Haddington feasibility study by robin hutchinson

Haddington - Feasibility study

Robin Hutchinson

Contents Mission statement Editors summary Reference OS map Geographical location

S.W.O.T. of Haddington

60-61

5 6-7

62-71

History Brief history of development historic photographs listed buildings summary and analysis

8-13

context population info. and economy geology hydrology traffic movement pedestrian walkways building use green space use biodiversity summary and analysis

14-35

Case studies Bourbon lane, London Watercolour, Redhill, Surrey Tahari Courtyards, Millburn, USA forecourt, Lohne, Germany Glasgow garden festival Craigmillar, Edinburgh Top town, Stirling Stanmore Place, Harrow Summary Design brief Concepts Green regeneration Forest landcape Modern landscape Wetlands and water

72-85

character areas areas 1 to 13 summary, analysis and selection

36-51

Area of design/ regeneration

52-53

local destinations Hailes Castle Traprain Law Berwick Law Tantallon Castle

54-57

future developments letham developments dovecot developments

58-59

Bibliography Appendix

Mission statement

The project divides the town of Haddington into distinct zones, based on their character and analyses the key aspects of Haddington. This analysis will determine how future development can build upon the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s positive characters. One area is selected, based on its suitability for regeneration and implementation of a bespoke multifunctional landscape design. Four concepts for developments are proposed.

Summary of process For the purposes of this study Haddington is given a distinct boundary, although the town technically spreads much further with small conurbations. Key background information such as history and hydrology, focusing on the aspects which make Haddington unique, is presented. Haddington is split in to distinctive character areas, each of which is analysed briefly and two are selected for improvement and development. There is a summary of why the area has been chosen, along with a brief but slightly more in depth survey of that area. Local areas of interest are identified, as well as existing planned developments and relevant case studies. Each case study is reviewed, drawing upon subjects which will benefit the overall design of a new development. The key points are summarised. Conceptual designs are accompanied by a short description. Each is based upon the conclusions from the previous survey and analysis data. Planning policy and the existing vision for Haddington are summarised, with the relevance to the selected site specifically in mind, in the appendix. Theories that are referred to are also included in the appendix. (Important pages within the survey, analysis and selection process are highlighted with a black bar in the background of the bottom of the page. Example below.)

For reference

The image to the right shows how far, both by distance and time, surrounding places of interest are from Haddington, highlighting the need for a better public transport system.

To the left is an OS map of Haddington town centre. It may be useful as a reference throughout the study as key street names are used fairly frequently.

Geographical location Haddington is situated approximately 20 miles to the east of Edinburgh next to the river Tyne. It has been established as a wealthy economic hub since the middle ages. Haddingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity to Edinburgh and access to the countryside and beaches has led to its expansion as a commuter town in the last 40 years. Areas of housing have been rapidly constructed from the 1960s. Unlike the town centre many of these developments lack unique character and feel incongruous. The nearest beach is at Longniddry which is 5 miles to the north west and looks out across the mouth of the river Forth. There are several more scenic beaches along the coast to the north and east, including Yellowcraigs, Gullane, Tyninghame and Belhaven. By car Haddington is 1.5 hours from Glasgow, 2 hours from Newcastle, 3.5 hours from Leeds and 7 hours from London.

Aerial photograph of Haddington and the surrounding landscape

6 Location within the UK

7 Haddington was established as a royal burgh in the 12th century by King David I of Scots, and is ‘one the most attractive and unspoilt market towns in the country’. The town nestles beneath the Garleton Hills on the banks of the River Tyne. As you would expect of a burgh that is 800 years old, it has many places of historic interest.

Aerial photograph of Haddington, view from East to West

area of study is approximately 660 hectares or 6.6km2

Haddington is home to East Lothian Council's head office and the Sheriff Court. The town's modern facilities include the John Gray Centre, opened in April 2012 which houses a library, museum, county archives and a local history centre. The building is named after John Gray of Haddington (1646-1717) a Church of Scotland minister who donated a library and trust to the poor of the town. The Aubigny Sports Centre is named after Haddington's French twin town of Aubigny-sur-Nere. The town centre has an ‘excellent’ variety of small specialist shops, as well as a supermarket.

Haddington’s surrounding landscapes

History

Haddington is considered to be one of the finest medieval burghs in Scotland. The original layout consisted of a triangle of three main streets: Market Street, Hardgate and High Street. All three remain largely unchanged. Later additions such as Side Gate, Dunbar Road, Court Street and West Road developed as links to other local towns grew. Court Street is wide and open and hosts the monthly farmers market. The town centre has over 150 commercial premises, most of which are within easy reach of each other. Haddington’s initial wealth and settlement was due to its location, It is situated alongside the river Tyne next to fertile land. Edinburgh, the capital city, is only 20 miles to the West and Aberlady port, an important trading dock during Haddington’s development, is only 6 miles to the North West. Haddington sits on the main route from London to Edinburgh which brought it prosperity but also led to the development of a busy motorway on the outskirts of the North of the town. The Tyne is also well known to burst its banks and has caused severe damage throughout Haddington’s history.

Haddinton’s most ancient building is St Martin’s Church. It is now a ruin but it is reputed to be the oldest church in Scotland. It was part of an abbey of Cistercian nuns founded in 1178 by Princess Ada, mother of King William the Lion. A royal palace built by William stood in Court Street where his son, the future King Alexander II, was born in 1198.

Poldrate Mill Jane Welsh Carlyle House

St. Mary’s

St Mary’s Collegiate Church dates from the 14th century and is one of three great pre-Reformation churches in the Lothians. It is also the largest parish church in Scotland.

Town House

Other buildings of note include: 17th century Haddington House, with its charming walled garden; the Town House, built in the 18th century to a design by William Adam, the neoclassical architect; and Giffordgate, which is reputedly the birthplace of the famous ecclesiastical reformer John Knox. St. Martin’s

Below are a series of maps highlighting the built environment of Haddington town centre from the 12th century up to 2012. The central layout of the town has changed minimally but there has been a rapid change of the outer edges from the 1960s onwards. The later developments are far less densely built than the town centre and the street layout is less structured.

1150

1819

1856

1895

1960

2012

Urban animation 2012

History Historic photographs

Haddington, 1947

Aerial photograph from 1947 shows the river Tyne running through Haddington with St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church in the foreground and the Nungate bridge traversing the river in the centre. Highlighted is Whittingehame Drive, leading from Victoria Bridge to Amisfield. The town is still relatively compact at this point and the majority of the buildings are from the 19th century or earlier. Aerial photograph from 2011 shows Amisfield golf course and some of the development in the Nungate. Since 1947 there have been many residential developments, to the North (left of the picture) including Abbots View and Artillery park, to the South Monkmains and Seggerstein. In the centre of the picture is the Amisfield golf course, which was opened in 1865.

Aerial photograph from 1947 shows St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, the Tyne and Nungate bridge. At this point the area to the South (top of picture) is relatively undeveloped, housing several holdings and farmland. View across Haddington in 2011. The river Tyne is highlighted as well as the Nungate bridge and St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church. Highlighted in the yellow are the areas of Haddington which were developed prior to the 18th Century. The rest of the town has developed since with much of it from the 1960s onward.

Haddington, 2011

Photo of Market Street, early 20th century

History Historic photographs

Photograph of Market Street from the early 20th century. The street is very similar to this day. A couple of buildings on the northern side have been removed. All of the main streets that formed the triangle were cobbled.

Photo of Market Street in 2011

Photograph of market street in 2011. The road has been narrowed slightly to accommodate free on-street parking. Market Street, High Street and Hardgate have a one way system in place which was introduced in 2012 to try to reduce congestion. The result has been faster moving traffic but similar levels of congestion.

Photo of Court Street and Town House, 1940s

Photo of Court Street and Town House, 2011

The photographs from the 1940s and 2011 show that the original layout of the streets and buildings have remained almost identical. Since the 1940s a couple of buildings have been removed and wider pavements have been incorporated. William Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grade A Town House is clearly visible in the centre of both of the photos.

History Listed buildings Map of Haddington highlighting the listed buildings

There are 365 listed buildings, bridges, monuments and walls within the Haddington area. The majority are grade B listed, but there are many grade C and a significant number of grade A listed buildings. The medieval centre of the town contains many of the listed buildings and subsequently is not subject to much change in the near future. The listed buildings give the town its sense of place and the character for which it is known. The main downside to having such an historic centre is the cost of maintainance and restoration. As a result, a significant proportion have been left to deteriorate and are showing signs that they may need extensive repair. Fortunately many of the buildings require only routine maintainance like clearing gutters and replacing roof tiles.

KEY grade A listed grade B listed grade C listed

St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church

The Nungate bridge

The Bank of Scotland

Jane Welsh Carlyle House

Town House

History summary/analysis Haddington has a very rich and interesting history that where possible should be celebrated. This does not mean that new developments should mimic the character of the historic centre, but a palette of materials can be informed by the existing town so that new developments do not clash with or damage the town’s historic character. Building development through the 1940-70s in Haddington are a good example of where the fashion of architecture at the time was given priority over creating developments which would ‘fit in’ or boost the town’s architectural character. For example using a grey pebble dashed (or “harled”) finish is common in Scotland. Cost is obviously a major factor with all new developments but the sustainability of a town and its character should be seen as an investment rather than an expense. The history of Haddington is an important part of the town’s character, which should be built upon by the introduction of interesting and attractive housing and regeneration projects. CABE’s “Building in Context” document suggests that “the right approach is to be found in examining the context for any proposed development in great detail and relating the new building to its surroundings through an informed character appraisal.” CABE give this short list as a basic guideline on what should be considered:

• relate well to the geography and history of the place and the lie of the land • sit happily in the pattern of existing development and routes through and around it • respect important views • respect the scale of neighbouring buildings • use materials and building methods which are as high in quality as those used in existing buildings • create new views and juxtapositions which add to the variety and texture of the setting

From these guidelines it is immediately clear where many of the 1960s developments in Haddington went wrong. It is evident that the existing estates followed a pattern of development which was widely used in the Lothians and does not take into account distinguishing features of the town and its surroundings. New developments should learn from the past and take into account the scale, character and topography of the town and adjacent areas.

Context

population information

Population Detailed population information for the town of Haddington alone is not available, as it is included in the Haddington and Lammermuir ward. The ward contains 12,932 people and Haddington alone roughly 10,000 (2010). 19% of the population are children and young people, which is slightly higher than the Scottish average. 59% of the population are of working age population, which is significantly lower than the Scottish average and 22% of the population are of pensionable age. Housing The most common type of housing in Haddington is terraced (30%). Semi detached (27%) and detached (24%) make up the bulk of the remainder. Flats (18%) are significantly below the average in East Lothian (28%). There is, however, significant variation across Haddington. In Haddington north, 23% of houses are detached compared to 9% in Haddington south. Most of the population of Haddington have either lived there for over 20 years (44%) or between 5 and 20 years (41%). Only 11% have lived there for under 5 years. The following tables show the make up of the property ownership in Haddington compared to that of East Lothian and the average composition of the households in Haddington and East Lothian.

Housing association homes East Lothian Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website provides information on the total number of housing association stock available across the county. Of these, 364 (18%) are in the Haddington and Lammermuir ward. Council Housing In May 2011, East Lothian Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total housing stock across the county was 8187 dwellings. Of these, 873 (9%) are in the Haddington and Lammermuir ward.

The statistics strongly suggest that Haddington has and ageing and settled population. This may imply that green infrastructure for the population and their grandchildren would be appreciated. Green corridors and small public green spaces could encourage people to walk to to town, their local shop or a social destination. Encouraging local residents to walk or cycle rather than drive to other areas within Haddington could have a positive impact upon their health, the environment and reduce congestion in the town.

Context

Economy

Haddington’s location next to the river Tyne led to its prominent economy during the middle ages when it was famous for its mills. During this period it developed into the fourth largest town in Scotland behind Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Roxburgh.The land surrounding Haddington is fairly flat and arable. The soil is high in nutrients, which is one of the reasons the town was influential in the 18th century Scottish Agricultural Revolution. Several mills were constructed shortly after 1645 when an official document was produced which exempted masters and workers of mills producing fine cloth from military service. The majority of the mills were auctioned in 1712 after the cloth was taken by General Monck during the civil war. The land was also sold off and renamed Amisfield, where there is now a walled garden and golf course. The retail capacity study carried out in 2006- 2007 for Haddington town centre identified that people travelled from local towns such as North Berwick, Gullane, Gifford, Port Seton, East Linton, Pencaitland, Cockenzie, Humbie and Dunbar for independent shopping. There are over 150 commercial premises in Haddington. Haddington also hosts a local farmers market every month which provides a hub for local farmers and food producers to sell their produce directly to customers. The Haddington agricultural show, where modern and old farm machinery are displayed and sold along side farm animals and show animals, is held in June each year. A range of activities and displays suitable for people of all age groups draw in people from across East and Mid Lothian. There are other annual events which attract people to the region, particularly Lennoxlove book festival, which hosts talks about specific books by their authors. Speakers have included Alistair Darling, Mark Beaumont and JK Rowling. The ELDC (East Lothian District Council) headquarters is located at John Muir House just behind Court Street in the centre of the town. The ELDC alone employs over 5000 people; more than the working age population of Haddington. Chain retailers based in Haddington include Tesco, Subway, Boots, and Greggs. Besides retail and administration, the town is home to various firms offering professional services such as dentistry, accountancy and wealth managers. It has industrial capacity in the works beside the Tyne at the Victoria Bridge (PureMalt), and around the site of the old station and at the Gateside commerce park to the west of the town. Haddington is also home to the offices of the local newspaper the East Lothian Courier. Haddington’s propinquity to Edinburgh is a major attraction but also has some economic consequences. There is evidence of expenditure leakage from Haddington to Edinburgh. There is concern that the lack of certain types of shops within Haddington (primarily electrical goods) lead to loss of business to Edinburgh and retail outlets surrounding the city. As the ELDC headquarters, Haddington benefits both directly and indirectly from tourism within East Lothian, which is substantial. More efficient transport links between Haddington and surrounding towns and tourist attractions could be a significant benefit to Haddington’s economy. Hillary’s Deli

Erica’s Florist

Mike’s Bikes

Waterloo Bistro

Fabrications

Colin Peat, Butcher

Haddington Herbals

Leisuretime Sports

Geology map and analysis Bedrock and Superficial geology

map of the geology of Haddington and the surrounding areas.

Bedrock Geology: Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone and seatrock, with some coal seams, ironstones and limestones. Non-marine faunas are common. Marine faunal bands are rare except in the top part. The sedimentary bedrock was formed approximately 327 to 344 million years ago in the Carboniferous Period. The local environment was previously dominated by swamps, estuaries and deltas. These rocks were formed in marginal coastal plains with lakes and swamps periodically inundated by the sea; or estuaries and deltas, and shallow seas. Normally soft to firm consolidated, compressible silty clay, but can contain layers of silt, sand, peat and basal gravel. A stronger, desiccated surface zone may be present. Superficial Deposits: Alluvium - Clay, Silt And Sand. Superficial Deposits were formed up to 2 million years ago in the Quaternary Period. The local environment was previously dominated by rivers. These rocks were formed from rivers depositing mainly sand and gravel detrital material in channels to form river terrace deposits, with fine silt and clay from overbank floods forming floodplain alluvium, and some bogs depositing peat; includes estuarine and coastal plain deposits mapped as alluvium. Bedrock Geology Superficial Deposits Scottish coal - mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, Alluvium - clay, silt and sand coal, ironstone and ferricrete Clackmannan group Blown sand Strathclyde group Inverclyde group - sandstone, siltstone and mudstone Felsic lava and Felsis Tuff

Glacial sand and gravel

Mafic lava and Mafic tuff

Till - diamiction

Dolerite and Tholeitic Basalt Felsic rock Mafic Igneous rock Pyroclastic rock Stratheden - sandstone and conglomerate Subordinate sandstone igneous - Felsick, Silurian to Devonian Gala group - Wacke Portpatrick/ Glenwhargen - wacke Shinnel/Glenlee - wacke

The river Tyne cuts through carboniferous sedimentary rock at various places much further upstream, though there are very little exposures. However, a lot of fossil material finds its way downstream and can be found at many places where the river bends.

Peat Raised marine deposits

carboniferous sedimentary rock

Traprain law(see places of interest)

carboniferous sedimentary rock

Fossil plant fragments

Hydrology map and analysis

This map shows the areas which are likely to be subject to flooding.

The River Tyne flows from south west to north east along the southern edge of Haddington, which is fairly regularly subject to minor flooding. Because it has been an important town since medieval times major flooding has been quite well documented—there is historical evidence of flooding from 1358. The most recent severe flood was in 1948 when the majority of Haddington was affected. Since then there have been four significant flooding events: 1956, 1990, 1992 and 2012. One of the most severe well documented floods occured on the 4th of October 1775, when the river was said to have risen by 17 feet in one hour. According to ‘Sargent’ writing on 29 September 1846, “the Nungate area was flooded and parts of the lower town to Sidegate Lane and the Custom Stone. The level reached five feet along Gimmersmill’ s orchard wall.” The railway bridge at East Linton was swept away but it is likely that it was under construction at the time.

According to the East Lothian Council, Haddington Flood Study The areas which are particularly susceptable to flooding are: · The Sands · Ball Alley · Parts of St Mary’s Pleasance · Parts of Church Street / High Street · Elm House · Garage · Holy Trinity Church · Waterside area adjacent to Nungate Bridge. · North of Bridge Street · Superstore adjacent to Victoria Bridge · Parts of Lennox Road area · St Martins Gate area · Nungate area · Whittinghame Drive · Playing Fields · Tynehouse · Poldrate Road · Tynehouse School · St Mary’s Church · Sidegate

The Nungate bridge water levels

* see contents

The water run off in Haddington during rain is quite high; none of the street surfaces are permeable and plant and tree cover is minimal. There are mature trees along the riverside, which create a pleasant sheltered walkway, but they are often planted too close to the river and drainage ditches. As a direct result, fallen limbs and leaves block sections and reduce water flow which increases the risk of minor flooding. Most of the land surrounding Haddington is arable. As a result, a large amount of water runs off into drainage ditches and straight into the river. Suitable planting could help to reduce run off and thereby reduce the risk of flooding. At the moment Haddington has no SUDS (sustainable urban drainage systems) in place. Implementation during the town’s planned improvements could reduce water run off significantly in key areas and minimise local flooding. New developments should be aware of the flooding risk and create suitable schemes to deal with excess water in an efficient, sustainable and where appropriate interesting manner.

The Poldrate Mill 2012

trees too close to water

branches falling into Tyne

over grown drainage

Traffic Movement

Plan

Traffic Movement

KEY Highest traffic flow

High traffic flow

Medium traffic flow

low traffic flow

Lowest traffic flow

photo of high street early 20th century

In general the traffic flow in Haddington is quite reasonable but there are several areas which suffer from congestion, especially during school opening and closing times. The road with the highest traffic flow is the A1 but there is little to no congestion because it is a dual carriageway. The area that is most affected by traffic congestion is the town centre around the triangular road system along Court Street, Market Street, Hard Gate and High street. There is street parking along all of these streets and as a result vehicular movement can become quite hectic. A one way system has recently been implemented to try to reduce congestion problems; this has helped to an extent but has had the side effect of increased vehicular speed and frequency through the town centre. This has made the town centre less usable by pedestrians, and there is only one pedestrian crossing in the area. The main roads out and in to Haddington also have quite heavy traffic movement, primarily Dunbar Road, Sidegate, Aberlady Road, Pencaitland Road and the A199. The A199 has the only petrol station within 8 miles of Haddington and there is often a queue at the roadside. Other roads in Haddington are fairly quiet apart from during rush hour and at the entrance to Tesco supermarket. At the moment the town centre feels dominated by cars. Sometimes, pedestrians have to wait long periods to cross the roads. There are two pedestrian crossings; one on High Street and one on Court Street, while Market Street, Dunbar Road, Hardgate and Sidegate have none. An important aspect of improving the town centre would be to give more priority to pedestrians, either by widening the streets or creating an environment which promotes slower driving, as is the case in North Berwick High Street. Any new development in Haddington should have a clear hierarchy of streets, with, if possible, priority given to pedestrians and cyclists. Because of the poor public transport links, cars are relied upon. Improving public transport from Edinburgh in particular could reduce the need for cars and parking facilities.

The street feels much wider because of the lack of parked cars and specific car or pedestrian areas. Court street leading to Market Street.

Hardgate, leading to Sidegate

High street, looking west

Petrol station on the A199

Analysis

Pedestrian walkways Plan

3 2

All of the major walkways around Haddington are used primarily for leisure. The only one which could be used directly as a commute is the Railway walk because it goes directly to the nearest train station. The paths on the whole are very scenic and would be an asset to any town, but there is opportunity to increase their connectivity so that they lead directly or indirectly* to key areas of the town or countryside. During the mornings, especially during the week, the playing fields to the south of the town are used as a cut through by local residents on their way to school or town. The playing fields have plenty of space to create areas which students and commuters can walk through or meet friends in. It is important that any new development provides places for people of all age groups to meet and socialise. * choice, quick or long Railway walk

Riverside walk 2

Abbey Bridge walk3

Pedestrian walkways

walkways in town centre

Analysis

There are three main designated walkways around Haddington; Railway walk, Riverside walk and Abbey Bridge walk. There are many walks in the surrounding area but there are only three which are directly accessible from the town.

Urban animation 2012

Railway walk,

runs from the western side of Haddington directly to the train station at Longniddry roughly 4.5 miles away. The route is well used by cyclists and joggers as well as dog walkers and some horse riders. The pathway in parts is gravel and in parts is earth, the path can become boggy and slippery during the winter months or during prolonged periods of rain despite it being raised. It is a potentially more useful link from Haddington to Edinburgh through use of the train station. It is primarily used for leisure rather than as a commuters path, possibly because of the distance, condition of the surface and the cost and frequency of the trains. Riverside walk,

runs alongside the Tyne, towards the Nungate bridge and leads into The Sands and Church Street which in turn leads directly to the High Street. The path is used mainly by dog walkers and families. There are certain areas along the path that allow cut throughs into housing areas and to the school playing fields. Along the walkways there are mature trees which cast dappled light and act as a significant windbreak. Abbey Bridge walk,

The map above shows the main and minor footpaths through the centre of Haddington. It shows how much the paths are used rather than their condition. Housing development has spread to the North West and is becoming â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;too farâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for people to want to walk into town. As a result people drive to the shops in town which can cause congestion.

runs around the edge of Amisfield Golf course and crosses the Tyne at two points, notably at Abbey Bridge. The pathway is quite narrow in certain areas and could easily be altered. The section which runs along the north side of the Tyne is narrow but feels very open and spacious because of the views across the arable land.

walkway around park

Subsidiary pathways,

walkway around park

cut through, High street

There is a large number of interconnecting pedestrian pathways, both designed and desired.

town centre walkways

walkway to Lennoxlove

alleyway, High Street

Building use

22 Plan

Building use Analysis

KEY Residential

Health facilities

Haddington’s town centre contains primarily mixed use buildings with small business on the ground floor and several floors of flats above. The outskirts of Haddington are predominantly residential with very few areas of business. Several developments are taking place which will increase the residential capacity of Haddington by approximately 18%. There will be some facilities within the new developments.

Commercial/retail

There are two main hospital areas—Roodlands to the west and Herdmanflat to the north—each of which has several buildings within its grounds. There is also sheltered accommodation and several care homes towards the centre of Haddington.

Educational

There are branches of HBOS, RBS, Clydesdale and Lloyds TSB on Court Street opposite the Sherrif Court. The town has 9 pubs and many cafes/eating facilities and a Tesco supermarket. To the West of the town there is a small commercial area which houses a builders merchant, a mechanic and a machine hire shop.

Mixed use

Council/community

Sherrif Court, Court Street

St. Mary’s Church, Nungate

There are three state schools (two primary, one senior), two private primary schools and a couple of nurseries. There will be a new primary school in the new Letham Mains development. Future development(refer to contents page): Within the existing framework for the vision of Haddington town centre there is a focus on increasing the amount of retail facilities within the central district and, if necessary, building a small retail outlet on the outskirts of the town if it does not damage the town’s economy. The authors are concerned that economic leakage to Edinburgh and its retail centres could damage Haddington’s economy. Haddington already has 150 commercial premises, many of which are retail and a large number of those are small independent shops. These shops and the monthly farmers market draw people in from around the East Lothian and increase spending in Haddington. Haddington is a well established market and county town close to Edinburgh. Because access to Edinburgh by car is easy, it inevitably loses money to the large retail facilities there, but it also gains ‘tourism’ from Edinburgh. The danger is that in creating a town with larger retail outlets it becomes less desirable as a place for people from Edinburgh and other areas to come to ‘experience the countryside’.

Bank Of Scotland, Court Street

Knox Academy, Meadow Park

Roodlands Hospital

Mixed use, High Street

Machine Hire

Green Space

24 Plan

Green Space

KEY Private green space

Public green space

potential green space

Arable land

Sports fields

Analysis

Haddington has a relatively high density of green space but the majority surrounding Haddington is farmland while the majority in Haddington is private space or gardens. The total area of the site is 1630 acres, roughly 350 acres of which is residential, and in those residential areas approximately 80% of the green space is private. The lack of public green space is not directly a problem because of the access to countryside walks, but with Haddington’s potential to expand these fundamental issues should be solved before they become problems. The public green spaces that do exist are often surrounded by high garden fences and are not overlooked or ‘owned’ places. They often lack distinguishing features and are just large grassed areas with a row of trees. There is potential to increase the use of these spaces and their biodiversity significantly. There are several sports fields in Haddington. Some are private but the majority are open to the public. There are three main sporting areas: Haddington Rugby Club’s grounds and the Aubigny Sports Centre, Knox Academy playing fields and Amisfield golf course. There are a couple of smaller facilities like the bowling green and tennis courts. The rugby club’s grounds consist of a full size pitch and a smaller training pitch with a small cricket field at the far end, all of which are used regularly by club members and dog walkers. The school has a couple of football pitches and a couple of rugby pitches which are also used for athletics and sports days. The area is used as a cut through from residential areas to the town centre and local schools. The golf course is used secondarily by dog walkers and joggers who loop around the outskirts of the course along the riverside. There are several areas of privately owned land which are ‘unused’ and have become overgrown and ‘no go’ areas. While they are not good as spaces for people to actively use, the biodiversity is much higher than that of the public spaces. They could be used as an educational resource.

school sports

public park sports

Many of the private gardens have pollen rich plants which attract wildlife and insects. Small garden birds are common within the area. Kites and other birds of prey can also be seen in larger gardens and areas of surrounding land. fenced in green space

grassed areas, seemingly pointless

Any future development should increase the amount of desirable public green space and aim to link to both the town centre and the coutryside through green corridors to allow wildlife and people to navigate around the town without having to cross busy roads or travel along bland streets.

typical green space

Mature trees along the river

cemetery, open certain times

land owned by council

private gardens

Vegetation types/ Habitats

Haddington has a fairly wide range of vegetation, but it is not evenly distributed. Some gardens have a huge variety of plants while others contain only paving and gravel. To illustrate vegetation types and habitats, only distinctive and sample areas have been selected. Each area highlighted on the map will be given a brief description followed by a list of common or interesting plants.

Vegetation types/ Habitats

H1 - Herdmanflat Hospital semi mature mixed trees planted around the edges with young self seeded birch and cherry in swathes. Provides nesting spaces for several garden birds include the great spotted woodpecker. Many rabbit burrows present and cut logs and coppiced wood provides shelter for insects and small creatures like field mice.

H2 - Tyne side The river banks provide cover for small numbers of water voles in certain areas. Some willows grow close to the water’s edge which is mostly covered with grasses. Flooding limits certain self seeding trees from becoming established.

H3 - ‘The Park’ Most wildlife and foliage to be found in the field boundaries. Arable land ploughed and planted regularly. The boundaires consist of common hedgerow plants like Crataegus monogyna and smaller plants which have self seeded like Boehmeria cylindrica and Eleusine indica.

H4 - Neilson Park Formal garden with few ‘weeds’ or natural habitats. Foliage consists of common garden plants such as Buddleia and Ilex aquifolium. Hedges and larger trees provide shelter for birds and small mammals.

H5 - Riverside walk Primarily grassed expanses with mature street trees along the path edge. Hedging screens buildings to the north. Small channels once used by mills provide habitats for water voles.

H6 - Amisfield golf course Golf course is surrounded by semi mature woodland consisting of mostly Quercus petraea and Fagus sylvatica. Small ponds provide fishing opportunities for herons. Roe deer are commonly seen in the woodland areas eating sapling trees. Some garden species are found on peripheries.

H7 - St Mary’s Pleasance Gardens well maintained by Haddington Gardens Trust. Contains a small, young orchard, herb beds and ‘conservation area’. The garden is walled and therefore well sheltered from the wind. There is a huge variety of foliage beacause it is used as an educational resource.

H8 - Letham walk Small narrow semi mature mixed woodland. Mature trees are primarily Quercus robur and Pinus sylvestris. lower layers are made up from Acer pseudoplatanus. Coppiced Cornus alba and felled Prunus avium contribute to extensive shelter for small mammals. Roe deer are commonly sighted in the area.

H1 Betula pubescens Buxus sempervirens Carpinus betulus Chamerion angustifolium Cirsium vulgare

Alnus glutinosa Betula pendula Fagus sylvatica Fraxinus excelsior Salix caprea

Corylus avellana Cypressus sempervirens Cytisus scoparius Fagus sylvatica Ilex x altaclarensis

Larix decidua Plantago lanceolata Ranunculus acris Rhododendron ponticum Rosa canina

Rumex obtusifolius Sambucus nigra Taxus baccata Thuja occidentalis Tilia x europaea

Ulex europaeus

29 H3 Acer psuedoplatanus Boehmeria cylindrica Crataegus monogyna Eleusine indica Fraxinus

Azalea Buddleia Cordyline Cornus sanguinea Escallonia

Hedera helix Ilex aquifolium Rosa rugosa Rubus fruticosus

Euonymus Fagus sylvatica Hypericum Ilex Lonicera

Mahonia Phyllostachys aurea Sabal palmetto Sedum Skimmia

H5 Alnus Conopodium majus Cotoneaster Fagus sylvatica Fraxinus excelsior

Alnus Castanea Fagus sylvatica Ilex aquifolium Salix

Prunus ‘Spire’ Quercus petraea Rubus fruticosus Symphytum officinale Tilia x europaea

Tilia x europaea

31 H7 Acanthus spinosus Anaphalis margaritacea Asperula odorata Astrantia major Berberis vulgaris

Acer pseudoplatanus Araucaria araucana Caltha palustris Cornus alba Corylus avellana

Buxus sempervirens Carex pendula Cotoneaster horizontalis Corylus avellana Corylus maxima

Cydonia oblonga Cytisus battandieri Euphorbia Iris foetidissima Mahonia aquifolium

Malus - various Philadelphus coronarius Physalis alkekengi Prunus insititia Prunus domestica

Prunus cerasus Prunus avium Pyris Communis Rosa rugosa Taxus baccata fastigiata

Viburnum opulus Vinca major

Crataegus monogyna Dryopteris wallichiana Fagus sylvatica Fraxinus excelsior Ilex

Larix decidua Lonicera Malus sylvestris Pinus sylvestris Populus tremula

Prunus avium Prunus insititia Pyrus communis Quercus petraea Quercus robur

Rubus fruticosus Sorbus aria Sorbus aucuparia Taxus Baccata Ulmus glabra

Viburnum opulus

Biodiversity Forth area

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Forth area contains fantastic wildlife and scenery, including the world renowned landscapes of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and the internationally important bird populations of the Firth of Forth's coasts and islands. It is also heavily populated, and greenspace, open space and green networks have a vital role to play in people's economic prosperity, quality of life, health and well being and enjoyment of the outdoors. Our role is to protect the area's environment while maximising the many benefits it brings to the people who live, work and visit here.â&#x20AC;? Iain Rennick, Unit Manager

Isle of May Designated as a European Special Protection Area for breeding seabirds and a Special Area of Conservation to protect its seals and the rocky underwater reefs around the island.

Grey Seal

Puffin

Over 14,000 guillemots and 2,400 pairs of razorbills cram onto the ledges to breed. Just under 500 pairs of shags breed on the island, along with around 360 pairs of fulmars. Kittiwake numbers have varied in recent years, declining from 8,000 nests in 1990 to around 2,300 nests in recent years, triggering concern for their conservation. Puffins nest wherever they can find soil deep enough to dig burrows or can usurp old rabbit burrows. Puffin numbers increased from a mere handful in 1959 to an estimated 68,000 active burrows in 2002, but have since declined to around 45,000 occupied burrows in 2009.1,000 pairs of eider duck nest on grassy areas or in the shelter of boulders. The other important seabirds on the May are terns. They disappeared from the island in the 1970s. Numbers have recovered slowly since then, but vary greatly from year to year. In 2009, 405 common and arctic tern nests were found, which is fairly consistent with numbers since 2003, but in 2010 the colony was abandoned completely.

Eider

Guillemots

Razorbill

Biodiversity Forth area

St. Abbs Head Sea campion and thrift or sea pink is particularly abundant. Red campion grows where the soil is enriched with seabird guano. Roseroot, a plant of northern sea cliffs and mountain tops, grows on a few spots, together with Scots lovage, a northern plant almost at the south of its British range here. Where grazing is not too heavy, grassland has developed enhanced by a mix of lime-rich and lime-poor soils. Common rockrose and the scarce purple milk-vetch grow in the richer soils, as well as thyme, kidney vetch and a range of grass species. Spring sandwort and hare's-foot clover grow on rocks. There are small clumps of heather on the more acidic soils. The Mire Loch is surrounded by scrub woodland and some tall herb grassland with species like bluebell and great wood-rush. This grassland supports a range of invertebrates, of which the butterflies are most easily spotted. Meadow browns and common blues flit amongst the flowers, while the grayling butterfly prefers barer slopes. Of greatest national importance is the population here of the northern brown argus butterfly, a scarce and local species in Scotland and northern England which relies on common rockrose to feed its larvae. The six-spotted burnet is amongst dayflying moths in the Reserve.

six spotted burnet

nothern brown argus butterfly

grayling caterpillar

grayling

meadow browns

grasshopper

common blue

thrift

bluebells

heather

Biodiversity The importance in East Lothian and Haddington There are many SSSIs in East Lothian. The closest to Haddington is Garleton hill which is just to the north. Along the Forth coastline there are several special protection areas (SPA) as well as SSSIs and Ramsar sites. Within Haddington common British wildlife is found in abundance. The habitats where appropriate should be improved and protected but because of Haddingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity to a large selection of natural habitats, focus should also be on the inter-connectivity between Haddington and these places. On a local scale new developments could help to increase biodiversity by implementing simple features like green roofs and walls and areas of wildflower and woodland.

KEY Ramsar SPA

SSSI

protected areas in East Lothian aberlady bay - local nature reserve bangley quarry - sssi barns ness coast - sssi bass rock - sssi danskine loch - sssi firth of forth - sssi, ramsar site, spa forth islands - sssi, spa garleton hills - sssi keith water - sssi lammer law - sssi north berwick law - sssi papana water - sssi rammer cleugh - sssi traprain law - sssi woodhall dean - sssi

species found in garden areas great tit

fox

kite

badger

roe deer

great spotted woodpecker mistle thrush

swallow

Context summary/analysis The key aspects besides history to take into account when planning a new development or regeneration are: Hydrology and flooding, looking specifically at the implementation, where possible, of natural retention of water and SUDS. Because the Tyne has a high probability of flooding each year (over 0.5% chance) the hydrology is an important aspect. The Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) states that new developments should implement SUDS and all new paving should be permeable. The policy also states that civil structures should not be built on these areas and housing should be built only if there are no other alternatives. If flood plains are built upon they must still store flood water to the same level so that other areas are not affected as a result of development. This would ensure that certain areas in Haddington would have to remain green space. Indeed it would in many cases allow for the improvement of these green spaces, for the public, biodiversity and for flood management. These guidelines and ideas should be taken into account and development should proceed accordingly. Paths and pedestrianisation, focusing specifically at linking into and improving the existing pedestrian infrastructure. The SPP draws attention to the need for the protection and enhancement of existing footpaths and walkways through towns. Because of the rural location and the high number of local places of interest, Haddington has huge potential to link new developments into wider cycle and pedestrian routes. New routes could also be created in some locations which directly extend and enhance existing walkways. Any selection of land for improvement or development should be partially based on its suitability to these guidelines. Where suitable and possible, pedestrian dominance should be encouraged by street form and building shape. Public transport facilities should be provided and enhanced to reduce reliance on the car. Secondary but still important topics to consider are: Building use within new residential developments. Because of the large number of facilities that the town centre offers it is not essential to provide extensive shopping areas within new developments (some small cafes or similar could be beneficial). It is important to consider some mixed use areas and encourage evening and daytime activity so that housing areas do not become ‘ghost towns’ during certain hours of the day. Because of the historic character of the town, local materials should be used where appropriate. The historic architecture should not be mimicked but new architecture should not drastically alter the town’s character. Biodiversity and the conservation of and interest in different plants, insects and animals. Because of the availability of access to areas of nature or scientific interest, the creation of a new habitats is not paramount in the design, but if possible habitats should be created alongside and within new developments so that they are not disconnected from nature. These habitats can be linked into flood management systems, new architecture and green walkways and paths. Green space and the increase in shared and communal areas. Public and communal green space should be provided at a relatively large scale compared to the existing space. There should be a clear distinction between public, semi public and private space. Where possible community owned spaces should be maintained by the ‘community’. Public space should be multifunctional, for example an area of wetland could provide public walks, natural habitats for insects and small animals and slow water run off.

Character areas

The area highlighted here shows the boundary of Haddington which has been chosen for the purposes of this report. The area covers 660 hectares and consists of housing estates, farmland, business and recreational areas. It has been broken down into character areas and each one analysed for its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A total of 13 character areas have been highlighted, which shows to some extent the fragmentation of Haddington as a town.

Character areas

Medieval High street and historic waterfront with iconic bridge and buildings. Has impressive views and relaxed atmosphere. Linked to mills along the waterfront and St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s church grounds and gardens. Has unique shops and is the heart of the historic and cultural sector of the town. Important features and buildings amongst others are: St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Nungate bridge, the Town house, Sheriff court, Bank of Scotland, Jane Walsh Carlyle house and Victoria bridge. The area has a strong character and is easy to navigate because of distinctive buildings and simple street layouts. There are many alleyways from the High street leading to residential areas and public walkways.

Character areas

While the area has strong connection links through the housing estate towards town, navigation is very difficult as all of the buildings look almost identical and all of the gardens have high fences overlooking the public space. The space is generally maintained well but private areas have been left to become unsightly. There are some interesting areas but they are overshadowed by poor quality housing development. Key buildings include: the Pure Malt buildings, Aldi, derelict garage and the ruins of St. Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s church. The area has access to a nice waterfront and great views across the landscape. There are some interesting historic buildings and a large amount of public green space. Unfortunately none is used to its full potential. The area feels disjointed and has few good spaces to relax or congregate. The proximity to the town centre could be utilised far more.

Character areas

A small but distinctive area that has very odd characteristics. Great location next to the waterfront and St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church. The historic character is fragmented, as is the transition between cobbled streets, poorly poured tarmac and concrete flags. The owned houses and pubs along the riverfront are well maintained but, just behind them, some of the rented accommodation is poorly maintained. There are simple problems like blocked gutters and downpipes, broken roof tiles and dirty rendering in need of painting. The poorly maintained grey pebbledashed buildings make what is generally a high quality area feel unwelcoming. As a result the pubs in the area are visited less frequently despite the prime location.

Character areas

This area is mostly arable land with some farm houses and small areas of industry related to farming. Most of the houses are mid 19th century cottages and holdings. The area has views of the Lammermuirs to the south and the coast and Fife to the north. The area is used heavily by cyclists because of the variety in hill steepness and large choice of interlinking roads. Fast main roads are pedestrian unfriendly, and are used mostly by cars and cyclists. One of the highest points in the area, it provides great visibility across the landscape. Hopetoun monument is a key focal point in the area.

Character areas

Area has an unusual mix of retail, industrial and residential. Narrow winding paths lead from main routes through to smaller areas, some with pedestrian shortcuts into town. Difficult to navigate through but some key buildings help distinguish certain areas. Mostly semi detached houses with private parking. Very little public green space. Is close to the town centre and main routes to Edinburgh, North Berwick and England.

Character areas

A very badly maintained and poorly laid out housing estate. Paving in need of re-laying or replacing. The estate is in a great location; it sits raised above the river and looks out to the east across farmland. The river is fenced off all the way along the edge of the estate and there is a small piece of grass and a swing for the public space, which is severely lacking. There is lots of grey space in between houses which is not overlooked and is only used as parking. The area has issues with linkage. It does have cut throughs but it has no distinctive character. There are some well maintained and well planted front gardens which help to improve the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character but the architecture and planning makes the spaces feel harsh and dangerous.

Character areas

Housing consists of 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cottages with distinctive character and the Herdmanflat Hospital grounds. The area is tranquil and relaxing. A series of informal paths lead across the hospital grounds and through the mixed woodland. Views to the south, of the Lammermuirs. Next to two busy roads but because of high stone walls the area is quiet. Feels like you are not in a town or populated area.

Character areas

Open industrial and retail area with a series of small alleys cutting through towards the main roads. The old railway line runs through this area and is now used as a walkway for dog walkers and joggers. Roodlands hospital is also in this character area. Area is generally spread out and lacks a sense of direction. Difficult to navigate through unless you know it well. Retail units could be more accessible.

Character areas

Houses are mostly bungalow holdings with relatively large amounts of land, surrounded by arable farming land and enclosed by two main roads in to Haddington. Along the main roads are large detached houses, a large portion of which contain small private business. The character of this area will be changed significantly when 750 houses, a new primary school and a small community centre are built on existing farmland. Large sections of the road are in need of repair, but generally the area is well maintained and there is significant community cohesion.

Character areas

Walkway runs alongside the burn and leads into the southern edge of the town, where it joins the river. Quiet relaxing walkway used primarily by dog walkers. Slightly disjointed where the burn joins the river; pedestrian access involves crossing a main road and walking through a housing estate for a few hundred metres. Significant buildings are Letham house and The Maltings. A large area of the walkway will become residential. The path is to be retained but its quiet countryside feel will no longer be so pronounced.

Character areas

A fairly new â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;higher incomeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; residential area. Consists of large town houses and semi detached properties. Has far more public planting than surrounding residential areas but no front gardens. Despite the area being adjacent to the river there is no access from public areas and no views through to the river. It is quite new and has few issues with deterioration, and the public and private spaces appear to be well maintained. The area has very little footfall and despite public space there are very few people visible; most likely because of large private gardens hidden behind the houses. Easy access to main roads and the town centre.

Character areas

Amisfield walled garden and golf course. Most of the area is taken up by the golf course which is open to the public and lies next to the river Tyne. The area is kept very tidy with rough and treed edges separating the fairways. The golf course contains a series of small ponds which have ducks. Roe deer are often spotted in the small areas of woodland on and next to the golf course. The ruins of the Amisfield summer house are within the boundaries of the golf course just to the north west of the walled garden. The walled garden is formal and has traditional rose beds, but it is also used as a demonstration garden and herbs, fruit and vegetables are sold to the public. It is open certain days and certain months of the year. It was largely derelict until 2006 when 400 mature trees, a legacy of its being used as a nursery, were felled.

Character areas

This area contains Knox Academy and Haddington rugby club playing fields. Both are open to the public. There is also a small public park with play facilities, a small skate park, tennis courts and a formal garden area. The Aubigny sports centre has several astro turf pitches and a swimming pool. The area has some nice buildings and some well hidden links to the riverside.

Summary, Analysis and Selection

Character areas

Areas 2 and 6 have been selected for development and improvement, the closest focus being on the areas directly adjacent to the river and at risk of flooding. Their proximity to the town centre and access to main routes to surrounding towns and cities make them ideal for improvement. They are also directly adjacent to the Abbey Bridge walkway and a green walkway which links directly into the town centre and with other walks in the area could be incorporated. The areasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; propinquity to the river Tyne could be viewed as a negative because of the potential for flooding. This of course is a problem but it provides an opportunity for an interesting design solution which could benefit the town and become a model for future development in similar settlements throughout East Lothian.

Area of regeneration/ design Area for regeneration of housing and layout improvement

Area for improvement of green space and potential park

River Tyne

Flood Plain

Below are photographs of the site. Photos with the grey border are of the housing estate and photos with the green border show the green space and river.

Housing estate

Green space

Area of regeneration/ design The area selected is roughly 40 acres and is split fairly equally between grey and green space, which is separated by the river.

The housing estate to the north was built in the 1940s using cheap materials, primarily concrete and breeze blocks with a grey pebbledash render. Many of the walkways have sunk or broken in places while the biodiversity of the area is very low. All of the green spaces are mown grass and trees are few. Blank walls and high fences overlook the public spaces which have no distinct hierarchy. A large portion of the public space is designated or used as parking, which blocks pedestrian pathways and makes the estate a difficult place to navigate. The location of the estate is ideal; it is on a gently sloping south facing piece of land with views of the Lammermuir hills and countryside and Traprain Law to the east. The area’s proximity to the river is not utilised; there are no direct ways to access the Tyne because of extensive fencing. The fencing has been relatively good for biodiversity because the land which is not accessible has been allowed to grow in an almost natural manner. A more subtle way of creating a mental or physical barrier—or opening sections up—could be beneficial to the residents of the area.

The green space to the south of the river is currently split into several different areas, none of which is attractive or easy to access. It is somewhat functional but not much used. Pure Malt owns some of the area directly behind their factory which is sometimes used for storage. There is a large cemetery next to this which lies in the floodplain, and could be moved to a more suitable location (next to St Martin’s Church) across the road. There are several mutifunctional sports pitches. Other areas of green space are left to grow naturally and, when required, maintainence work is carried out. This green space is important in its flood water storage capabilities and major development should not take place on it. The area has potential to be linked with the Abbey bridge walkway, St Martin’s Church and across to the Nungate and Riverside walk. Because of this, the area could be a huge asset to Haddington and the residential areas to the north and east of the town. If the area is developed the floodwater retention should be improved.

Local places of interest/ Importance Hailes castle

Hailes Castle is a mainly 14th century castle about 5 miles to the east of Haddington. It is now owned by Historic Scotland and is open to the public without charge at all reasonable times. The castle stands on a promontory on the Tyne. Within the 13th century curtain wall is the 14th century keep, to which ranges were added in the next two centuries. 15th century work includes a roofless chamber in which the remains of what appear to be an ambry and a piscina suggest it was a chapel rather than a hall. There is also a vaulted basement bakehouse and brewhouse from this period. The original tower was used as a dovecot after it ceased to be occupied.

Local places of interest/ Importance Traprain Law

Human use: By 1500 BC, the local bronze age population was using the hill for burial. Finds of axes, moulds for casting bronze and other items show occupation during the later bronze age. The main archaeological features that can be seen are the ramparts of an iron age hill fort. The fort was occupied for several hundred years. The surrounding arable fields are rich in buried remains of farms and forts of this period. By the later centuries BC the hill fort was probably the capital of a tribe called the Votadini. They appear to have been allies with the Romans. The successors of the Votadini chiefs eventually lost their power to the incoming Angles around the 7th century AD, by which time their capital had moved to Edinsunset on top of the Law burgh.

More recently the southern side has been quarried, exposing a hard stone edge. The area is no longer quarried and is open to the public. It attracts some tourists, although Berwick law is more popular, but many climbers use the exposed rock face as a training area for both â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boulderingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and climbing. The law is also used by dog walkers and hikers. Traprain law is 5 miles to the east of Haddington, surrounded by farmland. Natural History: Traprain law is an example of a lacolith and was formed 320 million years ago. The surface rocks were eroded during later periods of glaciation, leaving the law as an exposed hard rock mound. The plants growing on the law are as a result of its geology, thin soils and grazing. Much of the law is covered with unimproved grassland, patches of gorse and elder scrub On the lower slopes can be found Cocksfoot, false oat grass and meadow foxtail, with fescues, sweet vernal grass and meadow saxifrage. The lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open grassland is ideal for ground nesting birds such as skylark and meadow pipit.

Local places of interest/ Importance Berwick Law

Geologically, the law is a volcanic plug of hard phonolitic trachyte rock of Carboniferous (Dinantian) age. It has survived the scraping glaciers of the ice age. It is a crag and tail with a prominent tail extending eastwards. The summit also bears some ancient ruins. These buildings were once used by lookouts in the Napoleonic Wars. The famous whale's jawbone collapsed in June 2005 after rotting away and was removed by helicopter. A jawbone has stood there since 1709, the last one having been there since 1933. On 26 June 2008, a fibreglass replica whale bone, the same size as the one that was removed in 2005, was airlifted into place to give North Berwick Law back its famous landmark. The funding for the replica was donated by an anonymous friend of North Berwick.

North Berwick Law is a conical hill which rises incongruously from the surrounding landscape (indeed, this is the definition of the Lowland Scots word "law"). It overlooks the East Lothian town of North Berwick and stands at 613 ft (187 m) above sea level.

Local places of interest/ Importance

Tantallon Castle is a mid-14th century fortress located 3 miles east of North Berwick. It sits on top of a protruding area of cliff opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to be constructed in Scotland. Tantallon comprises a single wall blocking off the headland, with the other three sides naturally protected by sea cliffs.

Links to these areas should be improved where possible so that Haddington is the central hub and gateway to East Lothian.

Planned development

58 Letham Mains The development: will be on high quality arable land between the two main roads into Haddington from the west. 750 houses will increase the population by approximately 18%. The development will contain a new primary school and a local community centre. There are already 3 primary schools in Haddington; Haddington Infants School, Kings Meadow Primary School and St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RC Primary which is currently in the process of moving to new premises within Haddington. Planning permission has already been granted and work was scheduled to start in January 2013 but the project has been delayed due to its unpopularity, funding and general delays. The problems: Apart from being developed on high quality farmland there are many issues with the planned site, many of which could be solved with appropriate architecture and design. The views across the land looking south to the Lammermuirs could be lost to bland detached, semi detached and town houses. Because the development is moving to the west of Haddington and the town centre is no longer a short walk away, traffic flow around the local roads may increase dramatically. There is a danger that the new housing estate could become very inward facing and not integrate fully into the town life of Haddington. With further development to the west, Haddington is quickly becoming a sprawling bland town with only a small area of significant character. In order for the estate to be a positive addition to the town it will have to provide interesting architecture and a widely usable series of public spaces and pathways.

Planned development

Dovecot

The development: 250 houses opposite the Letham mains development behind the existing Dovecot farm and cottages. The site is also high quality arable land facing the Lammermuirs. The proposals are still in the planning phases and planning permission has not yet been granted. Because of this, details are limited. The problems: The development is separate from that at Letham mains despite the fact that the two sites overlap. As a result, one area of well designed housing could be neutralised by a poor development directly opposite. The development should incorporate walkways to the town centre and surrounding countryside. The siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity to woodland and the river could be well utilised. This also poses a threat; the development could restrict access to these features if the links and walkways are not well thought through.

S.W.O.T.

60 of Haddington

strengths

weakness

historic centre location next to river access to the countryside views to Lammermuirs views to Pentlands close to areas of cultural interest close to nature proximity to the coast proximity to Edinburgh lots of independent shopping community facilities good for cycling and jogging sports clubs and centre

development leading to a loss of character poor architecture in housing estates poor street layout town spread out lack of integration between lower income and higher income households many unused wasted spaces due to bad planning the town centre is treated as a separate place to the housing around large number of listed buildings costly to maintain new bland development will change the character of the town dramatically potential development bland subject to flooding in some areas public transport no train station near

opportunities

Threats

potential to optimise the waterfront improve the feel and character of the existing areas improve connections from housing estates to town show off the impressive architecture in the town centre integration of new housing estates boost the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biodiversity boost the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism make the town a hub for East Lothian the gateway to the countryside and nature boost the character through planning boost through architecture boost through introduction of shared green space potential for outdoor educational facilities make the town a better place to live potential for evening and night time events connect with towns around

poor quality development loss of character flooding bland development could look like all other new developments could follow towns like Prestonpans and Wallyford with too much dull architecture funding used for the wrong things lack of investment in the future trying to preserve the past in the wrong way farmers selling off their land for housing development planning regulations not effective proximity to Edinburgh, town just for commuters

case studies - Bourbon lane, White city, London

62 Grant Associates

External spaces alternate between hard landscaped communal areas and private gardens with proprietary garden sheds. Refuse areas at the road end of the gardens are carefully screened with well detailed timber fencing. All communal areas and parking bays are overlooked and informally secured by intelligent design. The buildings are steel framed, with composite floors and a pre-formed light gauge insulated steel panel system which arrived on site with windows in place. External wall panels were clad with Siberian larch rainscreen cladding, installed from cherry pickers. It took just 12 days to erect on site. Bourbon Lane is made up of 78 units, 45 socially rented homes and 33 in shared ownership. where: Bourbon lane, London client: Octavian Housing and Care date completed: 2007 cost: 11.7 million

Relevance to Haddington: New developments in Haddington could utilise the low cost, efficient building techniques implemented in Bourbon lane. The changeability and function of new buildings should be considered thoroughly. The ability of a building to be used for different purposes throughout its lifetime will improve the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal to potential investors and increase longevity. The high density aspect of the housing will reduce the spread of the town and allow more space for public space and biodiversity.

case studies - Watercolour, Redhill, Surrey John Thompson and Partners

The master plan for the Water Colour development exploits the site’s water features, including a brook and two lagoons. The Building for Life judges found the scheme ‘uplifting–and very liveable’. The arrangement of the housing blocks ensure lively streets and their orientation maximizes sunlight and provides views of open countryside. Water Colour’s buildings are designed from a simple, high-quality palette of brick, render and boarding. Finishes and colours have been used to provide an identity for the different areas within the scheme. Several streets feature shared surfaces and are designated as home zones to restrict vehicle traffic and give priority to pedestrians. A new bus route and network of cycle paths will help establish connections between Water Colour and neighbouring areas. where: Redhill, Surrey client: Linden Homes South East date completed: ongoing, estimated 2012 cost: contact value 135 million

Relevance to Haddington: The housing areas are broken up by waterways and linear swathe planting to avoid monotony. The housing layout provides logical but lively street interaction and is paramount to the success of the project. A similarly logical and interactive street layout would benefit the regeneration or development of a housing estate. There is a fairly equal amount of public space to the amount of space designated for housing.

case studies - Tahari Courtyards, Millburn, USA

64 Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Two courtyards were incorporated into the design of a new office and warehouse, to allow fresh air, light and natural elements into the daily life of the people who work there. The courtyards are separated by a hallway but were conceptualised as one continuous landscape of river birch, bamboo, moss, black locust planks and river rock. The edges of the courtyards are left mostly uncluttered and transparent so that the outdoor space is visible from everywhere within the office.

where: Millburn, USA Client: Tahari date completed: 2003

view from the inside edge of the coutryard

Relevance to Haddington: New developments in Haddington could benefit from mixed indoor/outdoor space. The spaces could become communal areas where children play or people read in a quiet secure area. Small cafes or stalls could be set up in these areas to ensure constant surveillance. Ideally these areas would be accessible from main walkways linking the new housing estate with Haddington and the countryside. A series of courtyards could be created with different characters which resemble the surrounding area or could be retreats from the exterior landscape or built environment.

an office worker using the courtyard

roof of the building lit up at night

case studies - forecourt, Lohne, Germany Nagel Landschafts Architekten BDLA

This is a central forecourt designed for Nolte Kuchen, a kitchen manufacturing company. The design consists of a series of water features organised geometrically, with areas suitable for gathering and meeting. Most of the features, key entrances and stairways are illuminated at night, creating a tranquil space with gently moving water. Because of the shelter created by the buildings the water is very still and reflects the facade and backlit metal screens on the building which creates a sense of place and identity. where: Lohn, Germany Client: Nolte Kuchen date completed: 2005 - ?

Water feature lit up during the night time

Relevance to Haddington: The small intimate yet open spaces which are created by form and materials could be useful in the creation of space which people feel they belong to or own. The calm water broken up by lit up water features could provide a positive backdrop for residents to have an evening walk or a space in which they could eat lunch at the weekends. Night time lighting is an important consideration within residential areas; used correctly, lighting can be inviting and warming. The sound of moving water can be calming and give a feeling of nature within built areas.

reflection within of buildings in water

platform areas for sitting

case studies - Glasgow garden festival Ian Wight Associates The design was a temporary piece with 6 themed areas. Each area was linked with plants which were planted in a matrix to minimise maintenance. The plants were also selected for their form and suitability for an outdoor exhibition. The most popular area within the garden was the ‘Landscape and Scenery Sector’, located to the southern edge. In 1990 it was re-instated as a permanent park for the residents of Govan ( commissioned by Scottish Enterprise). The Landscape and Scenery Sector was designed as a water feature with several elements to it; a waterfall, reflection pool, a narrow rocky stream and a wider stream with small weirs and a ‘termination pool’. The water features were all constructed with natural stone aggregates, and the planting consisted of a selection of herbaceous and native species. master plan

Main water fall/ stream feature

Where: Landscape and Scenery Sector/ Festival Park Client: Scottish Development Agency Awards: 1988 Landscape Design Competition Award for Design 1988 Special Award for Water Features 1988 Gold Medal for Theme Gardens

Relevance to Haddington: The selected area has direct access to water and a fairly open landscape with, in places, quite steep hills. Water could be diverted to create sections of faster moving water and slowed to create small ponds. Matrix planting could be key in keeping the new areas as low maintenance as possible. Some of the new areas could be kept private for the residents only while other larger areas could form part of a public walkway.

reflection pond

wider area of stream

water feature under construction

case studies - Craigmillar

Ian Wight Associates

This is the first scheme to be implemented in the 15 year regeneration programme for Craigmillar. It includes houses, apartments and a primary school. Inspiration was taken from homezone in Holland. The area has a formal layout with a hierarchy of hard materials interspersed by lawns, hedges and trees. The paving is porous to reduce water runoff. The old layout of extensive roundabouts and junctions has been replaced with courtyards, public gardens and squares, the idea being to reduce traffic speed and increase pedestrian accessibility through the forms of the spaces. “The work at Craigmillar illustrates how many of the functions of streets can be integrated in both innovative designs and collaborative processes that result in streets with a distinctive and positive character and excellent functionality” (Government policy statement).

Where: Craigmillar Edinburgh Client: PARC Craigmillar, joint venture regeneration company Date Completed: 2008 - ongoing Awards: 2009 UK Street Design Award – Best Homezone 2008 Homes for Scotland Designing Places Award Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative –Exemplar Project Scottish Govt. Designing Streets – featured as a case study Cost: £3.5-4million

Relevance to Haddington: The selected area is of a similar scale and could benefit from the clever use of street hierarchy, materials and form to suggest directions of movement, reduce priority for cars and encourage walking and cycling throughout the area. Compared with Haddington the buildings are high density and have a positive character. The building materials may not be appropriate to the historic character of Haddington town centre. The estate is more multifunctional than many of the existing housing estates dotted around Haddington.

Case studies - Stirling Ian Wight Associates Commissioned by Stirling Council, the brief was to improve the quality of the street and its surfaces in the areas close to the castle and the church (‘top of the town’). The project involved moving some key features in the area to more suitable locations and creating softer greener edges to the streets in some areas. The work was completed in 3 stages. The paving is whinstone setts from local quarries and Caithness flagstones. The designs included traditional railings and gateways which helped the scheme fit in with the historic character of the area. After 15 years the paving was checked and has proved to be robust even when used with heavy good vehicles and heavy footflow.

Where: Top of the Town and Broad Street, Stirling Client: Stirling Council Date Completed: 1994-1997 Cost: £1.2m

New paving and areas for seating

Relevance to Haddington: Like Stirling, Haddington has a historic central area which is quite heavily used and as a result is gradually becoming tattered. The approach which uses local materials but does not directly copy what is already existing could be a sensitive and successful approach to improving Haddington. The use of high quality materials could improve and add to the town’s positive characters and hopefully encourage future cohesion between existing and proposed developments. The creation of a theme or railings and features which run throughout the town could be implemented successfully throughout Haddington to help improve the sense of place.

case studies - Stanmore Place, Harrow GRID Architects, FABRIK Landscape Architects Stanmore Place is well located for local facilities and open space. The mix is social rented houses and private tenure flats. A major aspect of development of the site has been the creative use of the landscape to overcome flood risk. This has been done in a sustainable manner through the creation of a large water feature and lake, and without the need to export material from site. The use of a strong logical block plan, combined with a multi-storey car storage space, will ensure that streets and cars do not dominate. The development has intentionally avoided â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fitting inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with the surrounding area, instead using robust details and materials, flat roofs and a predominance of three- to four-storey buildings to create its own character. where: Stanmore Place, Harrow client: Berkeley Homes (St Edward Homes) date completed: phases 1 and 2 2010 cost: confidential

Relevance to Haddington: Mixed tenure is an important thing to think about when designing a new area. Integration of people with different backgrounds and income is key to increasing the possibility for community cohesion. Implementing a creative way of using the designed landscape to either nuetralise, minimise or incorporate the flood risk is key to the Haddington site as half of it lies directly on a floodplain.

Summary of case studies Each case study addresses at least one of the issues that need to be considered in the design of areas 2 and 6. Key points drawn from the case studies are: The use of high quality materials and bespoke elements which could be used throughout the town. A mix of tenure A creative use of materials and landscaping to reduce or minimise the effects of flooding. The creation of a series of interlinked areas each with different characters (relaxing, engaging, exciting etc.) Priority given to pedestrians and cyclists through the street and building hierarchy The inclusion of some higher density housing, so more shared space is available. The creation of indoor and oudoor courtyards, some of which the public can use and some of which are only open to the community. Using light and moving water in an interesting way which helps to lead the users through the area in desired directions. Using low maintenance yet interesting planting and increasing habitats for insects, birds and small animals within developed areas. These aspects should be taken into consideration alongside the conclusions and analysis from the context and history of Haddington and collaborated to produce a specific design brief which is suitable to the chosen site.

Design Brief The design will enhance Haddington’s positive characteristics by implementing site specific elements which reflect the town’s history and the requirements of the people who live there. Where possible, local, high quality materials will be used and the functionality of public space will be maximised. Biodiversity will be improved through thoughtful planning and design. Any new developments or infrastructure changes will either improve flood defences or help to reduce the risk of flooding. Connectivity of key destinations will be improved and pedestrians and cyclists will be given priority over vehicles and parking where possible. The design will improve existing and create new public and community space. The design must take into account the following aspects when appropriate: • Use high quality local materials to ensure cohesion between new developments and the historic town centre. • New housing should provide a mix of tenure so that they are ‘inclusive’ and there is a well balanced mix of residents. • Excess water should be reduced ‘naturally’. All new paving should be permeable and SUDS should be facilitated. • Housing, public spaces, the town centre and countryside walks should be linked through navigable walkways and green space. Links should be provided to public transport. • The layout of new streets and buildings should encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport. Priority should be given to pedestrians in residential areas and public spaces. • Higher density housing should be considered. It will compliment the town centre’s built form and provide more public space. • A clear hierarchy of paths and spaces should be provided; public, semi public and private. This will encourage ownership. • The river and excess water should be used to create habitats and new interesting spaces. • The pleasure of natural light should be taken into account, but artificial lighting is necessary in the winter months. • Biodiversity should be improved in green spaces as well as in residential areas.

Concepts

green regeneration

The enhancement of the existing areas through introductions of small green corridors and green spaces, with specific focus on improving the existing buildings and public spaces with minimal structural change. Creating suitable storage facilities for ‘Pure Malt’ on their primary site will free up a large space next to St Martins. The new cemetery, which currently sits close to the water’s edge and is liable to flooding, could be moved to the secondary ‘Pure Malt’ site. The relocated cemetery could house public gardens which link towards Victoria bridge, the riverside and housing estates. It will form a crucial part of the green walkways which link from the heart of the town to various countryside routes. The currently under utilised ruins of St Martins will be included in the gardens and form a central piece. Rearranging these facilities will create a more inviting and pedestrian friendly entrance to Haddington from the east. Area of interest / gathering Area for significant biodiversity improvement

Green links and walks

‘Large’ community parks

Improved routes

All design ideas are preliminary ideas and should be treated as such.

73 Flood defences will be improved by extending and contouring existing defences to form interesting features in the landscape which will be planted and opened to the public as a green route that runs through to the existing riverside walk. Existing green spaces adjacent to the river will be improved for pedestrian access and biodiversity.

Spaces which are already green but have low biodiversity will be improved through suitable planting. In this case the road will be screened with perennials and hardy grasses while the open grassed area will be planted with a wildflower mix or if suitable small fruiting plants and trees, grown from locally sourced seeds. Where possible pathways should be improved to encourage positive use of these areas.

The external space adjacent to well used public facilities should match the purpose of the building, improve the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accessibility and provide outdoor space that people want to be in. In this case vertical planting is used to improve the aesthetics of the space by softening and visually widening the area. Light coloured paving and lighting makes the space lighter and more inviting. Removable table and chairs provided.

Existing courtyard areas will be improved through planting and the use of more interesting materials. In most cases the layout of these areas will remain the same to reduce cost and environmental impact. Similar planting styles will be used throughout the scheme to create continuity and a distinct positive character. Where suitable, for example in courtyards and larger spaces, more variety in plant type will be used to highlight areas suitable for rest, play and relaxation.

Improving buildings rather than replacing them should be considered while looking at the regeneration of the area. Where suitable, green walls should be fitted to improve the insulative properties of the building and the character of the area. Concrete paving will be replaced with locally sourced stone. The removed concrete will be crushed and used as an aggregate in new non structural concrete work. Small trees (prunus) should be planted where possible.

Concepts

green regeneration

Positives of concept:

Problems with concept

Pedestrian routes will be significantly improved and the river will be utilised rather than hidden. Biodiversity improved and green corridors provide habitats for small animals. The new green spaces will provide space for social interaction. There will be some improvement to flood defences and increased foliage within areas of housing and at the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge will help to reduce some minor flooding. The character of the area will be improved through materials and planting. The improvements are relatively low cost and low impact.

Because the concept aims to be low impact the fundamental issue of street layout will not be improved. The spaces will be vastly improved but their legibility will still be a problem without significant change to the layout of buildings and streets. More could be done to reduce or nuetralise flooding.

Concepts

forest landscape

‘community woods’ (orchards, display etc) various. ‘Large’ woodland varied (mixed woods, pioneer wood etc.) areas of interest/gathering

new/improved routes

Areas which suit small scale woodlands will be planted using pioneer species such as birch to improve biodiversity and recreation quickly. The pioneer trees will be removed as necessary to allow slower growing species to become established to provide areas of mixed woodland. The wooded areas will incorporate play areas, facilities for dog walking and natural habitats. The trees will be planted to reduce water run off, improve drainage and nuetralise minor flooding.

Areas directly adjacent to buildings will use smaller trees to minimise loss of light. A series of orchard areas will provide food and educational space, and improve the aesthetics of walkways and park areas. The planting in residential areas will reduce water run off and alleviate minor flooding. Planting will be used to replicate semi natural habitats for birds, insects and small mammals. Private and semi private spaces will be highlighted through planting.

Positives of concept:

Problems with concept

• • • • • •

• • • •

Significant increase in biodiverstiy Significant reduction in water run off Wood can be harvested Reduction of heat island effect Production of fruit for humans and animals Land value could be increased significantly with minimal resource input

Major security issues natural surveylance lost could become overgrown quickly intensive maintainence required particularly in housing areas and of fruiting trees. • Could become social no go areas

Concepts

modern landscape

public and semi public green space

Perennial wave planting and small ponds

3 pedestrian pathways

areas of interest

new and improved walkways

Existing pathways will be improved and where vistas and views are available small spaces will be created which make the most of the landscape of the town. Some larger transitional spaces will host outdoor meetings of local groups and provide facilities for barbeques and group events. These spaces will encourage outdoor social interaction throughout the day. Appropriate lighting will be provided for evening activities and winter walks.

The public space will become the areas of focus rather than the areas of neglect. Planting and hard materials will lead people towards ‘hubs’ which in turn link to larger green spaces and places of importance to the town. Accessibility is key; these designs provide walkways which are easily navigable and lead to small semi private spaces as well as interesting ‘art installations’.

Important walkways will be given purpose and direction through the materials and spaces provided. These linear pathways will have small courtyard like areas attached to them which will be occupied by local residents. High quality materials and high quality finishes will transform spaces from drab, dreary and cluttered to clear, functional and attractive. Direct and indirect walkways will be provided between key points and green space to ensure continuity of the town.

Tranquil areas next to the waterfront would improve the character of the area significantly. Areas could be planted for seasonal interest or colour. This visual shows the autumn months. The creation of areas will encourage local social interaction of adults and children.

Positives of concept:

Problems with concept

• • • •

Linear structure gives shape and direction to pedestrian routes Simple attractive planting highlights different types of space Small courtyard spaces give room for social interaction The distinction between private, semi private and public space helps security and social interaction • High quality materials promote pride and natural surveillance

Initial expense high Maintanance of planting beds fairly high Limited increase of biodiversity Flood water run off nit mitigated significantly

Concepts

wetlands and water

retention areas, wihth wetland landscape

naturalistic green landscape and wetlands Main areas of interes, water features Major routeways

Ponds and wetlands will be constructed by allowing controlled levels of water from the Tyne to flood certain areas. The size of these wetlands and ponds will increase when high water levels are present and will store flood water. These wetlands will create habitats for many different wildlife groups. The area will be open to the public at all times apart from during severe flooding. A series of interlinking walkways will be created to maximise the spaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s functionality

Run off water will be minimised in the residential areas through planting and SUDS. In certain areas collected water will be recycled and used in water features which will highlight important routes towards the river and spaces for recreation, play and relaxation. These water features and water recycling will form an important part of the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character and will be applied to any new developments ensuring that they link into the town.

Positives of concept:

Problems with concept

• Significant reduction of water run off • Flood mitigation in naturalistic way • Significant increase in biodiversity through introduction of wetland, wildflower and woodland • Improved navigation through housing areas • Increased character value • Ecologically valuable green space

• Cost of technologies

Executive summary

The selected area has huge potential to form an integral part of Haddingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s character and structure. With near future development inevatable, it is important that Haddington has a structure plan that boost its qualities and characters, so that it does not become another characterless East Lothian town. The sporadic low quality developments that have been regularly introduced over the last 50 years have already damaged the towns structure and character. With the increased spread of low density housing to the west Haddingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s town centre in now on its eastern edge. The creation of a significant park on the eastern side of the town will hopefully encourage investment closer to the medieval area. As expansion grows this green park and the towns medeivil heart will become the town centre. The central park will promote the creation of public green space links throughout new development.

Bibliography

Books, Journals and reports: The Scottish Government (2010). Scottish Planning. Scotland: Crown. 1 - 255. SEPA (2009). Flood risk management(Scotland). Scotland: SEPA. 1 - 97. CABE (200?). Better Neighbourhoods: Making higher desities work. web: CABE. 3 - 26. CABE English heritage (200?). Building in context, New development in historic areas. web: CABE. 3 - 37. Newman, O (1996). Creating Defesible Space. ?: U.S. department of housing and urban development. 1 - 123. Scottish Government (2004). Edinburgh and the Lothians Structure Plan 2015. Scotland: City of Edinburgh council, East Lothian council, Midlothian council, West Lothian council. 1 - 57. Collins, P (2009). 2009 Haddington Flood Study. Haddington: East Lothian Council. 1 - 30. Unknown (200?). Walks around Haddington. Haddington: East Lothian Council. 1 - 4. Mulholland Research & Consulting (2003). Perceptions of Privacy and Density in Housing. London: Unknown. 1 - 134. Homes and communities agency (200?). Urban Design Compendium. World: unknown. 1 - 110. Urban animation (2012). a vision for Haddington town centre. Haddington: ELDC. 1 - 19. East Lothian Council, Planning and Building Standards (2011). Devel-

opment Framework for Site at Letham Mains, Haddington. Haddington: ELDC. 1 - 36. Macpherson, S (2008). East Lothian Biodiversity Action Plan. Haddington: ELDC. 3 - 58. The Forth Area Advisory Group (2010). Forth area management plan 2010 - 2-15. Edinburgh: SEPA. 4 - 21. East Lothian Council (2009). A Town Centre Strategy for Haddington. Haddington: ELDC. 3 - 39. CARS (2009). Haddington Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme. Haddington: CARS. 1 -.

Websites: CABE IWA ELDC SEPA SNH

Appendix Basic design principles

Streets

“Pedestrianised streets and pedestrian zones on vehicular roads offer great potential as recreational ‘greenspaces’.”

Paths Paths are adopted and made to enable people and wildlife to travel easily between and within places. Paths are not only places of movement but, for example in cities, streets become social and recreational places. Paths are also places of recreation when they are travelled for pleasure.” “Thresholds are places of transition and, if well designed,

places that help to integrate the physical landscape and the experience of it. Thresholds give spacial configuration to people’s needs to adjust from one situation or experience to another.” Ecological corridors and pathwaysare an important consideration to take. They allow fauna and flora to move and colonise within built up environments and can link between towns and cities and form a network which links recreational walkways to the countryside.

Transitional edges between public and private landscapes are important socially as well as aesthetically, particularly in residential environments.

Appendix

Theories and publications creating defensible space - Oscar Newman

The defensible space concept started around 30 years ago when Oscar Newman witnessed a 2,740 unit public housing highrise unit go to ruin. Even though the housing density was not very high (50 units to the acre), residents were raised into the air in 11-storey buildings to try to provide community space on certain floors. Occupied by single parent and welfare families, the design proved a disas足ter. Because all the grounds were common and disassociated from the units, residents could not iden足tify with them. The areas proved unsafe. The shared spaces became run down and were commonly vandalised. The project never achieved more than 60% occupancy and the buildings were eventually demolished. Across the street was a smaller older housing area which had few social problems. From this Newman researched similar situations extensively to explore why there was a difference and how design could help. He came up with the theory that spaces needed to have owners, not necessarily in monetary terms but psychologically. This sense of ownership would allow people to maintain an area for themselves and keep it occupied, thus preventing antisocial behaviour. diagrams showing the different types of spaces and the density of development

Key Points: create buildings at a human scale create spaces which people can call their own streets should give direction and help to define different types of space a clear street and space hierarchy should be in place.

Diagram of contrasting building types with similar densities

The buildings to the left of the street are not to human scale and the spaces do not have any feel that they are owned. The buildings to the right of the street form an interior courtyard which can be used by the residents.

Theories and publications Building in context CABE Suggestions: The best buildings result from a creative dialogue between the architect, client, local planning authority and others; pre-application discussions are essential ● The local planning authority and other consultees can insist on good architecture and help to achieve it. ● Difficult sites should generate good architecture, and are not an excuse for not achieving it. ● With skill and care, it is possible to accommodate large modern uses within the grain of historic settings. ● High environmental standards can help generate good architecture. ● Sensitivity to context and the use of traditional materials are not incompatible with contemporary architecture. ● Good design does not stop at the front door, but extends into public areas beyond the building ● High-density housing does not necessarily involve building high or disrupting the urban grain and it can be commercially highly successful. ● Successful architecture can be produced either by following historic precedents closely, by adapting them or by contrasting with them. ● In a diverse context a contemporary building may be less visually intrusive than one making a failed attempt to follow historic precedents Key questions to ask: How does the proposed building relate to its specific site? Is there a positive and imaginative response to any problems and constraints? Have the physical aspects of the site been considered, such as any changes in level within or beyond it? Are access arrangements convenient and existing routes respected? Can the amount of accommodation required be fitted on the site in an elegant way? ● How does the proposal relate to its wider setting? Are the street pattern and grain of the surroundings respected? Are there changes in height between the existing and new development and if so how are they managed? Will the result enhance or damage the quality of the townscape? ● How is the density of the proposal related to that of existing and neighbouring uses? If there are differences, are they acceptable? ● Has the impact of the building in close views been assessed? Is it either weak or over-powering? Does it respect the scale and rhythm of its neighbours? ● What materials are used? How do they relate to those of the surrounding buildings? Is the quality as high? Are there interesting comparisons or contrasts in the use of materials? How will the colours work together? ● Is the architecture of the building suitable for the uses it contains? Is it trying to be too grand or pretending to be more modest than it really is? ● How does the architecture present itself to the viewer? Is there a strong composition in the pattern of solid to opening in the façade? Does the detailing of the materials show signs of careful thought or originality in the way the building is put together? ● What contribution, if any, does the proposal make to the public realm? If new open space is created, is it clear that it will provide a positive benefit and have a genuine use? ● In the wider setting, has the impact of the building in views and vistas been considered? Does it make a positive or negative impact? Does it form an harmonious group or composition with existing buildings or features in the landscape? Does it distract the eye from the focus of the view and if so does it provide something better to look at?

Theories and publications

Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden City

The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" (parks), containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and agriculture. His idealised garden city would house 32,000 people on a site of 6,000 acres, planned on a concentric pattern with open spaces, public parks and six radial boulevards, 37m wide, extending from the centre. The garden city would be self-sufficient and when it reached full population, another garden city would be developed nearby. Howard envisaged a cluster of several garden cities as satellites of a central city of 50,000 people, linked by road and rail. The concept has been taken and modified to suit modern cities and a book called CPULS (continuous productive urban landscapes) has been written. The theory is principally the same but it is less specific about the structure or size that a town should adhere to. The basic concept behind a CPUL is that instead of cities relying solely on the production of food from rural areas within the country and imports from others, the suburban and urban lanscapes produce food for themselves where possible. The belief is that the city should have a series of continuous green corridors which link straight into the countyside. These links should ideally produce food for the local communities. The best example of CPULS is in Cuba where they had to drastically re-think their farming methods when the soviet union collapsed. Oil imports to Cuba stopped in a short space of time and as a result they could no longer farm using the Western intensive agriculture model. The farming in Cuba is now 80% organic and Havana produces half of its fresh vegetables from within the city from a collection of community gardens.

Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden City diagram

Havana, Cuba

Key Points: corridors of green into the town where possible use space to produce food community gardens produce food for your own community

Planning policy

SPP (Scottish Planning Policy) Landscape and natural heritage:

Planning authorities should take a broader approach to landscape and natural heritage than just conserving designated or protected sites and species, taking into account the eco systems and natural processes in their area. Landscape in both the countryside and urban areas is constantly changing and the aim is to facilitate positive change whilst maintaining and enhancing distinctive character. The natural and cultural components of the landscape should be considered together, and opportunities for enhancement or restoration of degraded landscapes, particularly those affecting communities, should be promoted through the development plan where relevant. By encouraging connectivity between habitats, green networks can improve the viability of species and the health and viability of previously isolated habitats and ecosystems, supporting adaptation to climate change. Lochs, ponds, watercourses and wetlands also form valuable landscape features, recreational resources and wildlife habitats and should be protected and enhanced wherever possible both as part of developments and green networks.

Flooding and Drainage:

Planning authorities must take the probability of flooding from all sources - (coastal, fluvial (water course), pluvial (surface water), groundwater, sewers and blocked culverts) and the risks involved into account when preparing development plans and determining planning applications. Development which would have significant probability of being affected by flooding or would increase the probability of flooding elsewhere should not be permitted. The area of impermeable surface should be kept to a minimum in all new developments. Built development should only take place on functional flood plains where it will not affect the ability of the flood plain to store and convey water, where the development will not be at risk of flooding and where the development will not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere. Where possible, natural features and characteristics of catchments should be restored so as to slow, reduce or otherwise manage flood waters. The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 require all surface water from new development to be treated by a sustainable drainage system (SUDS) before it is discharged into the water environment, except for single houses or where the discharge will be into coastal water. Watercourses should not be culverted as part of a new development unless there is no practical alternative, and existing culverts should be opened whenever possible. If culverts are unavoidable, they should be designed to maintain or improve existing flow conditions and aquatic life. Medium to high risk flooding areas with an AEP (annual exceedance probability) of 0.5% or greater are generally not suitable for civil infrastructure. If built development is permitted, appropriate measures to manage flood risk will be required and the loss of flood storage capacity mitigated to produce a neutral or better outcome. Undeveloped or sparsely developed areas are generally not suitable for additional development. These areas may also be suitable for some recreation, sport, amenity and nature conservation uses provided adequate evacuation procedures are in place.

Renewable energy

There is potential for communities and small businesses in urban and rural areas to invest in ownership of renewable energy projects or to develop their own projects for local benefit. Planning authorities should support communities and small businesses in developing such initiatives in an environmentally acceptable way. The scope for major new hydro-electric schemes is likely to be limited but there may be an increasing number of proposals for small run-of-river projects. Development plans should identify the issues which will be taken into account in decision making on hydro-electric schemes such as impacts on the natural and cultural heritage, water environment, fisheries, aquatic habitats and amenity, and relevant environmental and transport issues. Hydro-electric schemes are covered by the Water Environment (Controlled Activity) Regulations 2005 and therefore require consent from SEPA before work can commence.

Transport

Development should be supported in locations that are accessible by walking, cycling and public transport, making best use of or adding to existing networks and creating new networks. Planning permission should not be granted for significant travel generating uses in locations which would encourage reliance on the private car and where: • direct links to walking and cycling networks are not available or cannot be made available, • access to public transport networks would involve walking more than 400m, • it would have a detrimental effect on the capacity of the strategic road and/or rail network, • the transport assessment does not identify satisfactory mechanisms for meeting sustainable transport requirements. Opportunities for personal travel should be prioritised by mode in the following order – walking, cycling, public transport, car and other motorised vehicles. Buildings and facilities should be accessible on foot and by cycle. Planning authorities should be realistic about the likely availability of public transport services in rural areas and innovative solutions such as demand responsive public transport and small scale park and ride facilities at nodes on rural bus corridors should be promoted. In order to provide consistency in the level of maximum parking standard applied to specific types and scales of development, the following national standards have been set: • Retail (food) (Use Class 1) 1000m2 and above – 1 space per 14m2 • Retail (non-food) (Use Class 1) 1000m2 and above – 1 space per 20m2 • Business (Use Class 4) 2500m2 and above – 1 space per 30m2 • Cinemas (Use Class 11a) 1000m2 and above – 1 space per 5 seats • Conference Facilities 1000m2 and above – 1 space per 5 seats • Stadia 1500 seats and above – 1 space per 15 seats • Leisure (other than cinemas and stadia) 1000m2 and above – 1 space per 22m2

Planning policy • High and Further Education (non-residential elements) 2500m2 and above – 1 space per 2 staff plus 1 space per 15 students

In rural areas where public transport is scarce, less restrictive standards may be appropriate. Local standards should support the viability of town centres.

Open space and physical activity

Planning authorities should consider access issues and should protect core and other important routes and access rights when preparing development plans and making decisions on planning applications. New development should incorporate new and enhanced access opportunities, linked to wider access networks. Green networks which provide opportunities for physical activity and access to the outdoors, and increase accessibility within settlements and to the surrounding countryside, should be promoted and safeguarded through the development plan. Open space which is not identified in the strategy but which is valued and functional or contributes to local amenity or biodiversity should also be protected. Only where there is strong justification should open space be developed either partly or fully for a purpose unrelated to use as open space. When a planning authority grants permission for development which would result in or exacerbate a deficit, replacement open space of appropriate type, quantity, accessibility and quality should be provided. Poor maintenance and neglect should not be used to justify development of open space which may otherwise be potentially functional and valued. Open spaces should be accessible, safe, welcoming, appealing, distinctive and well connected. Within settlements there should be spaces that can be used by everyone regardless of age, gender or disability.

Rural development

The aim should be to enable development in all rural areas which supports prosperous and sustainable communities whilst protecting and enhancing environmental quality. Development plans should promote economic activity and diversification in all small towns and rural areas, including development linked to tourism and farm diversification, whilst ensuring that the distinctiveness of rural areas, the service function of small towns and the natural and cultural heritage are protected and enhanced. Development plans should support more opportunities for small scale housing development in all rural areas, including new clusters and groups, extensions to existing clusters and groups and replacement housing. Opportunities to replace rundown housing and steadings, and to provide limited new housing along with converted rehabilitated buildings, should be supported where the new development is designed to fit in the landscape setting and will result a cohesive grouping. Development on prime agricultural land should not be permitted unless it is an essential component of the settlement strategy or is necessary to meet an established need, for example for major infrastructure development, where no other suitable site is available.

Housing

The planning system should enable the development of well designed, energy efficient, good quality housing in sustainable locations and allocate a generous supply of land to meet identified housing requirements across all tenures. Planning authorities should ensure that sufficient land is available to meet the housing requirement for each housing market area in full, unless there are serious local environmental or infrastructure constraints which cannot be resolved to allow development within the life of the plan. Planning authorities should set out a settlement strategy in the development plan to provide a long term context for development. Key considerations in a settlement strategy are: • the efficient use of existing buildings, land and infrastructure, • accessibility of homes, services, open space and employment opportunities by a range of transport options, • co-ordination of housing land release with investment in infrastructure including transport and educational investment, and with other major proposals, • the deliverability of the strategy, and • the protection and enhancement of landscape, natural, built and cultural heritage, biodiversity and the wider environment, including consideration of flood risk. The siting and design of new housing should take account of its setting, the surrounding landscape, topography, character, appearance, ecologies and the scope for using local materials. The aim should be to create places with a distinct character and identity, promoting a well integrated mix of land uses including well designed homes of different types and tenures. Development plans should encourage and enable the creation of successful places which contribute to the identity of the area. New housing developments should be integrated with public transport and active travel networks, such as footpaths and cycle routes, rather than encouraging dependence on the car. New streets should connect well with existing streets and with walking and cycling networks, and allow for links into future areas of development. The density of new development should be determined in relation to the character of the place and its relative accessibility, with higher densities appropriate at central and accessible locations.

Town centres and retailing

The evening economy should be encouraged and managed in appropriate centres to ensure life and activity outwith usual retail hours. When preparing policies and deciding applications, planning authorities should consider the scale of the developments and their likely impact, including cumulative impact on the character and function of the centre, the amenity of nearby residents and anti-social behaviour and crime.

Planning policy

Edinburgh and Lothians Structure plan The structure plan states that Haddington will be developed primarily with business and housing in mind. Each area within the Lothians and Edinburgh which has been included in housing expansion has been designated a certain number of houses which have to be incorporated by 2015. The total number allocated is 18,200, East Lothian has been designated 4,800 with 750 specifically allocated for Haddington. Schedule 3.1: Strategic Housing Allocations City of Edinburgh Newbridge/Kirkliston/Ratho 1,000 Waterfront Edinburgh 1,700 minimum Rest of Edinburgh Urban Area 1,100 minimum Edinburgh Urban Fringe 400 4,200 East Lothian Musselburgh 450 Wallyford 1,000 Blindwells New Settlement 1,600 Haddington 750 North Berwick 500 Dunbar 500 4,800 Midlothian A7/A68/Waverley Line Corridor 1,350 A701 Corridor 850 2,200 West Lothian Armadale 1,000 minimum Livingston and the Almond Valley 3,000 minimum Winchburgh/East Broxburn/Uphall 3,000 minimum 7,000 Edinburgh and the Lothians 18,200 Meeting the Plan Requirement by Council Area T otal housing completions Percentage of Average five-year over the plan period plan total land supply City of Edinburgh 33,900 48 12,100 East Lothian 9,000 13 3,200 Midlothian 11,200 16 4,000 West Lothian 16,100 23 5,800 Edinburgh and the Lothians 70,200 100 25,100

Existing Vision

“In 2014 Haddington will have a vibrant and bustling historic town centre. Its commercial centre will have accommodated growth with new retail and commercial opportunities in mixed use redevelopment sites and many of its historic buildings will have been comprehensively repaired and brought back into use. The successful town centre will have a range of shops that meet the needs of both the town and its hinterland and encourage visitors through the quality of its overall retail and cultural offering and its high quality historic townscape.”

The town centre strategy plan is focused primarily on the development of the town centre rather than the town as a whole. While maintaining the historic town centre is important for both Haddington’s character and culture, the areas which would benefit more from investment and improvement lie outside the area allocated for improvement. One of the main focuses in the report is the expenditure leakage from Haddington to Edinburgh and its retail outlets. There is a suggestion that a retail outlet or new shopping area could be positive as long as it does not damage the town’s character. Haddington already has over 150 commercial premises in the central area and the East Lothian Council offices alone employ 5000 people, more than the working population in Haddington. There is a Tesco supermarket tucked in behind Court Street to the north. Local concern is that the development of other supermarkets or shopping centres on the outskirts of the town will reduce footfall to Tesco and the small independant shops.