Nash Partnership Placemaking Brochure

PLACEMAKING

The Starting Point

Successful places are more than the sum of their parts.

Places are dynamic. They go through periods of growth and periods of decline. Their success is determined by a series of underlying and interconnected physical and socio-economic factors, such as:

ƒ Spatial relationships and accessibility

ƒ The employment base

ƒ Inequality and poverty

ƒ Levels of community engagement

ƒ Health outcomes

ƒ Education and skill levels

ƒ The quality and character of the physical environment

ƒ Investment costs, risks and returns.

In times of change, the right blend of skills and ideas are required to navigate the challenges and realise the opportunities.

At the heart of our work is the belief that people make places – they bring the vibrancy, the dynamism and the soul that makes life worth living. Spaces provide the theatre for that life, fostering interaction, building bridges and helping to create communities through the way they are designed. Buildings follow, providing the environments in which people can live, work and play, increasingly doing this

interdependently as lifestyles and quality of life expectations change. But these buildings need to work with the environment and for everyone. In the unprecedented environmental crisis we are facing, ‘business as usual’ will mean no business at all. So bringing lasting change that is inclusive, sustainable and contributes towards the wellbeing of all is paramount. This is why we have placed the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the centre of our approach.

Our Approach

Tackling big challenges takes big thinking.

This includes rigorous research and analysis to understand the underlying forces, strategic and systems thinking needed to guide propositions for change, and creative design to envisage what the future might look like… be that for a site,

a neighbourhood, a settlement or specific situation.

As an inquisitive bunch of built environment professionals, we work collaboratively to bring together the right skills and people to help fulfil the potential of sites, places and their communities. To do this, we understand what is needed to make things happen.

What we do

We combine town planners, architects, urban designers and regeneration practitioners to respond to these challenges and deliver tailored solutions for our clients in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.

Our work varies in scale and type, encompassing:

ƒ Urban-scale masterplans

ƒ Place-making frameworks

ƒ Town centre strategies

ƒ Major mixed-use development projects

ƒ Estate regeneration projects

ƒ Urban extensions

ƒ Community-led regeneration strategies

ƒ Engagement-led placemaking

ƒ Policy and guidance documents

The common thread running through our work is a blending of strategic

nous and design sensitivity. This marries socio-economic research, rigorous contextual analysis, inclusive engagement, visionary design and an understanding of delivery.

We also do the more conventional planning consultancy work and

are grounded in an understanding of how to get things done.

Determined to ‘walk the talk’, we have a toolkit for measuring our progress against six of the UN SDGs - both on projects and as a business. Our team also includes CABE Built Environment Experts, Babbasa mentors, community project leaders and RTPI Assessors.

Diagrammatic Explanation of Property Values in Bristol

Our Experience

Over the following pages we provide a few examples of our project work. These provide a cross-section of the kind of work we undertake in different places, for different clients, based on different objectives. What unifies them is the overall approach we take. These include:

ƒ A town centre masterplan in Pontefract, Yorkshire

ƒ A placemaking framework for Bedminster Green, Bristol

ƒ A town centre regeneration strategy for five towns in Blaenau Gwent, South Wales

ƒ An urban extension at Ensleigh, Bath

ƒ An estate regeneration project in Taunton, Somerset

ƒ A community-led masterplan for Southmead, Bristol

ƒ An urban localities study in South Gloucestershire

ƒ A design guide for annexes and outbuildings in South Gloucestershire

ƒ A market town regeneration project in Frome, Somerset

ƒ A mixed-use urban development project at McArthur’s Yard, Bristol

ƒ A masterplan for an energy city in Jigawa, Nigeria

Pontefract Town centre masterplan

The masterplan aims to regenerate the centre through repairing the urban fabric around the historic core, strengthening links to the high street, and providing new opportunities for living, working and leisure activities. The project sets out a roadmap for creating a liveable town centre alongside the intensification of employment opportunities and a variety of facilities to foster enterprise and collaboration.

As part of the masterplan, we prepared a public realm strategy for the Horsefair, the historic processionary route between the Market Place and Castle. Currently fractured by car dominated, low-intensity development, interspersed with historic pubs and other buildings, the masterplan proposes a rich and biodiverse public realm prioritising walking and cycling. Our engagement strategy encompassed physical and virtual methods, to help generate ideas and test options in the context of new and accelerating trends, such as ‘urban’ living, technology, and active travel.

The Horsefair, Pontefract

Bedminster Green Placemaking framework

Nash Partnership was commissioned to prepare a placemaking framework as a means of bringing together the Council, multiple developers, and landowners to develop a coherent vision, principles and design parameters for creation of a new community in this underutilised and fragmented area close to the centre of Bristol.

The Bedminster Green Placemaking Framework sets the basis for a mixed-use new neighbourhood of up to 1,500 homes, retail, café, community, leisure and enterprise uses, new green streets and spaces, enlarging the Green itself, opening up of the hidden River Malago, a new station entrance and transformation of a tired and underperforming shopping precinct. Following consideration by Bristol City Council’s Cabinet it is a material consideration in assessing planning applications and provided the basis for ringfencing £6m of Community Infrastructure Fund for investment in regeneration of the area.

Bedminster GreenPlacemaking Framework

Blaenau Gwent Town centre regeneration strategy

For Blaenau Gwent Council we have produced a regeneration strategy for the five South Wales valley communities of Abertillery, Blaina, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. This work was based on extensive engagement involving workshops in each of the towns, one-to-one engagement with around 70 stakeholder organisations, a community activity, social media and perception survey and a survey of local businesses.

The strategy sets out a vision for the future of the valley communities and comprises both thematic and spatial proposals. These include physical improvement and development projects, together with initiatives based on harnessing social capital and local community and entrepreneurial energy, telling the regeneration story of the valleys, changing perceptions of future potential and a governance approach based on partnership.

Blaenau GwentCommunity Workshop

Ensleigh Urban extension

Working for developers Linden Homes Western, Bloor Homes and Spitfire Homes, we prepared a masterplan for 240 homes, a 60-unit extra care facility and a primary school on the former MOD site at Ensleigh in Lansdown, Bath. As a brownfield site, Bath and North East Somerset Council had prepared a Concept Statement to establish the key design principles for any development to follow.

As a prominent, sensitively located site, we had to work closely with the local authority to develop an appropriate scheme. Central to the design approach was the creation of attractive, pedestrian-friendly streets and spaces, with well-considered car parking solutions, front gardens and waste and recycling facilities. Planning permission was granted in 2015 and the scheme has now been built out.

Ensleigh - Finished Scheme

Priorswood, Taunton Estate regeneration project

Working for Somerset West and Taunton Council, the project focused on seeking approval to address the structural issues with 212 Woolaway properties in Priorswood. As planners and architects, we led an option appraisal process including extensive community engagement to find a strategy to resolve the structural issues of these properties.

Our approach was based on resident empowerment, visibility of project members as well as clear, honest, and consistent communications. Adopting a range of consultation methods including community exhibitions, workshops, one-to-one door knocking and a site office for daily discussions, we achieved one-to-one consultations with over 90% of residents. Working through the Residents’ Design Group, which we established for the project, we evolved a masterplan and range of house types to suit the current and future community.

Following a positive recommendation from the Council officers for the outline proposals, we are developing detailed proposals.

Priorswood - Visualisation of main square

Priorswood - Model deployed for community engagement

Southmead Community-led regeneration project

We prepared a community-led masterplan for the transformation of central Southmead, one of the most deprived areas of Bristol. Working hand-in-hand with the local community using a range of engagement techniques, our team developed a masterplan vision. This involved building on under-used open space and Council-owned sites to deliver around 300 new homes and a range of new local facilities including a community centre, library, youth centre and a health centre.

Following a high level of support from the community itself, we prepared detailed proposals for the first phase - building new housing and community facilities on Glencoyne Square - which delivers a new type of housing in the area and releases other sites for future development, creating a virtuous cycle of investment. Permission was granted in 2020. The project is one of the largest of its kind in the UK and was Highly Commended by the RTPI South West at their annual awards, due to the quality of the community engagement undertaken.

Southmead - Community Workshop

Southmead - Bird’s-eye view of masterplan for central area

South Gloucestershire District Council Urban Localities Study Placemaking strategy

Nash Partnership was commissioned in 2016 by South Gloucestershire Council to analyse over 75km2 of urban South Gloucestershire in a response to regional city devolution and the ongoing consultation process for the Joint Spatial Plan for the West of England Combined Authority. The project set out to understand what capacity existed to create a cohesive network of strong suburban centres that support living, working and socialising.

The review considered brownfield and greenfield sites within the study areas looking at their development potential for change over the 20 years of the Joint Local Plan. We analysed and scored each opportunity for conceivable optimal land uses and set out the strategy for prioritising phases of development and the mechanisms needed to bring their development forward in the most efficient way.

South Gloucestershire Urban Localities Study - spatial strategy

South Gloucestershire District Council Annexes and Outbuildings SPD Design guidance

Several key trends are changing the fundamentals of how people live, both in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and longer-term issues such as climate change. These have created a growing need for additional home-based work spaces and housing that can support several generations. In response, we worked with South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) to draft a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to help guide anyone interested in building annexes and residential outbuildings in the district.

The document aims to provide up-to-date, clear and helpful advice for anyone considering this sort of development. It explains how relevant policy and legislation applies, shows how more environmentally sustainable and ecologically beneficial features can be incorporated and promotes a higher standard of design.

Saxonvale Market town regeneration project

Working for Acorn Property Group (developer) and Mendip District Council (landowner), we prepared an outline application for this complex site, which has lain empty for more than 15 years as various attempts have tried, and failed, to bring the area back into use. The project aims to regenerate this derelict industrial site in the heart of Frome in a 3-phase program, providing up to 45,000 ft 2 of commercial space and 300 new dwellings.

The proposal is for a mixed-use development that provides a new hub of activity for the town centre. It aims to integrate the medieval streetscape, riverside, and currently fragmented transport routes. Commercial buildings have been arranged around a series of public spaces, overlooked themselves by the existing Silk Mill, a local cultural hub for artists and other creative trades. Meanwhile, a new bridge connects the train station and other developments to the north and northwest of Frome.

Saxonvale - Masterplan

McArthur’s Yard Mixed-use urban development project

We provided planning and architectural services to The Guinness Partnership for the redevelopment of McArthur’s Yard, one of the last remaining undeveloped sites on Bristol’s historic harbourside. Despite various redevelopment attempts by others, the site had remained vacant for two decades.

Our approach was founded on in-depth urban design and socio-economic analysis to build the narrative for a high-density, mixed use scheme in a sensitive and constrained location. We adopted a collaborative approach to engaging with the Council, key stakeholders and the local community to create a sympathetic but viable scheme which pushed the boundaries of what was previously considered possible given the proximity to several heritage assets and important views. The full planning applicationwhich included 147 new homes, mixed commercial workspace and a café – was approved in May 2018. Following some minor changes, it is now on-site.

McArthur’s Yard - Visualisation of the development from Gas Ferry Road

Jigawa Energy City Masterplan for new settlement

The African Development Bank funded this masterplan for a ‘ world class energy city’, to reduce Nigeria’s dependency on fossil fuels and stimulate job creation and economic growth in a deprived part of the country. The project involves the creation of an energy-led masterplan, including a solar park, a cluster of associated industrial, R&D and educational uses and supporting housing and community facilities.

The masterplan was informed by socio-economic and environmental baseline research, including a study of local urban morphology, focused on key settlements elsewhere in the region. The first phase of the masterplan covers 484 hectares (including the solar park) and would deliver circa 4,100 homes, 62 hectares of employment and community uses and 69 hectares of open space. Our approach was guided by a series of principles informed by a mix of international (the UN Sustainable Development Goals ), national and state-level policy objectives. The design concept responds to site constraints and the design traditions relating to the Calabash, ubiquitous in northern Nigerian culture. The masterplan has been approved and funding is now being sought for Phase 1.

Jigawa Energy City - Conceptual influencesdesign traditions of northern Nigeria

Jigawa Energy City - Bird’s-eye view of an urban block in Phase 1

Our Services

ƒ Masterplanning

ƒ Place-making Frameworks

ƒ Planning Policy and Strategy

ƒ Planning Consultancy

ƒ Regeneration Strategy

ƒ Socio-economic Research and Analysis

ƒ GIS and Spatial Analysis

ƒ Design Codes

ƒ Community Engagement and Co-Design

ƒ Lead Consultant / Design Management

ƒ Delivery Strategy

St Phillips Marsh - Bird’s eyeview of Masterplan

Our Global Goals

We have committed to taking a more holistic approach to embedding sustainability into our business model. Having applied a great deal of global thinking about the impact of our work and help bring some structure to our commitment, we chose to align our business with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We have identified the 6 goals of greatest relevance to us and are using this to help define our approach to projects and the way we operate as a business. We do this through our SDG Toolkit. We are also using this to define our approach to placemaking, through our Placemaking Toolkit.

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We believe in shaping environments that promote the health and wellbeing of end users and the wider community through their conception, location, design and use.

“ We believe in creating distinctive, vibrant and safe places that foster a good quality of life for the whole community.”

“ We believe in shaping settlements, developments and buildings that are at the cutting edge of energy efficiency and integrate the latest in renewable technologies from the earliest stages of design.”

“ We believe in development that promotes inclusion and supports the local economy.”

“ We believe in the retention and creative reinvention and recycling of materials, buildings and places.”

“ ” We believe in the remediation, regeneration and rewilding of existing sites and settlements, to bring people closer to nature and arrest the ecological emergency.

Nash Partnership is a leading and award-winning consultancy in Planning, Architecture, Heritage and Placemaking. We blend our skills to create positive change for people, places and buildings.

With over 30 years in business, we operate from offices in Bath and Bristol and extend our services nationally. Our team-focused, creative culture is geared to working with both small and large projects alike – from individual homes to large-scale urban regeneration projects. Working together, our teams share a comprehensive understanding of the built environment, with each project bringing knowledge to the next.

As consultants who help shape the world around us, we take the issues of climate change, biodiversity, equality, social value and wellbeing seriously. This is why we have placed the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the heart of our approach. We always consider the effect our work can have and use our skills for positive change.

Bath Office

23a Sydney Buildings, Bath, BA2 6BZ 01225 442424

Bristol Office

The Generator, Counterslip, Bristol, BS1 6BX 0117 332 7560

London Office

Two Kingdom Street, Paddington, London W2 6BD 0203 7648777

www.nashpartnership.com

mail@nashpartnership.com