Project Description The site is located on the edge of the city and comprising of 98 acres it has no national designations covering it and is currently remnant land from a once downland farm.

The purpose of the project is to develop robust proposals, in support of the City Plan, for a new residential; neighbourhood of around 700 new homes plus space for new businesses, education and recreation, all comprehensively integrated with the adjoining communities. These proposals were part of a wider Vision Document, an expression of a number of ideas for how the site could accommodate the requirements in an exciting and beneficial way. The Concept Plan includes for:
– The wholesale realignment of principal feeder roads
– A new Ecology Park to be sited on the steep western bank
– A 12 acre site for a new school
– A new ‘Community Hub’ for social, health and retail facilities, and overlapping with the school’s recreation/leisure facilities to put the school at the heart of the new community
– A new residential neighbourhood of 700 homes of which some 280 would be affordable
– A new business area with space for up to 900 jobs

Role and Responsibilities LCE Architects were invited to take part in this masterplanning team, providing architectural input based on previous experience of similar sites. My involvement as Senior Associate responsible for all non-residential accommodation included site planning the two non-residential zoned parcels and building design for each facility within these zones, including six commercial buildings to the northeast and the Community Hub with secondary school to the southwest.

Masterplan
Image courtesy of EnPlan

Sample Building Typologies: School (top) and Commercial Offices (bottom)