements and sub-areas urban configuration and structure

2. Natural and built assets

topography, key natural features, key views and vistas (including from keyroads and railways), protected views

landscape characterisation geology green infrastructure, parklands, green links forests key wildlife habitats and ecological areas water system and coastline major public spaces key historic buildings and sites historic and townscape characterisation protected areas (natural and historic)

3. Environmental data

flood plains and flood protection water supply, aquifers air pollution

CO2 emissions waste management (key sites)


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energy use energy production sites

4. Demographics

population profile (age, gender, ethnicity) working population profile and percentages population density social deprivation levels migration levels and patterns population projections household growth including relative contribution of household formation and

(separately) economic development to projected population increase

5. Employment/economic development

income per capita (including breakdown across major sectors, for example,knowledge-based, services, manufacturing)

employment locations by type (including number of people employed at majorsites such as town centres, names and locations of major employers,floorspace)

established economic clusters and what they specialise in links between businesses or economic clusters projected growth of different industries including land requirement forecast major sub-regional, national and international institutions and firms proportion of national versus local firms types of employment, for example, percentage contribution of knowledge-

based and service industries to GDP in the area

agricultural uses, productive land (including number of people employed bysite) travel to work areas or commuting patterns including to major economic

centres outside the area

6. Housing

location and spatial structure of residential neighbourhoods density, typology, age, quality of stock, state of repair mix of tenures

7. Transport and accessibility principal road links including volume of traffic car ownership railway links including frequency of service and journey times to major

destinations in the country other public transport systems including frequency of service and number of

passengers accessibility of public transport (revealing gaps in provision or areas with no

easy access to public transport within walkable distance) nearest airports, accessibility and number of passengers from the area who

use them

8. Retail and tourism


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retail locations, floor space, type of retail offer, number of employees in thesector

catchment areas major visitor infrastructure hotels, visitor attractions visitor volume, profile, pattern

9. Social and cultural infrastructure

major cultural facilities including significant public art major sports and leisure facilities (of cross-boundary significance) education facilities (predominantly secondary and tertiary) health facilities social and civic services catchment areas

10. Future development and existing policies

development opportunities current applications major land ownerships boundaries of government bodies (for example, local authorities) boundaries of development and infrastructure delivery bodies boundaries of statutory documents and current policies

11. Other

local and regional media coverage significant residents history internal and external perceptions of the area: results of public surveys or

coverage in regional, national and international media photographs or videos related to the place identity and design quality in the

area


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Explore place identity

As well as consulting with key stakeholders, this phase of work may require morebroadly based public consultation to gather feedback on existing attitudes to anypossible change and cross-boundary issues that need to be addressed as a priority.

Alongside gathering 'hard data' about the area, peoples views on what constitutesthe areas identity - what makes it distinctive - should also be gathered. Importantlythis should include views:

on what constitutes the identity of the sub-region as a whole and the locationswithin it

held by those who live or work in the area and those from outside it held by people from all sections of the society.

This can be done by holding a place identity workshop, and through media such as

local papers, TV or web sites.

A place identity workshop may combine the work on defining the areas currentidentity with the beginnings of the design phase to start to explore how this maychange.


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Create a dataset resource

Because of the importance of good data and the difficulties and costs related toobtaining it, cross-boundary partnerships should establish a dataset resource.

Because of the importance of good data and the difficulties and costs related toobtaining it, cross-boundary partnerships should consider establishing:

a list of relevant datasets for informing strategic projects and monitoringperformance

a process of regular data gathering and updating.

Many partnerships already have to monitor performance indicators so expandingthese to include key spatial data will make the job of developing a spatial strategymuch easier. It will also help to monitor the partnerships performance andeffectiveness and generate information to communicate to a wider audience.

Integrating data gathering into the partnerships regular work programme, especiallyif combined with an in-house resource to do it, may be less costly than continuing tocommission consultants to carry out bespoke studies and surveys.


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Summarising and mapping information

Pulling together the most relevant information for the spatial strategy andusing compelling techniques to present this to stakeholders.

Summarising and mapping the relevant dataearly on will help to detect possible conflicts andsynergies. This is normally done when preparingfor the first major design workshop.

As well as pulling out the data, this task includesthinking about how best to present theinformation you select as being most important.Using creative and visually expressivetechniques will help to:

make the data easy to comprehend,especially for non-professionalaudiences

synthesise data and to detect the most

promote the strategyand key issues.

relevant issues communicate and

How to summarise and map information

1. Select relevant data

To avoid data overload you2.

should focus on the most relevant information.Use GIS where possibleTo analyse the data and start developing spatial options, all data that cangeographically/spatially refe

berenced should be mapped using geographic

IS).information systems (G3. Present data clearly

When mapping and presenting the data, use creative and visually expressive,captivating techniques so that people can understand the data.
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Select relevant data

To avoid data overload you should focus on the most relevant information.

The data should be sifted to decide which datasets are most relevant and at whatspatial scale or resolution they should be presented in order to analyse the problemat hand this could range from an individual plot or street to cross-boundary scale.

In deciding on the most appropriate spatial scale, it may be important, for instance, tolook at social deprivation at neighbourhood or even street level, while levels ofemployment at town or city level. In many cases the deciding factor will be the spatialscale of the already available raw data and the resources available for gatheringfurther data. It is often useful to present certain relevant data at different spatialscales concurrently.

Use GIS where possible

To be able to analyse the data and start developing spatial options, all data that canbe geographically / spatially referenced should be mapped using geographicinformation systems (GIS).

A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data forcapturing, managing, analysing, and displaying all forms of geographically referencedinformation.

Using GIS software packages, data can be referenced as points, lines, surfaces orvolumes. It can be mapped in layers and viewed, understood, interrogated,

interpreted and visualized in many ways, to reveal relationships, patterns and trends.The data can be presented in different forms, including maps, globes, reports andcharts.

You can use other software packages or media alongside GIS for mapping orpresenting data. However, you need to establish a basic GIS database and maintainit throughout the life of the project (including delivery) so that it becomes a lastingrepository of the spatial information about the area.

Present data clearly

When mapping and presenting the data, use creative and visually expressive,captivating techniques so that people can understand the data.

Think about the most appropriate and effective presentation technique (map,diagram, chart, table) and the most captivating media (drawings, photographs orvideos).


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Analysing information

Use a range of analysis techniques including comparisons with other similarareas to identify the critical issues that need to be considered further.

Once you have gathered the information youneed to analyse it to identify the physicalaspects of place that need to be addressed inorder to achieve project aims. For instance theanalysis may uncover critical issues relatethe provision of transport infrastructure, healtheducation provision in particular parts of thearea or inadequate range of housing offer forgiven population profile.

d toor

the

bye

This may seem overwhelming because of the

sheer volume of data. You can overcome this byusing a range of analysis techniques. Theresults of the analysis need to be consideredall stakeholders to decide what issues will bselected as the most important and form part ofthe design brief for the next phase of the project.

The analysis should also include comparison with similar areas in the country andinternationally, to better understand the qualities and challenges of your area. Thistype of analysis called positioning may help to:

establish a starting point for the strategy - a position in relation to othercomparable areas against which its impact will be measured

set the ultimate goals and to consider how radical the transformation of placeand strategy targets could and should be

highlight specific issues and aspects of the area that are particularly weak incomparison to its competitors and need to be moved up the list of priorities

highlight where the places performance may be good in comparison toothers.

How to analyse information

1. Analyse dataUndertake a SWOT (strengthsweaknessesopportunitiesthreats) analysisto understand further the areas problems and what is causing them, as wellas to understand its potentials and qualities that will the starting point fordeveloping the strategy.

2. Do a positioning studyYour positioning study should use a range of indicators to compare yourareas position in relation to other comparable areas.

3. Present analysis to stakeholdersStakeholders need to absorb the analysis as part of the process of decidingwhat issues will be selected as the most important for further consideration.
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Analyse data

Undertake a SWOT (strengthsweaknessesopportunitiesthreats) analysis tounderstand further the areas problems and what is causing them, as well as tounderstand its potentials and qualities that will the starting point for developing the

strategy.

Use a variety of techniques to do that, including some or all of the following:

analyse the different overlays of data to study conflicts or detect potentialsand synergies (e.g. Liveable Arterials Plan, Auckland, New Zealand)

translate sets of data into a form that can be used to inform the design phase(e.g. Northamptonshire Workstyle Trends Study)

use models to analyse the relationship between different aspects of place,principally its physical structure or characteristics and social, economic andenvironmental performance (e.g. Jeddah Strategic Planning Framework,

Saudi Arabia) analyse characteristics of individual places within the sub-region and the roles

and relationships between them (e.g. City Links) synthesise key information about the sub-region in a place identity or strategic

characterisation document (e.g. Thames Gateway identity project) analyse internal potentials and threats, including attitudes to change (e.g.

Cambridge Futures) analyse key global environmental, economic and social trends that may affect

the strategy (for instance national or international carbon reduction targets,changes in the nature of the global economic market, ageing population,growth of single person households (e.g. Central Florida Region, USA -Where in the World are We?).

Do a positioning study

Your positioning study should use a range of indicators to compare the your areasposition in relation to other comparable areas.

If resources are limited, then restrict this study to those aspects of the wider area thatare related to the key objectives of the spatial strategy. For example, if the aim is toboost economic performance through improvements in the quality of the builtenvironment then your positioning study should focus on the indicators related toeconomic performance and quality of the environment. This may subsequently

highlight the aspects of the environment that need to be addressed.

Present analysis to stakeholders

Stakeholders need to absorb the analysis as part of the process of deciding whatissues will be selected as the most important for further consideration.

It is therefore best to conclude this phase of work with a workshop that combines thetask of considering the results of the analysis with the next task writing the designbrief.
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Writing a brief for the design phase

The design brief summarises the work in the Prepare phase, sets the contextfor the Design phase and provides an opportunity for partners to reconsider

decisions made earlier in the process.

The design brief is the culmination of thePrepare phase and establishes the frameworkfor the Design phase.

The brief should include:

a summary of project motivations (theproblem), re-affirmed aims and successindicators

confirmed strategy boundary summary of key information about the

place analysis of this information (results of the

SWOT analysis) what the delivery challenges are design quality aspirations and principles.

At the same time the project management planshould be updated, to re-affirm projectorganisational structure, process and budget.Most of these elements will continue to be revised throughout the remaining phasesof the project.

Now is the time to communicate the aims and the inclusive and positive nature of thelarge scale urban design process to external audiences, particularly prospectiveinvestors and developers. If you can engage prospective delivery partners early on inthe project they may bring valuable new perspectives and fresh ideas, and a new setof demands and interests, to inform the second design phase of the project.

How to write a brief for the design phase

1. Re-affirm project aims and boundary

It is important for the project partners to re-consider at this stage the projectaims outputs and outcomes in the light of the exploratory work that hastaken place during the prepare phase of the project.

2. Review the project structureAre the proposed working methods, resources and project team identified inthe first task still adequate?

3. Consider delivery challengesThe project partners need to focus on delivery issues from the outset. Thelikely range of delivery routes, partners and mechanisms and land ownershipissues must inform the next phase of the project and be included in thedesign brief.

4. Finalise design quality aspirations

You need to agree the broad design quality aspirations and principles that the
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projects coming out of the strategy will have to adhere to. This may take theform of a design charter or a section of the vision statement..

5. Publish the briefYou are now in a position to finalise and publish the design brief, which willinform the next two phases of work.
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Re-affirm project aims and boundary

It is important for the project partners to re-consider at this stage the project aims outputs and outcomes in the light of the exploratory work that has taken placeduring the prepare phase of the project.

Project aims are often summarised in the form of a vision statement to beincorporated in the design brief. Sometimes the vision statement will include, in ashort outline, only the key principles and issues that the strategy should exploreagreed amongst the partners. In other cases it might include the results of the initialround of consultation with wider stakeholder group, including the public on cross-boundary issues and strategy aims or broad spatial options (e.g. Christchurch UrbanDesign Strategy Community Charter). Whatever format you choose, present thevision statement in a succinct and eye-catching way.

You also need to re-affirm the spatial boundary. After the intensive period of learning

about the place throughout the prepare phase of the process the project partnersshould be in a much better position to decide whether the original boundary is right.

Review the project structure

Are the proposed working methods, resources and project team identified in the firsttask still adequate?

Consider with partners whether they are the best arrangements, given what you nowknow about the scope of the project and update the project management planaccordingly. This will avoid complications (including potential cost escalation) once

the main design stage commences.

Consider delivery challenges

The project partners need to focus on delivery issues from the outset. The likelyrange of delivery routes, partners and mechanisms and land ownership issues mustinform the next phase of the project and be included in the design brief.

Doing this may narrow down the range and nature of the activities and projects thatthe strategy will lead into. On the other hand, consistent consideration of the deliverycontext, however restrictive it may be, might boost creativity and lead to a creative

exploration of alternative strategy scenarios, delivery routes or funding sources.

Finalise design quality aspirations

You need to agree the broad design quality aspirations and principles that theprojects coming out of the strategy will have to adhere to. This may take the form of adesign charter or a section of the vision statement.

You can draw on established national, cross-boundary or local design protocols,guides and policies. If that is not available or adequate in order to achieve the highaspirations of the project, then partners may decide that a more comprehensivedesign guide or policy document should be developed in the next phase of theproject.
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Publish the brief

You are now in a position to finalise and publish the design brief, which will inform thenext two phases of work.

The brief is likely to include:

vision statement design charter delivery issues paper compendium of sub-regional information and analysis, including strategy

boundary (sometimes published separately as a 'place atlas').

Spread positive messages about the prospects for the large-scale urban designprocess beyond the your area.


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Design develop a spatial strategy

The design phase is based on one or more intensive workshops that areguided by expert facilitators.

The people participating develop the vision intoa more detailed story of change that includesstrategic themes and priority projects. Theidentification of issues and areas of investigationand design into strategic themes is an importantcharacteristic of the process. It identifies thecritical issues and projects that need to beaddressed at cross-boundary level.

They create in parallel a number of spatialoptions or scenarios for implementing the

themes and projects and test these bysimulating what the impact would be. Theoptions, together with the results of the testing,are often put out to wider communityconsultation. Once feedback has beenanalysed, an option is taken forward andrefined, including more detailed design briefsproposals for s

orpecific sites.

The key output of this phase is a spatial strategy, which summarises the story ofchange for the area, preferred themes, projects and the spatial option for theirimplementation. It is published widely in the area in formats that are easy tounderstand, to assist public buy in.

Those participating then prepare and publish a design guide to underpin theimplementation of more detailed proposals: the success of the urban design processwill be judged by the quality of the buildings, spaces and places that are developed.

A step-by-step guide to the design phase

1. Developing the strategy2. Testing the options

3. Preparing a design guide4. Finalising the spatial strategy
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Developing the strategy

Stakeholders work together in design workshops to develop the spatialstrategy, including a design guide.

The design phase is based on designworkshops. The starting point is the work donepreviously such as identifying the areas keycharacteristics, identity and position. In practice,the final part of the prepare phase oftenoverlaps with the early exploration of designpossibilities.

ese workshops is to engagestakeholders in:

ority projects under these themes

The purpose of th

developing the vision into a more detailed story of change that includesstrategic themes and a number of pri

developing and testing a number of spatial options for implementing thethemes and projects

agreeing the preferred spatial option developing a design guide that includes principles, detailed guidance and

quality standards to underpin the delivery of strategic themes and projects.

Throughout the design phase, the various aspects of the spatial strategy - themes,projects and spatial options - are developed in parallel, and tested against theindicators set out in the brief, including indicators concerning deliverability. This is aniterative process; there will be several rounds of testing and adjusting until the finalstrategy is agreed.

It is important that a wide range of stakeholders is involved in the design phase thisis the central creative phase of the project, so their active involvement will be crucialfor maintaining the positive attitudes and enthusiasm generated in the initial phase ofthe project.

What do I need to know?

Before you continue with the design phase, you need to understand the three

concepts that underpin the whole phase:

Design workshopsDesign workshops must be carefully structured to enable different groups ofstakeholders and technical teams to work together, and to allow for a seriesof different types of enquiry to occur in a controlled manner.

A story of changeCreating a story of change a joint narrative or scenario that sets out how thearea will change over time - helps to make the complex change processeasier to comprehend for the many stakeholders and for the general public.

Spatial optionsSpatial options have to be developed to explore how they may be realised in

the areas physical context. It is always good to explore a number of genuineoptions, based on different combinations of projects or themes.
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More about developing the strategy

About the design workshops

Design workshops must be carefully structured to enable different groups ofstakeholders and technical teams to work together, and to allow for a series ofdifferent types of enquiry to occur in a controlled manner.

It is important that as much of the design work as possible is done during theworkshops, with the participation of all the relevant stakeholders. Only the work suchas further research, digitising hand drawn material, and collating and analysingworkshop results should be done during the periods before and after workshops.

For the workshops to be a success they need:

an experienced facilitation team thorough preparation the right people at the same place at the same time good interaction between the participants who all work on an equal footing

and actively input into the process.

Even with all these elements in place, be realistic about what you can achieve andbuild flexibility into the process so that you can respond to any unplanned situationsshould they arise. For a strategic urban design project to succeed, politicalconsensus is just as necessary a condition as a good design solution.

Developing a story of change

Creating a story of change a joint narrative or scenario that sets out how the areawill change over time - helps to make the complex change process easier tocomprehend for the many stakeholders and for the general public.

We all think in stories when we remember, assess or describe something. The storyis developed as a set of discrete but interlinked steps in transforming the areasphysical context, that address the projects economic, social or environmentalconcerns. These steps (projects, initiatives) are grouped under strategic themes.

Depending on the overall aims of the strategy and the vision developed during phase1, the story of change may be based on either reinforcing the existing identity andposition of the area, or a fundamental departure from it. The latter may apply inplaces characterised by population and economic decline which require a thoroughrevisioning of the areas economic rationale and physical and social structure.

It may not always be necessary to put a lot of effort into developing the story. Forexample, a strategy focused on the delivery of a large piece of infrastructure mighthave a relatively simple story at its heart and could focus immediately on developingspatial options for implementing it.

In contrast, a more exploratory strategy will require a more extensive storydevelopment, to define strategic themes and identify priority projects. The story of

change may be developed as a big overarching idea/project, which then serves as anumbrella for strategic themes and projects sitting underneath it.


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Strategic themes may be either:

based on individual disciplines or development sectors - for example,delivering specific types of housing or employment space projects on aspecific type of sites (e.g. Emscher Landschaftspark, Germany)

multi-disciplinary or multi-sectoral (e.g. Montpellier, France).

Multi-disciplinary or multi-sectoral themes act as containers for different types ofprojects linked by a certain, recognisable pattern or a reference to a particularaspect of place identity. They offer a way of structuring content across sectors byconsidering both physical and functional aspects of place and forming a basis formutual understanding and joint action.

Strategic themes are implemented through projects, so the identification of projectsruns in parallel to development of themes. Themes are evolutionary - their contentand meaning can be altered, adjusted, expanded or reduced over time reflecting newtrends or challenges. This means that new project may be identified and added to the

existing list as the strategy develops.

Developing spatial options

Spatial options have to be developed to explore how they may be realised in theareas physical context. It is always good to explore a number of genuine options,based on different combinations of projects or themes.

The level of detail to which the spatial options for the realisation of themes andprojects need to be developed depends on the type of project, the strategys keyaims and scope and its delivery context.

Consider for example the following two scenarios:

A large-scale masterplanning project focusing on public transport provisionand associated mixed use development is likely to require relatively detailedand prescriptive spatial options and proposals for specific sites (e.g. Glattallight railway, Switzerland).

A more explorative strategy aimed at addressing general developmentpressure or economic decline in the area is more likely to develop and testbroad spatial options and set key spatial parameters. This will besupplemented by more detailed strategic design briefs or masterplans for asmall number of priority projects identified by the strategy (e.g. EmscherLandschaftspark, Germany or Montpellier, France) or by generic illustrationsof how the broad options may be realised at local level (e.g. HertfordshireCharrette).

Regardless of the final form of the strategy and the level of detail in the finaldocuments, testing spatial options should be based on real spatial proposals andsites, ideally developed to street level, to make sure that project partners make areliable assessment.
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Large Scale Urban Design

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