Postgraduate Dissertation by Priya Renga

NORTHERN QUARTER THE RISE, FALL & SUBSEQUENT RISE

A FULL CIRCLE PRIYA KANNU RENGANATHAN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In order to undertake this research paper and complete it to my best ability I received guidance from my lead supervisor Prof. Dominic Sagar. Ms. Demetra Kourri and Mr. Yusuf Adams helped me structure the paper in a legible manner with their detailed analytical approaches and feedback.

DECLARATION No portion of the work referred to in the research paper has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or to any other university or other institute of learning. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission of the copyright holder, the author.

ABSTRACT WHAT FOLLOWS URBAN OBSOLESCENCE?

Post – industrial cities have experienced urbanization at an unprecedented scale and by virtue of this have predominantly grown around their olden city centre core, an area that was and is saturated with history. Over time de-industrialization, economic booms and busts, and many other complex factors, have led to a negative impact on these cores. Over time there has been growing concern about the possible obsolescence of the urban fabric of these centres, and there has been increasing interest in the phenomenon of urban regeneration as a solution. A closer look at this issue highlights the importance renewal schemes hold in terms of reviving communities and economies. Understanding the elements that drive cities to obsolescence, and learning about regeneration and the processes behind them can help better tackle issues that arise over time. This dissertation looks to explore these urban phenomenons and then apply the understanding at a micro level on the Northern Quarter of Manchester. There has been a decade of conversation about the future of this area beginning in 1994, but as of 2008 there has been no significant proposals to tackle the areas detrimental situation. There is growing concern with regard to dealing with the quarter’s future. By understanding the area’s history, analysing the factors that led it to its current state, and overlaying the phenomenon over these findings, the future of the area can be explored better. Through this research paper, this gap in discourse is aimed to be filled. The dissertation looks to dissect pivotal documents on heritage and urban centric approaches to renewal. This lays the basis so as to gain a better understanding on how basic ideas of change can be translated into reality, using the case study of the Northern Quarter. Further, the dissertation aims to look at the documents that were drawn up for the area to better understand the context, the prevailing issues over time, and steps taken to rectify and tackle them. Through the process of documenting the different phases of transformation of the Northern Quarter and studying the role of the built heritage in impacting the context’s growth– a more holistic understanding of how this trend can be contextualised can be gained. By utilizing a single case study approach, the research aims to study a contemporary phenomenon within a specific context. The 2018 study undertaken at the Manchester School of Architecture on the Northern Quarter, through the lens of undoing urbanism, directs the dissertation towards the final stage of analysis and research. The research proceeds through a series of steps – collecting subjective and factual information, generating chronological and thematic analysis, and creating a discourse from contents of articles and written documents. Through this dissertation it is hoped that an argument for inclusive, complex processes of urban transformation as a norm to revitalize city centres and tackle the detrimental aspects of obsolescence can be raised.

STRUCTURE Declaration Acknowledgment

02 02

ABSTRACT

List of figures

CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION 1.1.Objective and methodology 1.2.Chapter overview 1.3.Limitation 1.4.Knowledge contribution

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CHAPTER 2 : THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1.City centres 2.1.1.An introduction 2.1.2.Potential 2.1.3.Typologies 2.2.Obsolescence 2.2.1.What is urban and built obsolescence? 2.2.2.The elements and factors of obsolescence 2.3.Regeneration 2.3.1.Introduction 2.3.2.Elements – history and heritage 2.4.Conclusion

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CHAPTER 3 : NORTHERN QUARTER 3.1.An overview 3.1.1.The rise and fall – Obsolescence 3.1.2.The rebirth – Regeneration 3.2.Conclusion

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CHAPTER 4 : NORTHERN QUARTER DOCUMENTS 4.1.Conservation zones 4.1.1.Smithfield conservation zone 4.1.2.Stevenson Square conservation zone 4.2.Urbanistics: The Northern Quarter Regeneration Study of 1995 4.2.1.Introduction 4.2.2.Goals and aims 4.2.3.Executive summary 4.2.4.Outcome 4.3.City council: Northern Quarter Development Framework of 2003 4.3.1.Introduction 4.3.2.Challenges 4.3.3.Vision 4.3.4.Outcome 4.4.Conclusion

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CHAPTER 5 : NORTHERN QUARTER TODAY 5.1.Present context 5.2.Undoing Urbanism - Northern Quarter ? 5.2.1.Site studies 5.2.2.Diversity charter 5.2.3.Development guide 5.2.4.Design proposals 5.3.The future

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CHAPTER 6 : CONCLUSION

APPENDICES Appendix A: Urbanistics documents Appendix B: City Council documents Appendix C: MSA documents

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 01 Figure 02 Figure 03 Figure 04 Figure 05 Figure 06 Figure 07 Figure 08Figure 09Figure 10Figure 11Figure 12Figure 13Figure 14Figure 15Figure 16Figure 17Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20 Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23 Figure 24 Figure 25Figure 26Figure 27Figure 28Figure 29Figure 30Figure 31Figure 32Figure 33Figure 34Figure 35Figure 36Figure 37Figure 38Figure 39-

City Centre genesis Cityscape changes Northern Quarter - A gist New Islington saturated New Islington urban blight Manchester City Centre Historic Core | Boom and Bust | New Core City Cente potentials Push and Pull in cities Obsolescent Boston Plan Pioneering | Exploitation | Obsolescence Function and form mismatch Obsolescence - A disease Towards sustainability Nagakin casule tower Economic Existence of Buildings Over - investment as a pledge Shearing layers of change Manchester Urban Regeneration Regeneraion Cycle Northern Quarter Location - Northern Quarter Timeline - Northern Quarter Yesteryear Northern Quarter Yesteryear Northern Quarter Manchester Regeneration Schemes Smithfield Conservation Area Stevenson Square Conservation Area Northern Quarter today Art of Northern Quarter Public Consultation Public Consultation feedback Overall vision Stevenson Square - Before Stevenson Square - After Design proposals Design proposals Fred Aldous window Northern Quarter - Alternate futures

12 13 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 38 40 41 46 46 48 51 52 60 61 63 64 67 68 68 69 70 72 74

INTRODUCTION

Since the 1980’s the UK has seen a strong change in its urban fabric, one that is the by-product of rapid industrialization and urbanization. The UK faced one of its first and also its largest busts – the recession in the market – which led to inflation and staggering numbers of unemployment. This spell was followed by the “economic miracle” boom of the 1990’s – where the UK enjoyed rapid economic expansions. The simultaneously high and low when coupled together, created a change in essence of the country and the mind-set of its people. Times were changing at a rapid pace, lifestyles were evolving, and needs were diversifying. This myriad of factors trickled down to all layers of urban fabric, one of which is the fragile historic city core. An area that was once a symbol of progress and inspiration, was now stuck in a progress blight – unable to match the pace of growth and unprepared to handle external pressures and stimuli of change.

Centre extent

Morphology

Land use - core

Nodes

Feeders

Land use - extra

Connections

Figure 01: City Centre genesis (Author) When historic city centres started to form their morphology trickled outward to the surrounding context and created a feeder system. The city core was where business, manufacturing and public amenities were located. This gave birth to supporting land uses. Also, historic areas and buildings of importance became landmarks or nodes and in turn the neighbouring areas made connections to these focal points.

Obsolescence was inevitable for these old city centres, unless an external factor triggered a change and highlighted the importance of this area with respect to the larger context. A term coined in relation to the built environment in 1910, when things were dire and the future was bleak, ‘Obsolescence’ is apt to explain the phenomenon of stripping down the old and mindlessly replacing it with the new. But, in the 1980’s a change in stakeholder ideologies sparked a new trend, one where city centres were revitalized and directed towards economic development. This was the birth of urban regeneration and renewal schemes – a fresh new approach to consciously improve the context and tending to all its varied needs.

Residential

Public

Regenerated

Economic

Figure 02: Cityscape changes (Author) Historic skylines can be redesigned to revitalize the core, and to find a balance between the old and the new aspects of the urban environment. Addition of regeneration projects and complementing residential and commercial projects with community driven value additions helps overall growth in the core. This creates a balance in new old architectural forms and allows for creation of incidental spaces between developments where soft and hard landscaping can be plugged in for value addition to the community.

In the city of Manchester, in the UK, there exists a small region called the Northern Quarter. This was the “Cottonopolis” where the metropolitan city germinated from – a place with factories and weavers homes, markets and canals, residences and pubs, back alleys and open plaza centric designs, Victorian era pubs to Georgian housing and Edwardian warehouses. A region filled with history, housing unique quirks, and existing as juxtaposition of modern art and by-gone architecture, the Northern Quarter holds a special place in the city centre of Manchester. This multi-faceted and creatively unique region abuts the central business district and is flanked by the cities retail high street. This sandwiched location results in the area having to compete with the highly influential surrounding context, being heavily influenced by the changes that happen at its periphery. In turn, the Northern Quarter barely manages to survive let alone operate at maximum productivity in today’s economic climate. Over the years, the Northern Quarters land values have sky rocketed due to its prime location, and the built shells have deteriorated due to lack of investment and upkeep, leading to a pressing need for intervention to save the Quarter – before it becomes a distant memory of the good old days. Initiatives every few years to study and provide solutions for the region has resulted in a broken discourse, but the looming introduction of the HS2 linking Manchester to London in a few years, threatens the survival of this historic and heritage filled region – creating a pressing question of endurance that needs to be answered.

1800 - 1900

Early 1900’s

Late 1900’s

Early 2000’s

Figure 03: Northern Quarter - A gist (Author) The Northern Quarter during the 19th Century was an industrial region with heavy dependence on the waterways for receiving goods and transporting textiles. The early 20th Century saw a decline in the economy as railroads allowed for decentralization of factories and opened up a wider market for goods. The late 20th Century was when the context became disused with buildings being boarded up and there was an increase in crime rates. The 21st Century brought with it an urge to revive the context and to restablish its worth.

The aim of this dissertation is to, first and foremost, study the phenomenon of obsolescence and urban regeneration – to gain a better understanding of why things happen so as to formulate a response to prevent their detrimental aftermath. Taking these learnings, the dissertation aims to look at the Northern Quarter, and to try to fill the gap in literature as no new information has been generated in over a decade with respect to the region. This aspect of focus is primarily due to the fact that there is concern in the Quarters past and the research can help answer how future issues of regeneration can be dealt with. These two aims, together, help answer the research question.

Figure 04: New Islington saturated (English Heritage) The context, in 1949, was saturated with buildings. Smaller footprints, closer construction, and similar scale and architecture style was the norm of the time. Grid iron road layouts decided the growth pattern.

Figure 05: New Islington urban blight (Google Map) Fast forward to 2018 and the context is drastically different and resembles a site that is stripped down to the basics. A new wharf is carved out and there is a mismatch in all aspects of new construction - from plot size to building height and materiality.

1.1.OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLGIES The objective of the research paper is three pronged – 1.To study the role of the city centres and their built heritage and to understand how this impacts the course of urban regeneration in the Northern Quarter. 2.To document different phases of transformation of the Northern Quarter – using the “Urbanistics: Northern Quarter Regeneration study of 1995” and the “City council: Northern Quarter Development Framework of 2003”. 3.To present a consolidated document on the next stages for the region – using the MSA Architecture and Urbanism program proposal “Northern Quarter?” Through a series of research driven steps, the dissertation aims to dissect and formalize the findings in a legible and appropriate manner. The research aims to answer “What follows obsolescence?. A single explanatory case study approach of the Northern Quarter is undertaken to gain a qualitative understanding of the topic. Documents, direct observation, news articles and interviews act as primary sources of information for this stage of research. They are supported by factual information – namely, strategic reformation documents, policies, and prior research along with a series of site maps. To understand on site conditions of the Northern Quarter the public consultation of 2018 is referred to. Together an analysis is made with regard to the different phases of the northern quarter. This in turn will help identify and report themes in data – answering the how question. The dissertation tries to cover the larger phenomenal question and see how it boils down to specific locations and factors. 1.2.CHAPTER OVERVIEW - Chapter 1 establishes the aims, objectives and methodologies that this dissertation will discuss. Additionally, it provides a summary of the key themes that will underpin this research. - Chapter 2 will look into what drives city centres and how they evolve over time. This will be in a format that helps provide a theoretical understanding of what is urban obsolescence, the phenomenon that is plaguing city centres worldwide. This will also cover the concept of urban regeneration, a solution towards the detrimental effects of blight and decay. At the end of the chapter the possible approaches to urban regeneration will be discussed, highlighting particular areas of interest that are relevant to the study areas.

- Chapter 3 lays the contextual understanding of the Northern Quarter – the singular case study of this paper. This chapter aims to make clear what has happened in the region over time – significant changes that are both tangible and intangible. - Chapter 4 focusses on the documents drawn up for the Northern Quarter up until now, to gain an understanding on the existing discourse with respect to where the region is headed. - Chapter 5 will look into the current context of the Northern Quarter, what problems ail the region, what could be done to regenerate the area. The proposal by the MSA post graduate program and the studies done by the students will support this chapter. - Chapter 6 will present a critical overview of the aims initially set out in chapter one and the conclusion that have been made. 1.3.LIMITATIONS The Portland street and Piccadilly basin regeneration framework by the City Council is incomplete, with only a part of the Northern Quarter being taken into consideration. Also, parts of the northern quarter fall within the Stevenson square and Smithfield conservation zones. This lack of clarity with regard to a larger picture proposal leaves a lot about the Northern Quarters future unspoken and uncertain. This dissertation aims to take a critical eye to the area, but it must be noted that the dissertation is a critique of a selection of elements proposed in the framework design document. Thus, the size of the study area will be reduced to one crux neighbourhood of the city centre, namely the Northern Quarter. 1.4.KNOWLEDGE CONTRIBUTION The originality of this dissertation lies within the contribution of knowledge made towards the recently completed “Northern Quarter? “ document by the Manchester School of Architecture – MA Architecture and Urbanism program. The investigation of this area has been underpinned by a series of urban theoretical studies unique to the subject area.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter will provide a theoretical overview of two contrasting but complimentary urban movements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; obsolescence and regeneration. The genesis of each idea, the driving factors, and their participating components are explored. The larger context in which they germinate and grow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the core of city centres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is looked into so as to better understand the area that is subject to these urban occurrences. The types of city centres and the potential housed within it helps with this undertaking. The aim is to learn about why things happen - in this case, why obsolescence prevails. Following this the chapter will explore the potential urban regeneration houses and how this can be utilized. And it is believed that this can be channelled towards the singular case study of Northern Quarter to raise possible solutions to the issues that plague the region.

Figure 06: Manchester City Centre (Manchester Evening News)

2.1.CITY CENTRES

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Town centres are a barometer of what is important to a society as a whole rather than to collections of individuals because they are a crucial part of the public realm.â&#x20AC;? (Evans, 1997, p.15)

2.1.1.An Introduction City centres are the crux of any good public domain as they offer strong cultural significance to the city, provide a sense of civic identity to the residents, house prominent landmarks and public assets, and promote and foster a sense of civic society and universal inclusivity. A place that is constantly evolving, city centres were the seat of power and religion, but are now considered the retail and commercial centre. Regions filled with 20th century driven developments with remnants of 19th century architecture, their physical form is one of confusion and complications at both a tangible and intangible level. Once densely populated, city centres have steadily become depopulated and now serve primarily for economic and transportation needs.

Boom

Old Core

Bust

New Core

Figure 07: Historic Core | Boom and Bust | New Core (Author) In the olden days city development priorities were placed on respecting the past, on the value of communities, and on the concept of place making and overall life revolved around manufacturing industries. The successive booms and busts in economies created a shift in this delicate balance. In the current scenario of cities and their growth, there is a race for reinventing the urban fabric. Priorities are placed on increasing land value, opening up the economy to commercialization and generating architecture that is gentrified.

2.1.2.Potential City centres continue to possess main modes of accessibility be it road, rail or canals, and high proximity to a larger target population. They are situated in locations that are technology and innovation friendly due to available resources. Business are set up here as the work pool is nearby, as are necessary supporting amenities. Transportation networks weave right through the city centre which benefits every business housed within and around it, and also the user group that comes in contact with the region. Their urban heritage and geographical position act as a gateway to within the city centre and as well as to the surrounding context. This in turn acts as a place-making tool. The blurred border between the city centre and outskirts – the fringe region – is an area where creativity thrives. The lower rent and land values, coupled with the accessibility to cultural amenities and work outlets, draws the creative community towards it. The existing landmarks within a context and the memories associated with the overall context allow for a play on psychology and emotion of the users. The domain allows for public and private areas of interest to merge and for their unique values to be transferred across the intangible borders. Finally, city centres are areas where an abundance of investment has been poured into over time by different sectors. These many schools of thought led to new approach that deals with decommissioned city centres – an approach where urban assets were reused and re – invested so as to ensure their survival either in the short or long run.

Neighbourhood

Safety zone

Place-making

Technology link

City Centre edge

Creativity flow

Investments

Figure 08: City Centre Potentials (Author) The city centre has a defined edge and around this demarcation lies the comfort or safety zone of residents. Within this region lies important areas of interest, built and un-built, and these in turn act as placemanking tools. Inside this safety net the users work and innovate and create. This attracts outside investments to flow in. Simultaneously, this development within the extents creates neighbouring suburbs and towns to set up and they feed off the core via links - technological and physical.

2.1.3.Typologies Every centre has its own unique mix of properties – its history, the challenges faced over time, inherent and imbibed strengths etc. These properties depend on their very specific local community, economy, population, neighbouring competition, amenities, and environment amongst other aspects. These factors when coupled together decide the type of city centre it is – be it suburban, metropolitan, historic, market or industrial. The focus of this dissertation is on the larger city centres, where there are more dynamic changes visible over time – areas where retail has had a large and more significant influence on shaping the cores growth. These city centres are housed in larger cities, with more complex urban fabrics, have a wider reach, and cater to a larger population. The city centre was once a place where people travelled to specifically for shopping, multiple times a week, where private and public establishments catered to all their needs. But as incomes have increased, transit infrastructure has progressed, and residences have moved further away, there has been a significant change in the size of shops, the products they sell and the overall architecture of the place. The 19th century high street would have been one of a myriad of architectural styles and ownerships, while today the facades are generic and lack variety. The concept of decentralized free standing retail facilities has been the largest opponent to healthy city centres. The hyper markets, retail parks and shopping centres contributed heavily to the death of the city centre – and their inevitable obsolescence.

New suburbs

Pollution

Tourism

Migration

Proximity

City centre edge

Congestion

Retail core

Figure 09: Push and Pull in Cities (Author) The city centre is a unique region in the masterplan of a city. It has either a tangible or intangible border definition, and is an important node in the urban fabric. The economic prosperity leads to an influx of people looking for work - the pull. In turn neighbourhoods and suburbs dot the peripheri, for the new found population to settle down - push. The centre is a place of chaos, pollution and congestion, with the new trying to fit itself into the mould of the old. This in turn drives the outskirts to create their own areas of interest.

2.2.OBSOLESCENCE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A mediation between the economic and the aestheticâ&#x20AC;? (Fredric Jameson)

Figure 10: Obsolescent : West End Renewal plan for Boston (MIT Museum) The crowded housing area in West End was located in the heart of the city. The high population density and high building coverage though justified due to the sites proximity to business and amusement centres, dis not allow sunlight and air to enter dwelling and provided no view to the residents. The renewal planaimed to utilize economically efficient models of construction - 6, 9 and 13 storey apartments - which resulted in 68% reduction in building coverage and 40% reduction in residents. An area that was a financial burden on the city was transformed into one that was beneficial in the long run.

2.2.1.What is urban and built obsolescence? Stage 1 - The Idea “Permanent and ceaseless replacement of structures and habits, applicable to all building types, regardless of function, form and cultural meaning.” (Abramsan, 2016, p.14) A term that was first associated with the built environment sometime around 1910, obsolescence refers to a state of permanent expandability in the built environment. This term can be used with regards to all layers of the built environment however big or small. Obsolescence in city centres is a result of many complex, inter related occurrences. The city, or specifically its core, grows based on many factors, and is controlled by them as well. A personal and unique set of standards develops for this city and its districts as a result of this growth. When there is a deviation in the standards, when a sudden devaluation and expendability occurs, obsolescence sets in. Invariably, this region – the city centre – which is being forgotten is in close proximity to both the central business district and the residential neighbourhoods. The land, buildings and the residents get stuck, with their progress being transient in nature. Obsolescence is seen to give a physiological sense of order to the susceptible urban and built environment stuck amidst the metropolitan and capitalist chaos.

Figure 11: Pioneering | Exploitation | Obsolescence (Deloitte) In the 19th Century the core of Manchester experienced intense urban growth and as a result the urban grid was filled with industrial uses and canal based infrastructure. Grd iron layouts ensured connectivity and small built footprints. The earlt and mid 20th Century saw the advent of technology and competition. Land use grew to include residences. The late 20th Century brought with it a decline in industries and the post-war notion of development favoured larger footprints and lower densities. Original links were eroded.

Stage 2 - The Factors “Obsolescence, …, came about as a result of changing technology, economics, and land use, in which the new would inevitably outperform and devalue the old. “(Abramsan, 2016, p.3) He went on to comment on how obsolescence wasn’t merely an economic condition, but rather it was one with the potential to vivify cultural growth as well as change. A concept that is at a grass-root level synonymous with capitalism, this was something that was not just about mere economics, but rather one that was interlinked with philosophy, feelings and expression. Abramsan also raised a hard question following the famous dictum of Louis Sullivan - “Form ever follows function” – which was that what happens to form when function changes?

Figure 13: Obsolescence - A disease (Voit / HCALS ) In urban fabrics functional obsolescence is the common disease that plagues the built form. According to Investopedia, this is a reduction in the usefulness or desirability of an object because of an outdated design feature, usually one that cannot be easily changed. When applying this definition to the obsolescence of industrial buildings, we generally refer to the physical elements. The combination of physical characteristics within the building varies widely, and each property’s mix of size, age, shape, location, stand-alone or common wall configuration creates its own degree of functional obsolescence depending who uses it.

Stage 3 - The Details “The first rented house is the beginning of obsolescence. A different type of people gradually come in as owners move out. The character of the neighbourhood changes... “(Herrold, 1935, p.73) Herrold articulated the thought process of the time and focussed on how the quality of a space, a region, changes when the fundamental essence changes. There is an intrinsic relationship between land and user that is dictated by history, culture and time. A community defines the region it’s situated in, and when the link between resident and location is broken, systems break down. A type of blight or disease sets in, one that is contagious, and a domino effect follows.

Figure 12: Function and form mismatch (Pinterest) Buildings can either survive a drastic change in context ( sociol, political, economic, geographic, environmental) and designated land use or fall prey to the overwhelming external factors that place pressure on them. This decides whether the shell of the building will house a new land use that keeps with modern times, or becomes an empty reminder of the bygone-era it belongs to. The above show how “What was” is on the opposite end of the spectrum from the “What is”.

Stage 4 - The Outlook â&#x20AC;&#x153;One story is only good till another is told, and sky-scrapers are the last word of economic ingenuity only till another word be written. â&#x20AC;&#x153; (James, 1907, p.420) James commented on the unsettling demolitions of new buildings and harrowing unpredictability of the built. He rightly put forth that obsolescence was just one part of the story. It was the familiar aspect for people, what they know of now. The city and its negatives that is associate with it may have grown out of industrialization, but they have festered and evolved since the start of time. And what the future holds in terms of progress and the new norm is yet to be discovered.

Figure 14: Towards Sustainbility (MSA) The existing narrow, dark and unhygienic streets and the abutting abandoned and derelict buildings together house the potential to be renovated / restored / retrofitted. A holistic approach can create an interlinked community within this issue filled context, and it can be one that is sustainable. Identifying the importance of the original fabric and built forms, and their relationship with the new and rapidly changing context can only better aid in highlighting the importance of the space. In turn the entire can be read as one continuous unit.

Figure 15: Nagakin Capsule Tower (Abramson. D) Nakagin Capsule Tower (1972) by Kisho Kurokawa is a building intended for permanence through adaptation and impermanence. In the spirit of continual growth and notion of constant renewal, the capsule living units were designed to be replaced every 25 years while the concrete cores would permanently remain. The building was far-sighted in its recognition of a need for housing to adapt with the changing times. 47 years since its completion, no capsule has been replaced. Instead the iconic buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advanced state of decay has led to a conversation about its probable demolition.

2.2.2. The elements and factors of obsolescence The architectural function of a building is something that can be quantified and this worth decreases over time. The rate of decline in turn depends on the flexibility of use. It also depends on the amount of ephemeral and permanent elements incorporated into the design. The forethought of adaptability and designing for change in the built could defer the decline temporarily. Though strides could be taken, obsolescence in its essence engages with the temporality of use, a sense of impermanence. And thus, this concept has since grown into a universal phenomenon, a general notion – where there occurs a relentless and impersonal process of devaluation and discard in architecture and cities. Obsolescence could be considered an economic condition/ one that is synonymous with capitalism, but it was also one that could encourage cultural growth and change. Typology - The mean life span. “The influence of fashion, change of habit, competition, development of new territory and shifting of new centres of population and business, altering of lines of transit.”(Bolton, 1911, p.75)

TYPE OF BUILDING “Taxpayer” Hotels Apartment - houses “Taxpayer”

LIFE IN YEARS 12 - 15 15 - 18 18 - 21 21 - 25

Tenements and flats Offices and business buildings Lofts and factories Residences Banks and institutions

25 27 33 37 44

- 27 - 33 - 37 - 44 - 50

Figure 16: Economic Existence of Buildings (Bolton)

Bolton believed obsolescence to be a product of causes extrinsic to a buildings physical manifestation. His work helps one understand that though each of the above mentioned elements or factors were unpredictable and unique, they come together to create a striking degree of obsolescence to the built, by virtue of an interlinking large- scale change to the urban fabric. Further, population growth, social changes, technological advancements and market conditions – all work together to degrade and diminish the value of the built, sealing its fate. Bolton elaborated that the physical durability - purpose for which a building is designed, its scale of design, its materials and components, when overlaid - gives the “mean life” span for the built. Bolton developed this technique to encourage developers to consider the amount of time, money and return a property would give, before building it. He further encouraged them to build on cheaper land, refrain from extravagant detailing, and save up for future interventions.

Figure 17: Over-Investment as a pledge (Bolton) Over-investment involves an additional pledge on the part of land to maintain its attractiveness as a site, and of the building to continue to fulfil its original purpose.

Components - Shearing layers of change. A concept created by Frank Duffy to understand rate of change of factors associated with the built - where the built is not a singular unit, with a singular life cycle, but rather an amalgamation of multiple layers – each comprising of a different element with a varying lifecycle that depends on its acceptance to change. In nature there are certain processes which function in different timescales, resulting in minimal to no exchange of energy, mass or information between them. Stewart Brand applied this phenomenon to the architectural environment and observed that older and more traditional buildings were able to adapt better because they allowed “slippage” of layers: the faster layers (services) were not obstructed by the slower ones (structure) Brand (1994) went on to elaborate on the layers that Duffy had illustrated, namely: •Site - The geographical setting, the urban location, and the legally defined lot, whose boundaries and context outlast generations of buildings. •Structure - The foundation and load-bearing elements are perilous and expensive to change. Structural life ranges from 30 - 300 years. •Skin - Exterior surfaces change every 20 odd years, to keep up with changing times, or repair. •Services - These are the working guts of a building: communications wiring, electrical wiring, plumbing, fire sprinkler systems, HVAC etc. They wear out or obsolesce every 7 - 15 years. •Space Plan - The Interior layout where walls, ceilings, floors, and doors go. Turbulent commercial space can change every 3 years or so; exceptionally quiet homes might wait 30 years. •Stuff - Chairs, desks, phones, pictures;all the things that twitch around daily to monthly.

Figure 18: Shearing layers of change (Brand)

2.3.URBAN REGENERATION

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As in the pseudoscience of bloodletting, just so in the pseudoscience of city rebuilding and planning, years of learning and a plethora of subtle and complicated dogma have arisen on a foundation of nonsense.â&#x20AC;? (Jane Jacobs)

Figure 19: Manchester urban regeneration (Egretwest)

2.3.1.Introduction Urban regeneration is a concept where urban decay and urban blight is tackled so as to wholly reverse them, or to try remove them from the development conversation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so to give the urban fabric a new lease on life. This can be in terms physical, economic or social interventions. It is a complex process where the context is evaluated to understand its strength and weakness, and then a plan is made to improve the on-site conditions. But care has to be taken so as to not create a monotonous and mundane new city centre. There is always the possibility of inconsistency and excessive interventionism, if the context is not evaluated thoroughly before hand. Wider aspects The older zone of places like London and Greater Manchester are referred to as inner cities- an ideological term that is now considered meaningless. The scale and intensity of their problems have a special emphasis in this discourse. The White Paper policy proposed that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1.The economy and the prospects of current city centre residents must be strengthened. 2.The physical aspect of the urban fabric must be strengthened and the environment bettered. 3.Social problems are to be completely or partially alleviated. 4.A balance is to be reached between outskirts and the core with respect to population and jobs. Stakeholders To successfully regenerate urban nodes it is important to work with stakeholders. They are retailers, developers, local authorities, and the user group - the producers, users and intermediaries. To recreate the yester year attractiveness of the urban centres it is seen that these three groups will have to work in harmony â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to create a built environment that embodies the aspirations of the community. The different professionals must aim to incorporate varied land uses, pay attention to the public realm, design for safety and respect the heritage associated with the site.

City

Imbalanced change in urban growth

City becomes a thriving container of life. Impementation

Underutilized / underused land Distressed / decaying built

Weaken city image Reduce productivity Decrease livability

Land Community Environment Financing

Urban Regeneration

Planning

Figure 20: Regeneration cycle (Author)

Scope site

2.3.2.Elements - history and heritage The region of interest for the dissertation, the Northern Quarter, is one of the oldest parts of the city centre of Greater Manchester. The city grew around this area. It is a conservation area filled with architecture and built forms that hold heritage and historic importance. This is aimed to be highlighted along the course of the paper. “A closer look at the cities that are the most popular as day visit destinations suggests that their popularity is because a large part of the mainstream retail and leisure activity takes place in historic environments.”(Amion Consulting, 2010, p.13) The executive summary by English Heritage (2013) highlights some key factor of interest, namely: •Regeneration is a ‘growth industry’ and heritage assets can play a central role in achieving successful regeneration – they represent an opportunity rather than a constraint. •There is a strong economic case for regenerating historic buildings. The benefits relate not only to the individual building, but also to the wider area and community. •The inclusion of heritage assets in regeneration schemes provides a focus and catalyst for sustainable change. •Even when vacant and in poor condition, listed buildings, and all other forms of built heritage, remain ‘assets’ with the ability to truly enrich our experience of our environment through their physical qualities and/or their historic or community associations. “Historic buildings provide a foundation for the regeneration of many of our towns and cities. Regenerating these buildings can reinforce a sense of community, make an important contribution to the local economy and act as a catalyst for improvements to the wider area. They should not be retained as artefacts, relics of a bygone age. New uses should be allowed in the buildings and sensitive adaptations facilitated, when the original use of a historic building is no longer relevant or viable. Improving the environment and securing the reuse of buildings which have historic value can make an important contribution to the regeneration of the urban areas. “ (Great Britain. ODPM: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee 2004)

2.4.CONCLUSION Architecture, when innovative in its function, could outlive its estimated life span. On the other hand, the old and constricted built forms would face demolition. Designs that take into consideration the prevailing market conditions, urban dynamics, competition, expandability etc. will be able to stand the test of time. Though it is said that the ideas were subjective, critical, and sceptical, all of the above factors and principles still hold good today, as they help designers and builders plan out the future for the development –for both the positive and negative outcomes. The cycle of change, of growth, of evolution – all involve the rise and fall of the involved system – and is the effect of the delicate relationship between time, space and people. In the urban fabric this cycle corresponds to something becoming obsolete, and then being revived, to only become obsolete once again. This course of progress is inevitable, but there is always scope to respond to and deal with these changes better. To consciously approach urban blight, and to not retaliate with mindless demolitions and inappropriate developments, is where the challenge lies. Breaking down the cause for the negative impact on a context will in turn provide the answers on how to deal with it. English heritage, city council led regeneration projects and third party reports can all provide this sound understanding of the question of how to tackle urban obsolescence in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

NORTHERN QUARTER

“In the late 80’s in the decaying area North of Piccadilly Gardens a zone of experimentation developed, where traders’, residents’, artists and musicians could play and hone their specialist interests in the form of shops and independent businesses, away from the chains of the corporate high street. Independents eking out a living following their passions. This loose rag tag bag of people eventually formed a community-lobbying group, which went onto to spearhead the regeneration of this rundown area, now known as the Northern Quarter.” (Dominic Sagar, 2019)

Figure 21: Northern Quarter (Google Maps / Author)

3.1.AN OVERVIEW Located at the northern fringe of the Manchester’s City centre, in the United Kingdom, the Northern Quarter is currently a region covering approximately 0.3 Km2 , compact and densely packed. Bound by Piccadilly, Rochdale canal, Ancoats road and Shudehill, this part of the city has existed for over 250 years and has seen all the changes that have occurred in the region. Characterized by brick buildings of monumental and human scales, to the way different styles of architecture montage to create the street elevation names of the streets, to the way the streets are laid out, down to the names of the streets, the urban form is unique and different from any other part of the city. The cities creative and urban heart, this area is home to countless independent establishments, be it retail leisure, food and beverage and entertainment. “It provides a perfect meeting point between music and culture, offering an assortment of alternative retail outlets including sex shops, record outlets and trendy bars, giving the Northern Quarter a distinct community spirit unrivalled anywhere else in the city.” (Citycube Development) 3.1.1.The rise and fall - Obsolescence Rising to prominence in the 19th century, by virtue of the important role it played in the cotton industry, the city of Manchester dates back to the roman era. Originally called Mamuciam by the Romans, it later evolved into medieval English town in the 11th century, and then opened itself to the cotton industry in the 17th century and established itself as a centre for textile production in the 18th century. A medieval, agricultural land filled region, the Northern Quarter grew initially at a sporadic rate and this is reflected in the character of the space which is far from uniform. The small scale unplanned development led to a highly varied quality in terms of layout and the built form. When water powered mills appeared in the region the town truly grew, the population exploded, and the extents of the region expanded. Land use varied from housing the workers, to housing equipment. In turn, the physical mark-up of the place changed with canals being carved out, and rail lines being built – and this channelled technological advancements in terms of steam powered mills, and connectivity to a larger context for merchandizing. The NQ was characterised and christened during the 1980’s through its success in music and its artistic community, which has led the area to be labelled as a ‘cultural phenomenon known as Madchester’ (Wansborough and Mageean, 2000).

When the domestic weaving industry started to slow down, the Northern Quarter began to open up itself to a variety of ventures, giving rise to new avenues of income and employment to its residents. Fabric based shops and retail slowly evolved into being the primary focus of the region. This was when buildings started being converted for other land uses outside of residential needs. This was in a way a small wave of urban regeneration. But when the cotton industry entered its final stages of decline, the city declined with it. Trade died down, and warehouse and factories got boarded up. The city lost close to 50,000 jobs and 17.5% of its population. The urban fabric was filled with redundant buildings that were now a mere testament to the glory days of the city. The last surviving bit of retail within the area faced a devastating blow when the Smithfield market shut down and Arndale opened up. Cut off from the larger context, the Northern Quarter became deserted with streets and shops emptying out.

Figure 22: Location - Northern Quarter (English Heritage)

1717

Population -10,000

In the Roman Era anchester M was named Mamucium.

Cotton was first introduced to Manchester.

“Many of the streets between Afflecks and the Arndale were built by demand so there wasn’t really a plan in place, just you know, chuck down a new road when the current one got a bit cramped, anywhere will do. Once enough of these pay-as-you-go roads had gone up developers started to get their act together and come up with a purpose for the area -largely weavers cottages to begin with ... Then mechanisation came in and the weavers weren’t needed, the area became pubs and shops, then with the arrival of two nearby train stations it became the market centre of the city.” (Skyliner, 2018) Figure 23: Timeline - Northern Quarter (Author)

1780

1765

18th Century

1700

100

1st Century

Earliest canal in England carries coal to Manchester.

Steam powered cotton spinning mills were established.

1st stage of development - West part of NQwas built.

Addition of residences - Weavers cottages were created.

1800

Population - 75,000

1930

1894

20th Century

1853

1830

19th Century

The Big Jump Era - Start of an international market.

Rise of industries, warehouses, banking, retail etc.

Full scale inland port - Manchester Ship canal - was created.

Period of decline as cheaper products entered the market.

Smithfield market variety of goods attracted the masses.

Train stations were built - Victoria and Oldham Station.

Warehouses / factories thrived in the Northern Quarter.

Shops and retail trade was a vital part of the economy.

3.1.2.The rebirth - Regeneration “The Northern Quarter today is a hub of alternative and bohemian culture – a man self-styled quarter. “ (Walter Menzies) Manchester’s City Council, in 1987, moved towards a new form of Governance labelled “urban entrepreneurialism” – where governing was done in alliance with the private sector rather than purely on the public sector. This was done so as to increase the cities competitiveness within the global market. It could possibly have been a response to the failure of older methods to halt the decline in the urban fabric, and the prevalent social disparities. The youth of Manchester, in the 1970’s, kick-started the first modern wave of regeneration. Their rebellious attitudes and interest in music create a rippled effect that shocked and inspired the city. The city was animated and originality and creativity began to pour out of the Northern Quarter. Empty floor plates and disused buildings transformed into makeshift studios and event spaces. Cultural production became a strong revitalization tool. Then, in 1987 the first formal attempt to protect the historically valuable Northern Quarter was made. The Smithfield and Stevenson Square conservation area were delineated by the Manchester City Council. Since then there have been attempts to refurbish and convert many of the important, historic and listed buildings in this area. But neglect over time has led to many of the buildings to fall into an irreversible state of disrepair. However, a minor retail revival took place in the Northern Quarter. Alternative shopping, indoor bazaars, wholesale clothing amongst other elements helped give the region a new lease of life. This recent inner city renaissance is regarded as a form of modern urban regeneration in the region. The naming of the region officially as Northern Quarter in mid – 1990’s by a group of interested parties branded the area henceforth. The Northern Quarter Association “The City unsure what to do with this diverse and complex area, were receptive to the wishes and hopes of this community group, who eventually formalised themselves into the Northern Quarter Association. “ (Dominic Sagar, 2019) Following this christening of the region, the City Council found a liaison with the area and this was the genesis of the East Side Association. This bridged the gap between community and council. The East Side Association transformed into the Northern Quarter Association following the 1995 Urbanistics document – it became a representative and an actively managerial body.

The reason this group formalized itself was because they felt that there was a need to change how people recognized the Northern Quarter. To help in this quest they used a variety of creative tools - the famous Northern Quarter Bugle, a radio station, pop up events, movie screenings etc. The aftermath “Many areas of the city centre have been remoulded by comprehensive and successful regeneration, and since the mid-1990’s the Northern Quarter too has increasingly developed from on overlooked district, languishing in a state of economic inertia, to a significant element in the attraction and distinctiveness of Manchester’s city centre.” (English Heritage, 2008, p.12) In 2002 additional funding was awarded for the Northern Quarter in order to aid in its quest to strengthen and diversify its economy. Today, slowly, the consequences of neglect are balanced by the signs of recovery. The Northern Quarter has begun to open its doors to residents who value city –centre living, and the businesses set up today are those that appreciate the areas individual and counter-cultural nature. English heritage, in its document, aimed to raise awareness to the variety and character of the built environment that does survive in the Northern Quarter, and draw attention to the significance it holds in the larger context of the city. It spoke about the necessity for new developments to ensure that the area prospers – be it contemporary interventions or conscious retrofitting of existing buildings. Furthermore, it went on to highlight that authenticity of the area is what would decide the success of any development that makes its way into the urban fabric. Highlighting the idiosyncrasies and bohemianism at every stage of redesigning and reviving the space would be the attracting factor for retailers and customers. The document rightfully laid out that unlike the chaotic rush for redevelopment that was felt in the past centuries, we now have time to pause and carefully assess what the area needs. There is the possibility to capitalize on the fact that most of Manchester’s listed buildings are housed within the boundaries of the Northern Quarter – the reason for the areas remarkable survival. The document finally went on to state that the Northern Quarter could become a key contributor to the future of Manchester as the centre of a vibrant city region, but for that to happen it must open itself up to the surrounding context and not become an introverted purely heritage centric neighbourhood.

3.2.CONCLUSION â&#x20AC;&#x153;It must resist the urge to make a pastiche of itself and avoid becoming a heritage theme park devoid of good architecture, but it must also resist the worst excesses of corporate identity and global shop-fronts and search instead for an individual identity generated from its own powerful sense of place.â&#x20AC;? (English Heritage, 2008, p.93) The Northern Quarter has the potential to contribute significantly to the overall context of Manchester in the coming years. The Quarter will evolve within the city in terms of its role and the function it plays. The prime location with proximity to both large railway stations, the abutting central business districts, the tourist attractions within - all clearly showcase that the Northern Quarter is of vital economic importance to the city. This however does not mean the area should be encroached upon to increase density or land value. When documents are drawn up to integrate the Quarter into the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long term plans, the independent quality should be retained. This inherent uniqueness and historic importance is what makes the region work. And the goal should be to create a larger target population for the region, that has ease of access to the whole of the Northern Quarter, and in turn to increase its recognition not just nationally but internationally.

Figure 24: Yesteryear Northern Quarter (Manchester Libraries)

Figure 25: Yesteryear Northern Quarter (Dominic Sagar)

NORTHERN QUARTER DOCUMENTS

Over the course of two decades, three significant efforts have been made to stop the Northern Quarter from falling into irreversible despair. In 1987 the area was classified into two conservation zones, in 1995 the first strategic regeneration framework was drawn up and in 2003 the second strategic document was drawn up. Each regeneration document aimed to target a different area of focus. Finally, in 2018 the MA students of the Manchester School of Architecture proposed a holistic design guide document to fill the decade long gap in dialogue in the region. To better understand how the latest document can be translated to on site issues, it is important to understand the initial proposals that were created for the area.

Figure 26: Manchester Regeneration Schemes (Deloitte)

4.1.CONSERVATION ZONES “Its network of red-brick garment warehouses, gently faded facades and higgedly-piggedly gems has become one of Manchester’s greatest assets.” (Jennifer Williams) The Manchester City Council has created conservation zones with the city extents - with listed buildings housed within each zone. These are of varying Grades. This ensures that land owners and potential buyers and developers are aware of the history of the building - and dictates the design direction that can be taken when dealing with the building. The Northern Quarter is influenced by two particular conservation areas - the Smithfield Conservation zone which is associated with the Smithfield market, and the Stevenson Square Conservation zone which is associated with the Stevenson Square region. 4.1.1.Smithfield Conservation Zone This region lies towards the north-eastern edge of the city centre. Since its establishment in 1821, Smithfield has been known for its variety of food markets. Today few of these still remain, while others have been converted into other land uses. The most recent significant development in this zone is the housing which has been plugged into a part of the original Smithfield market, and the conversion of a part of the fish market into the Craft village. For many years now this area has been slowly eroding, frameworks and guidelines are ignored and the residents wield no real power with respect to the direction of development. “The Smithfield Market Hall on Swan Street is a two-storey stone building dated 1858. The detail around the main entrances takes its inspiration from the architecture of classical Greece, and each principal semi-circular arch has a bull’s head carving on the central large key block. Originally a meat market, it soon became a vegetable market, and in recent years has been a training workshop for the Greater Manchester Youth Association.” (Manchester City Council) According to the City Councils website, development within this conservation zone is “about fitting into an established street pattern with the scale of development proportions and materials of major concerns. The City Council made some observations and laid out certain guidelines with regard to improving and enhancing this region •As the footprints of existing south western buildings are considerably large, any new development will be of a substantial size but the remainder of the conservation zone houses relatively small buildings. As a result any new proposals will have to be scaled appropriately.

•Any improvement made to the existing fabric should aim to restore the rich built forms where it has been eroded. Height, scale, colour, form, massing and materials should relate to and complement the existing buildings. •Most vacant plots are currently car parking – a visually unappealing site. Any development in these sites should contribute to the character of the conservation area. Housing and mixed use typologies are deemed appropriate. Also, the architectural style must not be blatantly mimicked but rather should have a vitality of its own. •Attention must be paid to maintain the narrow-fronted character of older buildings to ensure a vertical rhythm. The three levels of the built section should resonate with the existing buildings. 4.1.2.Stevenson Square Conservation Zone This region is situated in the centre of the Northern Quarter, around Stevenson square. The majority of the cities Victorian houses are located in this conservation zone. Many of these buildings are grade 1 and 2 listed buildings by virtue of their special architectural or historic interest. Unfortunately very few of the 18th century homes are still standing - a few group housing and two public houses. Predominantly a retail centric zone, this area faced a sudden decline in its shops when the Manchester Arndale Centre opened up, redirecting the focus of retail towards itself. This has in turn led to underutilized floor space and lack of new investments. “In the mid-18th century, the land lying between Ancoats Lane and the old daub holes was owned by Sir Ashton Lever. Conceding to the pressure of property developers, Lever eventually sold the land to William Stevenson. In his turn, Stevenson sold the land on, piecemeal, to entrepreneurs, many of whose names are commemorated in the local street names. The original intention was that it should become a residential area which would rival the serenity of St Ann’s Square. Instead, the area became largely commercially oriented.” (Manchester City Council) The City Council made some observations and laid out certain guidelines with regard to improving and enhancing this region – •New developments are aimed at encouraging activities that enhance the prosperity of this area. As the existent built up forms do not compete with each other, any land mark oriented development would not be consistent. •The built height is low rise in nature and thus any new building considerably taller would break the uniformity in street elevation. •Any gap in the elevation should be sensibly redesigned and re-developed so that it contributes to the overall conservation area. The readability with regard to the larger context or the whole street is crucial to maintain the interesting long vistas.

Figure 27: Smithfield Conservation Area (Manchester City Council)

Figure 28: Stevenson Square Conservation Area (Manchester City Council)

4.2.URBANISTICS : THE NORTHERN QUARTER REGENERATION FRAMEWORK OF 1995 “The Urbanistics team believe that each area is unique and in turn demands a different response. The art to turning this regeneration strategy into reality lies in the careful balance between pragmatism (recognizing the constraints, being realistic about the possibilities) and vision, which will inspire those who are able to influence wider, often political issues.” (Urbanistics, 1995) 4.2.1.Introduction The priority of this document, in terms of which aspect of the Northern Quarter had to be improved upon to successfully regenerate it, was to stimulate the economy. The suggestions, proposals and recommendations of the document all circle back to the concept of “job creation and wealth generation”. The research understood that diversity was the strong suit of the context, and thought it housed inherent conflicts, it could be channelled to become a source of income for the city centre. Compared to the rest of UK during the recession, Central Manchester still has a vibrant economy and this suggested that the Northern Quarter economy was not in a terminal decline. The region was capable of generating a significant amount of economic activity with the right incentives. The existing elements needed to bring about this change in the Northern Quarter were in place, and thus the team didn’t have to scratch from start, and this was viewed as the reasoning for the proposal to be easy to appreciate. The Urbanistics team aimed for an evolutionary and not revolutionary change, one that preserved the ‘soul’ of the Northern Quarter. “The Northern Quarter should be a creative quarter in the widest definition of the sense, a place of alternative fashions, creative design, cultural industries, entertainment and experimental culture, off beat culture. A quarter where things are tried out, because that is what the area is for. It should be a place where things happen outside the 9-5, where people go to see what happens, something different, even something strange. All the best cities have this.” (Urbanistics, 1995) 4.2.2.Goals and Aims •Enriching the soul with long term enhancements of the economic prosperity and in turn the city as a whole. This will better integrate the area into the city centre. •Building upon the primary resources of the context to encourage development in the area – with improvements in parking, accessibility, and environmental quality. •Creating an identity that helps better put forth the function of the area to the people, in relation to the larger context. This will help generate self-confidence and reverse the impact of Arndale.

•Growing the cultural sector so as to consolidate its position. Use the existing cultural resources to make the area vibrant during both day and night – in terms of bars restaurants, clubs, retail experiences etc. This helps enhance, attract and give birth to creative producers and businesses. •Encouraging private sector investments, and matching and supplementing it with public sector investment. This will improve quality of life – in terms of upgraded streets and paving, introducing street lighting, creating pocket parks, improving overall security etc. •Bringing in new uses to create a sustainable change context that involves the local community in the process. This will trickle down to economic prosperity to those who live and work in the area. 4.2.3.Executive summary The document drew up a set of topics deemed important to focus on in the regenerations scheme: •Furthering economic development through appropriate stimulation– by highlighting the role and diversity that indigenous industries bring to the context. This is proposed through maintaining and strengthening said businesses. Also, it was seen that channelling inward investment will encourage growth in the employment sector and produce better outputs. By bringing in new industries and economic diversity it was seen that the area could achieve a hidden identity – an incubator for start-ups. •Highlighting the association of the area with creativity and innovation was seen to be of key importance as this would in turn establish the Northern Quarter as a place to visit, invest in and live in. The team believed that this would help in the marketing of the area and it’s creating a unified overall image as the northern Quarter could be distinguished by its creativity, innovation and vibrancy. Furthermore, culture could become an economic activity and production and distribution of cultural goods was seen as a viable option to boost the local economy. •Maintaining and developing the inherent character of the space was deemed important – the areas rich history culture is visible in all the still standing buildings and ongoing activities. It was seen that focussing on conscious new building opportunities, and improving public spaces would greatly benefit the context. Also, increasing permeability across the edges and improving link and connections was seen as a way to integrate the Northern Quarter into the larger context. •Generating more activities and encouraging new land uses will widen the economic base. Bringing in new uses, and better using floor spaces ensures a more self-sustained approach and promises longevity of usage. This will attract new businesses and investments into the quarter. “Culture not only generates economic activity and jobs initself but can be the basis of a new image and identity for the area, encouraging other sources of inward investment. It also enhance the image of the city as whole, contributing to its profile as a modern cultured European city. “ (Ubranstics, 1995)

The regeneration framework created a vision for the Northern Quarter. It focussed on the current scenario, proposed options for actions, and put forth short and long term programmes for action. These were directed to each aspect of the executive summary. The document went on to look at early action project possibilities and key flagship projects. Finally there was focus on where the funding would come for the regeneration movement – private and public.* 4.2.4.Outcome Looking into what issues the regeneration framework looked to address and what it aimed to achieve, nearly a quarter of a century later, an evaluation can be made. The area has seen a substantial investment from both the public and private sector. There has been significant environmental and building improvement schemes and also attention has been paid to urban art (by virtue of the City Council, English Heritage, Heritage Lottery Fund etc.) However, the Northern Quarter has not been commercialized to the extent of the surrounding context with no corporate presence asserting itself into the area – allowing for its individuality to remain. Also the 1995 document identified key sectors of economics and these have managed to retain their business base, and at times even manage to grown it, during the late 1990’s.Looking into the document – environment, crime and street nuisances, gap sites and derelict building were serious issues. And these were not tackled post the publishing of the document. Thus the document of 2003 was created to look into dealing with these problems efficiently and swiftly.

*Appendix A presents the Short, Medium and Long term goals proposed by the Urbanistics team.

4.3.CITY COUNCIL : NORTHERN QUARTER DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK OF 2003 “The important interplay between the production, showcasing and consumption of cultural goods helps create the unique identity of the N4. The creative businesses in the N4 will be of growing importance in a world where employment generation is increasingly based on knowledge, innovation, new ideas and entrepreneurialism.” (City Council, 2003) 4.3.1.Introduction The priority of this document was to focus on areas of interest that the prior document didn’t manage to tackle. The Economic role held by the NQ with respect to the city centre was of significance. The slit up of employment opportunity among three dominant sectors – creative, leisure and textile, contributed to 10% of all business in the city centre. Also, since the first regeneration document was laid out for the region, many changes came about. As a result new roles emerged in the Northern Quarter, namely: •The Smithfield Buildings Residential Scheme by Urban Splash was a breakthrough scheme and created a new residential renaissance in the Quarter. •The Quarter began to be recognized as a successful secondary location for smaller businesses. •The CityCube development led to the creation of large floor plates for offices. But the existing built fabric still dictates the land uses. 4.3.2.Challenges Though the interest in the Northern Quarter from the private sector is promising, maintaining the ethos of the small businesses was deemed important. The challenge lies in balancing the small town approach and the global importance the city is now achieving. •First and foremost the document wanted to ensure that affordable business spaces remained a possibility. This would decide if or if not independent retailers could flourish in the area. •Tackling the issues that are a remnant from the prior framework – street nuisances and crime, would be the first step to better the context overall. Also, the mentality of land owners to wait for higher land values rather than reinvestment into property has to be tactfully handled. •Bridging the gap between the NQ and the surroundings by focussing on key entry points. Acknowledging the changes in the immediate context can increase the footfall into the Quarter. •To prepare for the future where textile business, the dominant quality of the Quarter, moves out and new businesses take over the region.

4.3.3.Vision The document wanted to not create a ‘radical surgery’ to the Quarter in its five year plan, but rather create managed and incremental changes that would be seen as a good hallmark of the framework. By 2008 the document hoped to achieve an area that retained its own distinct identity, had increased footfall and was widely recognized. •The document aimed to facilitate an effective means of coordination between all stakeholders. •The built form needs careful redesign. Unsightly buildings and gap sites still plague the area, and the document hoped for new developments and council interventions to right this issue. •The sense of place factor must be reflected in the design of the public realm. Strengthening fringe gateways and internal linkages will aid in this. The Vision of this Development Framework is that by 2008 the N4 will be: • An area which has retained and developed its own distinctive identity, by blending its current mix of occupiers with complementary new uses. • An integral part of the conurbation core, with a vastly increased footfall through the Quarter. • Widely recognised and promoted as a key part of the Manchester City Centre offer. The unique aspect of the document was the fact that it considered and put forth a counter vision. The document believed that this would be a powerful tool to decide what to precisely avoid in the Northern Quarter. This encompassed items like characterless developments, erosion of affordable business spaces, loss of architectural character of the built and loss of spirit of cooperation and collaboration in the area.* 4.3.3.Outcome The document put in place measurable, tangible and appropriate performance indicators to assess the progress in achieving the objectives that it set forth. The team considered the document a baseline report that was ambitious but also as one that was deliverable in coming years. They hoped this would give them an understanding of how successful they were. The objectives were paired with indicators and measuring guidelines – for example, the objective of enhancing the built form was measured through surveys, and these would be indicated by the reduction in gap sites and unsightly buildings. A series of priority outcomes were included - to produce sustained regeneration in the area and to ensure that the Northern Quarter is increasingly linked with other major development areas within the city centre. *Appendix B presents the summary of Key Actions.

4.4.CONCLUSION â&#x20AC;&#x153;Regeneration is an important planning consideration. Over the past fifteen years Manchester City Council has successfully regenerated areas such as Piccadilly, Spinningfields, the commercial core, around Manchester Central, the Northern Quarter, the Civic Quarter and Castlefield. This is an ongoing process and much remains to be done if the City Centre is to remain competitive. Manchester City Centre is the primary economic driver in the City Region and is crucial to its longer term economic success. It is essential therefore that the City Centre continues to grow and provide new accommodation in order to deliver regeneration.â&#x20AC;? (Manchester City Council, 2017) The Manchester City Council has played a proactive role in brainstorming ideas on how to regenerate the Northern Quarter. The existing SRF documents drawn up by the Council focus on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; site characteristics, site extents, opportunities, development principles, implementation and delivery schemes, SRF strategies and proposals, and a vision. The new document and direction for the Northern Quarter should in turn address the same topics, and look to the past documents as a template and reference, or as a starting point for the new dialogue.

NORTHERN QUARTER TODAY

“There are few areas that encapsulate the Mancunian spirit better than the Northern Quarter and, much like Manchester in general, it’s a place that very much marches to the beat of its own drum.” (Sarah Freemon)

Figure 29: Northern Quarter today (Visit Manchester)

5.1.PRESENT CONTEXT In 2018, the Northern Quarter Residents forum approached the MA Architecture and Urbanism students at the Manchester School of Architecture. They wanted to bring about a change in the context, disrupt the dormant areas and gather ideas for a new and improved Northern Quarter. This was the start of a three month study on the region, with a series of mapping and surveys being made to understand the area. This was supported by researching the history of the area and studying the regulations. The community was approached to get feedback on what would they expected out of the studio. Then a diversity charter, and a design and development guide was created to help future regeneration frameworks. The studio took into consideration ongoing applications for new proposals, the zero carbon vision of the city, the upcoming HS2 proposal amongst other ongoing discussions. The goal was to reimagine the Northern Quarter. The Northern Quarter is now highly popular with tourists who come to the city, and is equally popular with the residents and locals. A region where international films are shot on one hand, and knife brawls and theft happen on the other â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the juxtaposition of global fame against local nuisances still thrive in the Northern Quarter. But there is an ongoing change in its essence. The independent quality is slowly becoming a myth with multiple businesses being run by the same owners. Listed buildings are making way for commercial hotels due to the Councils disregard for the Conservation area. Land ownership is a mess with uneven ownership raios, prohibiting holistic redevelopments. The atmosphere is tense between the public and private sector now. Essentially, the present day Northern Quarter is better off, but on the verge of a large change.

Figure 30: Art of Northern Quarter (Creative Tourist)

5.2.UNDOING URBANISM - NORTHERN QUARTER ? “In conjunction with the Northern Quarter Forum international postgraduate students at Manchester School of Architecture have been developing a strategy for sustainable development 25 years after the pioneering vision for the area, with initial ideas responding to the context of ongoing debates about urban heritage and long term resilience.” (Eamonn Canniffe, 2018) 5.2.1.Site Studies The first step to understanding the context was understanding its history. Then the area was broken down into zones and a street scape analysis was done to understand scale, materiality, street relationships, architectural styles, conscious and unconscious design principles etc. Next the transportation routes were mapped, built and open spaces were plotted, listed buildings and landmarks highlighted – steps done to understand the relationship between different layers of the context.Next, to understand the context at a personal level a public consultation was held by the students. The MA program put forth the works done to the general public, residents, councillors and other stakeholders of the Northern Quarter. The aim was to share ideas on the regeneration of the area, along the lines of: •Identifying the key traits of the Northern Quarter ( both positive and negative), •Discussing about the community, architecture, planning principles, infrastructure needs, and overall expectations from the neighbourhood. •Gathering first hand data from the residents and business owners on needs and wants. •Framing short and long term goals to revive the neighbourhood – in terms of built proposals and policy framing. The feedback was unanimous in many areas of interest. There was outcry about the increasing number of car parks, concern about the lack of greenery within the quarter, appreciation towards the rugged nature of the area. Aspirations for a pedestrianized zone and satisfaction that the consultation looked at the area from a human perspective rather than from a commercial opportunist standpoint.

Figure 31: Public Consultation (MSA) The students identified crucial sites of intervention, generated possible future scenarios of progress for each site, and put forth a vision for the whole region at a public consultation. These sites were disused buildings, terraces, vacant plots, carparking structures etc. The presentation was received by local business owners, residents, members of the police force, city council etc. The feedback received was used to help decide the next stages of the studio. Also, seen in this image is the author explaining the vision to the Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese.

Figure 32: Public Consultation feedback (MSA) When presented with possible future scenarios and asked for their personal opinion, the members of the public marked down their loyalties. This helped in prioritizing the students approaches for the Northern Quarter, and laid the foundation for the diversity charter and also the development guide. It was seen that heritage and architecture style trumped over contemporary architecture. Pedestrianization and cycling was favoured over motorized vehicles. Open spaces and greenery was the future people hoped for, not congestion. And mixed land use in the form of leisure, food and beverage and work spaces was opted for.

5.2.2.Diversity Charter The issues of the context were studying and areas of focus and possible ways to approach them were put forth. •Homelessness : 1.Accommodation – Vacant buildings in the Northern Quarter can be used as transitional housing for the homeless. 2.Places to work – Businesses within the Northern Quarter can provide the opportunity to gain work experience to the homeless. 3.Community participation – Pop up events in the area can incorporate the homeless so as to integrate them back into society. •Community : 1.Individual participation – Encourage individuals to live and work in the area, and partake in local forums, so as to create a long-standing community. 2.Diversity – New businesses from different sectors will draw people from varied backgrounds so as to increase the diversity in the area. 3.Pop up activities – Stevenson Square and its prime location should be capitalized to host more pop ups to showcase local talents and businesses. •Economy : 1.Affordable housing – Introducing social and affordable housing back into the context to allow for varied economic backgrounds to live in the area. 2.Independent driven economy – Limiting the number of businesses held by single ownership within the context to allow for no monopoly of commerce and retail to occur. 3.Art and craft incentives – Concessions to artists and creatives in terms of studio space and exhibition spaces will help the community thrive. Rent caps can help this. •Sustainability : 1.Renewable energy – New and old developments should consciously incorporate green technologies and utilize more renewable energy sources. 2.Green coverage – Any abandoned space must be considered for pocket parks or green treatments. 3.Diverse landscaping – Council and landscape experts should work to diversify the landscape within the area. •Services and maintenance : 1.Street lighting – Section 106 payment to the council should be used for street lighting. 2.Waste management – Recycling and segregation should be introduced into the area along with sufficient trash collection schedules. 3.Community driven – The community should be conscious on waste and trash collection.

5.2.3.Development Guide A guide for property owners, developers, builders and any other interested party – when they look to obtain approvals for the developing property in the Northern Quarter.* •01 - Sustainability Social, economic and environmental components are in focus in the sustainability agenda as the zero carbon goal of the city is underway. •02 - Urban use Within the Northern Quarter there are places that are malfunctioning, and they can be re-used in favour of the locals and tourists – as places of excitement, leisure and recreation. •03 - Diversity Social safety is essential to make a place liveable and utilizable, and this is for all residents and investors to benefit from. •04 - Community The local community is diverse and norms, religions, values and identity must be protected. •05 - Permeability The Northern Quarter has lost its physical connection with the surrounding area creating impermeable borders that must be reversed. •06 - Street Car dominance has made the area unsafe and thus passive use of free space around the buildings and along the roads will help lower the intensity of movement by vehicles. •07 - Green infrastructure Lack of green space is a general problem in the entire city, and more so in the Northern Quarter. Introduction of new green layers to the context is necessary. •08 - Architecture The architecture of the space is a mix of old and modern trends now. These must be assessed, preserved, and developed upon. •09 - Public space Increase in vehicular movement has reduced public spaces as car parks have taken priority over open spaces. This must be reversed. •10 - Scale The Georgian scale of the context is being lost due to excessive economic aspirations and profit oriented high rises should refrain from taking priority over human scale designs. *Appendix C presents the study documents and guidelines.

5.2.4.Design Proposals The MA program visualized a new Northern Quarter. One that utilized open spaces, tackled the issues of disuse, focussed on small scale interventions, envisioned larger than life changes. These were unanimously appreciated by the people in the public consultation, and was put forth to a wider audience by Confidentials Manchester and Manchester Evening News. The largest design proposals focussed on Stevenson Square, Tib street car parking, and the Rochdale canal parking site. Vacant sites in Oldham Street, Port Street were designed for open community led interventions. Thomas Street and Hilton Street was selected for existing buildings that could be retrofitted. The designs were interventions in carefully selected sites that would best embody the diversity charter and development guide so that an idea could be generated on how they could be translated by future developments. At a master planning level the transportation routes were relooked and designed to facilitate better movement through the site. Alternate modes of transport outside of cars were explored and put forth. Issues of dark and narrow streets, abandoned buildings and lack of trees were looked at from a zoomed out scale and proposals were made.

Figure 33: Overall vision (MSA)

Figure 34: Stevenson Square - Before (SpaceHive)

Figure 35: Stevenson Square - After (MSA)

Thomas Street

Pocket Park eg.

Stevenson Square Figure 36: Design proposals (MSA)

Dead - end eg.

Thomas Street

Roof top eg. Figure 37: Design proposals (MSA)

5.3.THE FUTURE There is a pressing need to redirect the Northern Quarters development to a more positive end. The lack of care and concern for the heritage and history of the area is causing a rift between the City Council and the Northern Quarter Forum. A change is needed and the design and planning solutions aim to help, maintain and enhance the diversity of the area as well as give back to the community. The design ideology prioritises four main themes: mobility, environment, management and living. The vision is that the public and private sector will work together so as to: •Develop small and large scale projects within the area. •Understand the community and create prototype / pilot projects before making radical changes. •Implement proposed management policies to emphasise sustainability of the area. The hope of the “Northern Quarter?” document was to reignite the search for a solution to the conflict of identity that is prevailing in the region. People associated with the area had aspirations and visions, CAD drawings and visualization. But there was no one consolidated effort that put forth all these ideas, and the document aimed to do this. To continue the conversation, a 1:200 scale model of the Northern Quarter, with the various proposals incorporated and plugged in, was propped up in Stevenson Square, at Fred Aldous. This led to a dialogue between the Northern Quarter resident’s forum, the City Council and the MSA – to conceptualize a change to Stevenson Square. There is hope for change in the region now, slowly and gradually heading towards the vision of the 2018 document.

“So these Northern Quarter plans, created by the next generation, are in line with what the city is already doing and what’s needed. It also supports the Council’s vision for Manchester becoming a world-class city that “cultivates and encourages new ideas”, “plays its full part in limiting the impacts of climate change”, and is “clean, attractive, culturally rich, outward-looking and welcoming.” So considering these plans were made in consultation with residents, has a clear vision for a city centre cultural hub that’s green, future-facing and people-friendly, and which aligns with the Council’s own aspirations, I have only one question: when is it getting the go-ahead?” (Andrea Sandor, 2018)

Figure 38: Fred Aldous window (CoHn. T. S.)

CONCLUSION

“ The NQ is a ‘transitional zone’, a city fringe. Its marginal status is its weakness and its strength. All big cities have these zones, sandwhiched between the city centre and the outer districts. ... These area not only provide refuge for smaller, marginal businesses, they act as incubators for new economic activity. Cheap rents, short contracts, lots of sub-letting are accompanied by dense networks that allow both old and new businesses to survive and grow. ... City fringes are crucial to the economy of the city. They are areas of seedbed industries - and of a special sort. They tend to be innovative and thrive on the localized accumulation of knowledge, skills and ideas that are transmitted by dense netwroks. “ (Eastside Association, 1994)

Figure 39: Northern Quarter - Alternate futures (James Dyson)

The research in this dissertation has discussed the urban growth, progressive obsolescence and current regeneration of the dense built fabric of the Northern Quarter. The objectives have in turn investigated how the area within the extents has become both disconnected and uniquely different from the city centre and has examined how highly contextual regeneration frameworks have acted as a catalyst to begin to restore and reconnect the Northern Quarter back to the adjacent city centre. Obsolescence and regeneration have been two intertwined issues that have laid the foundation for this research. Urban regeneration has played a crucial role in the many strategic regeneration documents drawn up for the integration of the Northern Quarter and the larger context around it. This phenomenon has helped highlight the range of issues, their varying degrees of importance, the complexities associated with each one and solution required to successfully revive an area. Obsolescence on the other hand has created a better understanding of the importance of historic buildings within the city fabric. I believe the success of the Northern Quarter is deeply rooted in the survival of its cultural and historic layers, and the architectural heritage of the built within. Stevenson Square is the physical core of the current day Northern Quarter, and is also the intangible essence of the area. When attention is paid to revive this space and create a truly public space, it will become a landmark that people orient themselves towards. I feel that a psychological connect between the public and the Northern Quarter is yet to be formulated, and creating and promoting the effective place making of the Square can change this. The Urbanistics document has played a crucial role in designing a culturally conscious vision for the Northern Quarter, but it still seemed to fail as means to relink the area with the rest of the city centre. This issue of a disconnect between the micro and macro context remains a pressing problem as the Manchester City Council appears inadequate. Outside of this problem, I believe the steps taken to regenerate the Northern Quarter within itself give reason for celebration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as the overall quality of urban space has improved. I think one must acknowledge that the Northern Quarter has always been uniquely different, and this inherent difference has designated it to be a standalone core inside the city centre. Overtime, I think the area will hopefully feed into the city and not the other way around, when what it has to offer is projected positively to the public.

The Northern Quarter in my opinion is an urban jewel. It is filled with history, culture and heritage – strong qualities that work with each other instead of against. The physical link between the city centre and the Northern Quarter may never be resolved, although I believe the need to socially integrate different developments is arguable, as they each have a different role to play in the larger context, and these may not work well together. But, I think within itself the Northern Quarter can be better linked, with the community being better integrated into the context. The Northern Quarter Residents Forum is a step in this direction. Should the Northern Quarter tackle basic issues of cleanliness, pedestrian safety and night time crime, it can provide better opportunities to live, work and play and in turn this can assist in renewing the area.

The question the paper aimed to investigate was : “What follows Urban Obsolescence?”

My opinion is that understanding obsolescence will answer what will follow it. Learning about the problem, at a fundamental level, will give the solution to tackle it if not completely undo it. I think some degree of urban obsolescence is inevitable and planning for it will help formulate a more refined strategy of regeneration of the area. The spirit of the place, the built environment and the urban fabric – can all be subject to obsolescence, and these are also areas that can be revived and regenerated successfully. I believe the cycle of life and death applies to cities, and cities are constantly evolving and this evolution and growth is what follows obsolescence. Therfore at best, we must design to accept cycles of obsolescence and renewal. To conclude, we must consider, how do we know when we have reversed urban obsolescence? It is hard to create a yardstick to measure this by as the city is constantly evolving, but we can rejoice in the small victories Northern Quarter has made in restoring its entirety and in its desire to regenerate itself. An area that became derelict and disuse, the latest master plan has shown how it houses the potential to change into a cleaner, greener and more inviting area. Looking at examples such as this can be a positive reminder of what urban planners and architects should be doing. Our designs are not finite, and frozen in time. Rather, they will change and age and be shadowed by newer and brighter developments. The potential to hold their ground, thus, lies in their adaptability and willingness to change with time and accomodate the needs of the new generation.

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” (Gehry. F.)

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A : URBANISTICS DOCUMENTS

Images from document (URBANISTICS)

Short term goal for Northern Quarter (URBANISTICS)

Mid term goal for Northern Quarter (URBANISTICS)

Long term goal for Northern Quarter (URBANISTICS)

Vision for Northern Quarter (URBANISTICS)

APPENDIX B : URBANISTICS DOCUMENTS CORE OBJECTIVES

Working with existing strengths O1. Retaining and developing the quality of the independent retail and cultural offer The aspiration is to nurture high quality, but independently owned, retail and cultural attractions. The Northern Quarter has attracted a number niche independent retail outlets – the desire is for more of these. These high quality outlets would of course be located ‘cheek by jowl’ with some of the more quirky retail outlets (Afflecks Palace, second hand vinyl shops). The N4 Craft Market, with renewed direction and focus, could make a major contribution to the delivery of this objective. O2. Nurturing a creative production base of national and international standing A continued presence of all parts of the creative industries in the N4 is crucial. This means a mix of commercial creative industries (design, architects, advertising practices, interactive computer software etc), ‘semi-commercial’ firms (artists in studio space etc) and subsidised creative enterprises - such as the Chinese Arts Centre and Band on the Wall. The latter are an essential component of the creative mix and offer continuity/sustainability in an often volatile commercial environment. The intention is that the N4 gains growing national and international recognition for its concentration of creative industries. O3. Managing transition within the fashion/textile base There is a need to manage the changes (and challenges) that are likely to be faced by the N4 textile and fashion base in the next five years. The sector currently comprises some 180 firms, employing in excess of 1,000 staff in the N4. This will involve the successful relocation of some traders to other Manchester locations (in line with their stated intentions), and the retention of some traders in selected N4 locations.

Encouraging the new O4. Nurture a distinctive, high quality, mixed residential market The explosion of interest in city centre living in Manchester has created good demand for sites for residential new build/conversion across the city. The buildings in N4 are sought-after as they offer good characterful conversion opportunities. The aspiration is to nurture high quality residential schemes throughout the N4. The role of the Northern Quarter as a continued location for both Housing Association and Council tenants must not be overlooked. The N4 benefits from a long established and stable population of council tenants. This housing stock is an important tool in maintaining a mix of affordable city centre housing opportunities, and a balanced city centre community. This mixed offer should also extend to affordable ‘non-social’ housing. O5. Enhancing the built form This objective will address buildings that generally fail to make a positive contribution to the N4, these may be both derelict and empty buildings and cleared (empty) sites. The threat of compulsory purchase (CPO) will be a key tool in tackling some of these eyesores. A small number of larger scale development opportunities might also be pursued under this objective – including the Tib Street surface car park site and the Former Lever Street bus Station (and adjoining land).

Enhancing the public realm O6. Create distinctive linkages to, from and within the N4 The N4 is surrounded by significant arrival points to the Regional Centre. Piccadilly and Victoria Stations to the east and west respectively; central multi-storey car parks; bus and Metrolink stations at Piccadilly Gardens and the proposed transport interchange at Shudehill.Considering the potential of this setting the area lacks positive recognisable entry points. Signage has been poor or non-existent, and is especially weak from Piccadilly and Market Street. The Quarter’s proximity to key arrival points and footfall generators needs to be capitalised on. More can also be done to improve internal linkages within the Northern Quarter – in terms of both primary/secondary street treatments and by improving pedestrian routes. O7. Creating a cleaner, safer, more secure setting It is fair to say that crime and fear of crime have been and continue to be very real barriers to the successful regeneration of the N4. This objective will try to ensure that the levels of crime in the Northern Quarter are reduced over the next five years. The objective will demand efforts from a variety of partners and constructive dialogue with the many social agencies operating within the quarter. There is also a need to reinforce the relationship between the local business base and the Local Area Partnership on issues of crime and nuisance. Additional physical measures such as more effective street lighting and additional CCTV resources will also be required.

Enhancing the image, identity and management of the N4 O8. Promoting the assets of N4 more effectively - wider recognition on a local, regional, national scale. This objective is principally concerned with raising the profile of the Northern Quarter – both as a quarter in it’s own right but also as an important part of the Manchester City Centre offer. Successful delivery of this objective will require a concerted effort on additional marketing activities to raise profile. The ambition is for much wider national and international recognition of the distinctive qualities of the N4 and the fact that the N4 is a key part of the Manchester City Centre offer. O9. Ensuring effective management & co-ordination The challenges within the N4 will only be met by effective management and co-ordination of activities. All co-ordination and management should be undertaken within the context of wider city centre management systems (via the City Centre Management Company) – reinforcing the fact that the Northern Quarter is a fundamental part of the wider city centre. The N4 does, however, have many different characteristics to other parts of central retail core and there is a strong case for additional tailored management and co-ordination arrangements with a dedicated staff resource. O10. Providing a rich mix of events/activities in the N4 This objective will try to ensure that the N4 benefits to optimum effect from the wide variety of events and activities taking place in Manchester every year. The objective is also concerned with trying to develop, where appropriate, a rich mix of bespoke events, designed to celebrate the distinctiveness and diversity of the N4. Many creative quarters across the UK (including in the past, the N4) have arranged an annual festival, or similar event. Over the next 5 years it may be possible to (re)establish such a feature in the N4 within the wider programme of Manchester City centre events.

KEY FACILITATING ACTIONS The collaboration needed to take forward the N4 is all the more likely to occur if a dedicated resource is available to bring partners together, and harness their energy. There is a strong case for a N4 co-ordinator. All partners will need to place a premium on working with some of the N4 social agencies to ensure that any disturbances created by clients are minimised. This will require sustained efforts to ensure closer dialogue and co-operation between the individual agencies and between the agencies and Manchester City Council/GM Police. There should also be a stated intention that no further clustering of social agencies in the N4 will take place. The role of the N4 outreach worker (acting as a liaison point between the social agencies) is beginning to reap rewards in terms of improving co-ordination. This is an important function that will need to be developed further. There is a need to reinforce the relationship between the local business base and the Local Area Partnership on issues of crime and nuisance. More generally, there is a need to ensure that GM Police are more visible within the N4 and respond appropriately to issues of crime and security within the N4 business base. Local businesses are also keen to see a more effective presence from the City Centre Rangers within the N4. Sustained dialogue amongst traders (and between traders and public sector agencies) is imperative. Previous traders associations have been established in the N4, but have arguably lacked focus. A new traders association, with something for members ‘to get their teeth into’, would be a useful vehicle in taking forward the N4. The concept of an N4 Investors Forum has been discussed for some time. The idea behind such a forum would be to try and encourage principal landowners and active developers to build up a collective, shared view on the future of the N4 (based on the aspirations of this Framework document). Given the launch of this new Framework document, now would be an appropriate time to formalise the Investors Forum. New possible funding opportunities (such as BIDS) might provide a suitable vehicle for engaging with any new traders forum. A conventional BIDS Programme would harness the spirit of co-operation and sharing in the N4, but the downside is that tenants in the N4 are arguably the least able to afford any additional ‘tax’. Alternative BIDS models may, however, work very well in the N4. The N4 has the potential to act as a national demonstrator for BIDS in city fringe areas. Work is already underway in taking this forward. From a planning perspective, specific reference should be made in any forthcoming Local Development Document on the need for affordable business space in the N4 - this may extend to the creation of a specific policy area (within the Local Development Document) for affordable business space, possibly around the Thomas St area of the N4 Partners should ensure, as a priority, that the N4 benefits in full from the existing programme of city centre events and street entertainments. The relaunch of (a revamped) N4 festival should also be explored.

PRIORITY FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC REALM

Gateways - Enhancement of the High Street and High Street/Church Street gateways â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these are likely to be increasingly important pedestrian thoroughfares - Dale Street/Ducie Street junction (likely to be used increasingly to link pedestrians from Piccadilly Station/Basin with the N4) - Access across Great Ancoats Street â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the principal gateway to and from the N4 from Ancoats - Improvements to the Piccadilly Gardens end of Tib Stt, Oldham St, Lever St and Newton S - Brewer Street or Hilton Street as a gateway into the area from Piccadilly Basin.

Pedestrian friendly junctions - Dale Street/Port St junction. Arguably one of the least pedestrian friendly parts of the N4, and likely to be used increasingly to link pedestrians from Piccadilly Station/Basin with the N4. - High Street/Thomas Street junction. Likely to be in increasingly important pedestrian thoroughfare.

Primary street functions - Lever St - Tib Street (between Church Street and Hilton Street) - Enhancement of the High Street gateway - The stretches of Newton Street, Dale Street and Hilton Street that have not already been improved

Internal blocks - Access arrangements to the rear of some buildings, possibly limiting access and more clearly identifying private areas - will serve to enhance the block structure of many parts of the N4. - Development of shared mews style surfaces providing public routes to interior of blocks - primarily in the area between Church Street and Thomas Street. - Further improvements to the residential streets between Tib St north and the Ician scheme.

Open spaces - Stevenson Square. Provides the opportunity to create an urban square of local and regional significance. - Land at junction of Dale Street and Lever Street.

APPENDIX C : MSA DOCUMENTS

Proposed parking structures within Northern Quarter (Author)

Proposed transit routes within Northern Quarter (Author)

Proposed hard and soft landscaping within Northern Quarter (Author)

Consolidated proposal for Northern Quarter (Author)

Diversity charter : 1. Sustainability 2. Urbans use 3. Diversity 4. Community

5. Permeability 6. Street 7. Landscape 8. Architecture 9. Scale

Existing masterplan of Northern Quarter (MSA) The masterplan has more hard landscaping and prioritizes bus and car modes of transit. There is a disconnecting from the fringe area to the core, with secluded areas of greenery and relief. This in turn breaks the region into smaller and smaller pockets. The canal is severely underutilized currently.

Proposed masterplan for Northern Quarter (MSA) The proposed masterplan tries to incorporatea green corridor throught the space and along the canal. Also pedestrianization was key, and the aim was to reduce the number of private vehicles in the area. This led to a proposal aimed at creating a dedicated transit service within the Northern Quarter.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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