Regeneration

In recent years many old factories industrial buildings within the heart of our towns and cities have become redundant. The practice has been appointed by the owners to prepare proposals for redevelopment which will rejuvenate the outworn fabric of the settlement and provide alternative viable sustainable uses on their brownfield sites.

Projects

Woods of Colchester
Magdalen Street, Colchester
The Study was commissioned by the Isle of Man Government.

One of the objectives of Colchester Borough Council was to bring about the regeneration of the Magdalen Street area in accordance with the Magdalen Street and Barrack Street Development Brief. The site of 1.98ha. in area was occupied by old and substandard premises and their replacement provided a major opportunity to re-structure land uses in the locality. As well as the pool of derelict land, the site had the significant advantage of being located on the fringe of the town centre and close to a railway station.

The catalyst for rejuvenation was the construction of a new Enterprise Centre to replace one that was formerly situated within the area.

Redevelopment provided considerable scope for securing a highly sustainable mixture of employment and residential uses which included:-

  1. (i) the new Enterprise Centre with a floorspace of 1086 sq.m. including a range of Class B1 units and offices for the Colchester Business Enterprise Agency.
  2. (ii) 137 apartments and 26 dwellings with a range of dwelling types that was weighted towards smaller units such as 1 and 2 bed apartments.
  3. (iii) a significant public amenity area located in the centre of the site which provided a comparatively large and irregular urban space which contrasted with the smaller 'squares' and linear groups of buildings characteristic of other parts of the site layout.

    4. The development not only fully satisfied the Council's development requirements as set out in the Brief but also made a significant contribution to the economic and environmental improvement of the area.

    The Maltings, Braintree
    Gate Street, Maldon