Waterfronts as Part of Area Based Regeneration

Matt Lappin

Senior Associate

David Lock Associates

07 July 2014

Introduction

Thinking About the Opportunities and Challenges

Drawing on Examples

Some Lessons to Learn

Attractive Opportunities

• Popular destinations and attractors• Limited in number – not everywhere has a waterfront…• ….but could it?• Encourage a creative approach – opening culverted

watercourses• Resulting values – premium • Notable successes…• ….and some less notable

Thinking About the Regeneration Challenges

• Physical challenges: • Legacy of past and current uses – working places • Contamination• Flood risk and defences• Drainage infrastructure• Traffic, roads and access

Thinking About the Regeneration Challenges

• Market Challenges: • Easy in a strong market – catalyst for change • Uncertain growth and market context • Edge of centre locations – establishing new markets • Owners intentions and expectations• Coping with market failure – falling values

Case Studies

Norwich South City CentreRegeneration in an Historic City

Stalled Development Market

De-risking

Ilfracombe Southern ExtensionRegeneration through Growth

Wentworth PointQuick Perspective from Elsewhere

Challenging Existing Guidance

Maximising an Accessible Location

Norwich Project Background

•Publically funded project – NCC and HCA

•Illustrative Master Plan with Site Specific Development Briefs

•Supporting Delivery Plan: Deliverable, Viable, Ongoing…

Project Background

•Stalled Sites – viability a key issue

•Stakeholder Fatigue – “we’ve been here before”

•Some significant constraints – archaeology, ground conditions

•Fragmented land ownerships, but some key NCC holdings

Character

Character

Character

Character

Open Design Studio

Open Design Studio

What is good about South City Centre…..

Views are wonderful from

parts of the area

Historic & cultural area – with the River

• Strategic location

• Historic and quirky character

• Environmental assets – river, views, city wall, green spaces

• Successful regeneration

• Community – diverse and passionate

Close to the city centre and the

station

The trees and woodland are really valued

What is holding the area back?

St Anne’s Wharf & Howard House are an eyesore

Glut of secondary office

space – old building stock

• Economic challenges

• Blighted areas - derelict and neglected sites and buildings

• No clear definition of role

• Conflict between uses

• Uncertainty - failed projects

• Disconnection

• Out-dated building stock

Glacial progress – thought we

were buying into an up and

coming area

Anti-social behaviour spills

into the area

Options Testing

•High level viability analysis – in-house

•Identifying build costs, public realm, big ticket items

•Sensitivity testing – quantum, policy requirements

•Engaging with local agents and businesses – market testing

•Clear guidance on key requirements, flexibility elsewhere

•Identifying funding shortfalls and opportunities

•Understanding what is really achievable

•De-risking and adding certainty: ‘master plan plus’ approach

The Priorities

Principal Development Opportunities

1 St Anne’s Wharf

2 Rose Lane/Mountergate

3 Garden Street

4 Normandie Tower

5 Supporting Public Realm

St Anne’s Wharf

Mountergate

Garden Street

Normandie Tower

Ilfracombe Project Aims

Ilfracombe Southern Extension

•Landowner commission, but close relationship with local council – capacity building

•Regeneration of the town through growth

•Locally identified and supported need

•Local Plan site allocation – 1,000 dwellings

•Driven by Early Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Key Strategic Issues

• Establishing a new edge for Ilfracombe

• Maintaining a strong landscape framework

• Part of Ilfracombe but design to be ‘of its time’

• Attractive and distinctive – a gateway to the town

• Supporting the town centre – integrated regeneration strategy

• Meeting local housing needs and attracting new residents

Ilfracombe Southern Extension

• Growth of the town – meeting identified need

• Up to 750 houses to meet Local Plan allocation

• Mixed-use Hub

•Primary School, healthcare, community facilities

•Extra Care housing

•Recreation, playspace, sports pitches

• Robust landscape framework

Design Evolution

Illustrative Master Plan

Stakeholder Workshops and Public Engagement

Distinct Character Areas

Neighbourhood Hub• Building forms drawn

from the agricultural vernacular of rural Devon

• Community facilities clustered around a village green

• Employment buildings enclose a variety of activity spaces

• High quality contemporary design

• Primarily semi-detached and detached villas

• Lower density

• Majority of streets run along contours

• Larger houses with fantastic sea views

• Split-level homes could accommodate the sloping site

• Generous Gardens

High Villas

• Primarily short runs of terraced houses

• Medium density

• Split-level homes could accommodate the sloping site

• Great views from the key living spaces

• Off street parking and garages

• Generous gardens

Garden Suburb

• Clusters of houses arranged around shared green spaces

• Higher density

• Houses located in response to the complex local topography with some split-level houses

• Strong gabled roof line responds to Bowden Farm barns

The Shields

Next Steps

• Outline planning application submitted

• Considering consultation responses

• Discussions with local council

• Decision anticipated July 2014

• Detailed reserved matters applications

• On site….?

Finally, some lessons…

• Places with an immediate contact with water

• Association with water – bringing energy to the waterside

• Equally valid opportunities – thinking more widely

• Waterside places, waterside towns, waterside cities

Finally, some lessons…

• Effective partnership working

• Bringing the community with you – up front

• Clearly defined outcomes – flexibility elsewhere

• Supporting delivery framework

• Robust analysis of viability against which funding decisions and priorities can be made

• Realistic and pragmatic approach: what’s going to work, and why

Thank you

Matt Lappin, David Lock Associates

mlappin@davidlock.com