TOWNS LIKE OURS SYMPOSIUM

CHANGING CHELMSHORD How bold is your vision?

25 June 2010

ST ALBANS CITY VISION AND CENTRAL MASTERPLAN

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

A walkabout the city….

Ambitious scope of project

•  20-30 year vision

•  City wide spatial framework and themed strategies

•  Central masterplan: Uses, movement, public realm

•  Urban design guidelines

•  Implementation strategy

•  Summary vision leaflet

•  Market Study and District Study

Clear method to achieve this:

•  Employment and training;

•  Shops and services;

•  Culture and leisure;

•  Homes and community;

•  Transport; and

•  The physical environment.

•  Integration of these throughout.

STAGE 5

Management and delivery

STAGE 6

Final vision and masterplan

STAGE 4

Masterplanning of key sites

STAGE 2

Research and analysis

STAGE 3

Draft framework & vision

STAGE 1

Inception & familiarisation

Keys to unlocking potential

1.  Future trends analysis and debate to inform vision and spatial plan

•  Exploring futures scenarios with experts and local community

•  Consideration of likelihood and desirability of these for St Albans

•  Economic, spatial and social implications of these on the City Vision

•  Policy, strategy and design drivers to pursue most desirable scenario

Keys to unlocking potential

2.  Continuity to innovative engagement throughout

•  Interactive engagement with deliberative voting options

•  Effective feedback loop, with ideas generation, test and review and comment

•  Broad local engagement – use of community panel, schools, market etc

•  Drawing on knowledge of local groups

•  Building consensus on contentious issues to move forwards

Test and review workshops Futures workshops

Young people’s city audit and workshop

High Profile exhibitions at each stage

Masterplan consultation shop unit

City wide questionnaire

Stakeholder, member and officer links

Keys to unlocking potential

3.  Use of comparators

•  Comparators sourced for city vision and masterplan for themed strategies – retail, tourism, movement and new development in historic areas

•  Chester, York, Canterbury and Bury St Edmunds considered

Keys to unlocking potential

4.  Creating a green city at different scales

•  Creation of Green Ring around the city, drawing on existing green spaces and connecting these

•  Radial routes from centre to Green Ring, creating green network – movement and biodiversity benefits

•  Role of this is providing park and walk, cycling and general walking facilities – for transport and leisure

•  Links out to the surrounding countryside to maximise use of local assets and green space

Keys to unlocking potential

5.  A historically and contextually sensitive approach

•  Detailed townscape audit of building quality within the centre

•  Historic layout informed fine grain of masterplan and organic pedestrian routes

•  Key historic buildings refurbished and provided with a stronger setting

•  Creative re-use of vacant historic buildings explored

•  Balance of movement within centre considered to ensure vitality of historic areas

Keys to unlocking potential

6.  Proactive catch and steer role

•  Regular meetings with developers and their planners at pre-app and app stage

•  Establishment of clear design principles and objectives for sites

•  Stakeholder design meeting with developers and architects

•  Minor amendments to masterplan to accommodate existing plans where possible, whilst achieving design quality

Keys to unlocking potential

7.  Robust, modular approach to retain principles whilst responding to market

•  Options stage developed with modular elements – community could actively shape draft masterplan

•  Modular and phased approach developed, based on scenarios

•  Elements of masterplan can come forward independent of one another

•  Integrity of masterplan and design objectives ensured

Keys to unlocking potential

8.  Strong leadership throughout to create policy priority and bring about delivery

•  Clear direction from Chief Executive and lead member throughout

•  Dedicated project director

•  Strong links with business leaders

•  Coordination with emerging Core Strategy

•  Briefings to overview and scrutiny and members at key stages