Scrooby Road and Colliery Site

The Harworth & Bircotes Design Guide

Design Principles and Indicative Masterplanning

Prepared by urban forward ltd for Bassetlaw District Council and Harworth Town Council for the Harworth Neighbourhood Plan. March 2014

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Contents

1. IntroductionandBackground 2. GeneralDesignPrinciples

4. TheCollierySite 5. UnderstandingtheContext 6. SitePhotographs 7. DesignApproach 8. DesignParameters 16. InitialConcept 17. FinalConcept 23. ExamplePhotographs

24. ScroobyRoad

25. SitePhotographs 26. AnalysisandParameters 27. DesignApproach 28. ConceptMasterplan 32. ExamplePhotographs

ReportproducedforHarworthNeighbourhoodPlan–March2014

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IntroductionandBackground

AbouttheProject

ThisdocumentsetsouttheprinciplesthatanydevelopmentontheHighStreet(ScroobyRoad)andadjacentCollierysiteneedtofollow.Thesehavebeendesignedtoensurethatthetownhasthebestchanceofcapturingthebenefitsofnewdevelopmenttohelpsupportexistingfacilitiesandservicesaswellasbenefitingfutureresidents.

Therearegeneraldesignprinciplesthatanynewdevelopmentshouldseektofollow,andtheseareincludedinthisdocumentforreference.PrinciplesspecifictoHarworthandBircoteshavebeendevelopedandarealsoincluded.Boththegenericandspecificprinciplesshouldbereadtogetherwhendevelopingdesignconceptsfortheareascoveredinthisdocument.

Althoughthetwositesaredealtwithseparatelyinthisdocument,anyfuturedevelopmentshouldseektoplayitspartinthewidercontext.Whenconsideringmattersofdetail,thoughtshouldbegiventohowthesetwositescanworktogetherandaddtothewiderqualityofthetown,includinglinkingtogreenspacesandgreenroutes,supportingshops,openingupaccesstothewidercountrysideandallowingforeaseofmovement.

Top:Collierysiteoutline.Bottom:HighStreet/ScroobyRoadsiteoutline.

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GeneralDesignPrinciples

GeneralDesignPrinciples

ThemasterplansfortheCollierysiteandadjacentScroobyRoadhavebeendevelopedtodeliverontheaspirationsofallstakeholdersinHarworthandBircotesincludingexistingandfutureresidents,andanydesignproposalsmustaccordwithacceptedurbandesignbestpractice. Therearemanysourcesthatdefinethecoreprinciplesofurbandesign,eachwithsubtlydifferentemphasisandwording,butallfollowingasimilarpatternandallcontainingapproximatelythesameguidance.Forthisdocument,theprinciplesreferredtoarethosecontainedin: -UrbanDesignCompendium(vol1);-SuccessfulPlacesSPD2013-NationalPlanningPolicyFramework(para58)-ManualforStreets1&2

SuccessfulPlacesSPD

BassetlawDistrictCouncilhasadoptedtheSuccessful Places SPDwhichhasbeendevelopedtoensurenewdevelopmentisofahighstandard.Initarethreedesignthemes:

Firmness:Isitbuilttolast,easilymaintainedandabletobeadaptedovertime?Essentially,isitdurable?

Functionality:Isituseful,fitforpurposeandeasytouse?Willitcontrib-utetoagoodqualityoflife?Essentially,doesitwork? Delight:Isitvisuallypleasingorevenbeautiful?Doesitengenderasenseofpride?Essentially,doesitlookgood?

Newdevelopmentshouldseektoembedthesethemesandprinciplesintothedesign.

Source:SuccessfulPlacesSPD

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GeneralDesignPrinciples

DesignApproachforfutureprojects

Places for PeopleForplacestobewell-usedandwell-loved,theymustbesafe,comfortable,variedandattractive.Theyalsoneedtobedistinctive,andoffervariety,choiceandfun.Vibrantplacesofferopportunitiesformeetingpeople,playinginthestreetandwatchingtheworldgoby. Enrich the ExistingNewdevelopmentshouldenrichthequalitiesofexistingurbanplaces.Thismeansencouragingadistinctiveresponsethatarisesfromandcomplementsitssetting.Thisappliesateveryscale-theregion,thecity,thetown,theneigbourhood,andthestreet. Make ConnectionsPlacesneedtobeeasytogettoandbeintegratedphysicallyandvisuallywiththeirsurroundings.Thisrequiresattentiontohowtogetaroundbyfoot,bicycle,publictransportandthecar-andinthatorder.

Mix Uses and FormsStimulating,enjoyableandconvenientplacesmeetavarietyofdemandsfromthewidestpossiblerangeofusers,amenitiesandsocialgroups.Theyalsoweavetogetherdifferentbuildingforms,uses,tenuresanddensities. Manage the InvestmentForprojectstobedevelopableandwellcaredfortheymustbeeconomicallyviable,wellmanagedandmaintained.Thismeansunderstandingthemarketconsiderationsofdevelopers,ensuringlongtermcommitmentfromthecommunityandthelocalauthority,definingappropriatedeliverymechanismsandseeingthisaspartofthedesignprocess.

Work with the LandscapePlacesthatstrikeabalancebetweenthenaturalandmanmadeenvironmentandutiliseeachsite’sintrinsicresources-theclimate,landform,landscapeandecology-tomaximiseenergyconservationandamenity.

Above:UrbanDesignPrinciplesindiagrammaticform.

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TheCollierySite

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Understandingthesite

Thecollierysiteislargeandcomplex,withanumberofexistingfeatureswho’sfutureisuncertainduetoremediationworks.Includedinthisarethearrayofexistingbuilding,whichinalllikelihoodwillbedemolished.

Thesitehasarangeofexistingfeaturesthatanyfutureredevelopmentshouldseektoincorporateandwork‘with’ratherthanagainst.However,itshouldbenotedthatacomprehensiveprogramofremediationworkwillneedtobeundertakentomakepartsofthesitedevelopableandthiswillalterfundamentalaspectssuchastopographyandareasofsignificantplanting.

Greenspacesalongtherailway,DroverdaleWoodandLordsWoodofferexcellentopportunitiesforaddingamenityandbiodiversity,asdotheexistingCollieryPonds.ThesiteofTip1couldseeextensiveremediationleadingtotheremovalofthisspoilheap,levellingtheareafordevelopment.Thiswouldinvolvethelossofthesignificantareaofplantingadjacenttothecollieryentrance.

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Understandingthesite

Whenassessingthesite’stopography,understandingwhatislikelytoremainonsiteandwhatislikelytobelostaspartofremediationworkisdifficult.

Forthepurposesofthismasterplan,ithasbeenassumedthatasignificantamountoflevelingwillformpartofremediationworks,makingmoreofthesitedevelopable.Agentleslopenorth-southwilllikelyremain.

Discussionswiththesiteoperatorsrevealthattheexistingspoilheapswillbetotallyremovedandrelocatedaspartoftheworksneededtomakethesiteavailablefordevelopment.Thiswillinvolvethelossofsomesignificantexistingtrees.

Thelarge-scalemovementofsoilandspoildoespresentanopportunitytocutandfillinareaswherecurrentlevelsmakedevelopmentproblematic.

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SitePhotographs

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DesignApproach

CollierySite:SpecificDesignPrinciples Thedesignofthecollierysitehasbeenshapedbytheoverarchingprinciplethatanynewdevelopmenthereshouldbedeliveredinawaythatenablesexistingshopsandservicestobesupportedbynewresidents.Todothis: -ThenewdevelopmentmustmakeasmanydirectconnectionstoScroobyRoadaspossibletoallownewresidentseasyaccesstoshopsandservices;

-Thelayoutshouldenablefreeanddirectmovementfromthesiteedgestothehomesandotheruseswithinandtheroutesprovidedmustbelegible;

-Theroutestructureshouldallowforfuturedevelopmentinadjacentareassothatthetowncangrowinanintegratedway;

-Thecharacterofthestreetsmustreflecttheirrelativeimportancetoeitherglobalorlocalmovementtoaidlegibility;

-Therouteandblockstructureshouldbereflectiveofthespatialarrangementoftheexistingtownsothataclearrelationshipbetweenoldandnewisevident;

-Existingsitefeaturesincludingnaturalandbuiltformsshouldbeusedtohelpshapethelayout.;

-Trafficspeedshouldbecontrolledthoroughdesignratherthanthroughmanagementandmustbeincludedfromtheoutset.

Top:Collierysiteoutline.Bottom:Existingpitbuildingsthatdominatetheskylineformiles.

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DesignParameters

KeyGreen Spaces

Theplanshowssignificantgreenspacesinandaroundthedevelopmentsitethatofferopportunitiesforintegrationintoanyfuturemasterplan.

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DesignParametersDesignParameters

Water

Existingwaterfeaturesonsitehavethepotentialtobeintegratedintoanyfuturedesign,helpingtomaintainbiodiversityandaddamenity.

Key

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DesignParameters

Green Routes

Linkingthesefeaturestogetherwithgreenandbluecorridorsshouldbeexplored.

Extraplantingandgreeningonkeyroutestolinkgreenspacesandmakewaterfeaturesworktogethershouldbeincludedatthedetaileddesignphase.

Keyviewsacrossthetownandouttothesouthneedtobeconsidered.

Key

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DesignParameters

Links and Views

Extraplantingandgreeningonkeyroutestolinkgreenspacesandmakewaterfeaturesworktogethershouldbeincludedatthedetaileddesignphase.

Keyfuturelinks(blue)shouldbeallowedforinfuturedetaileddesignworkallowingforfuturelandownershipchanges.

Key

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DesignParameters

Primary Routes

Theprimaryroutestructureneedstoallowforconnectionsthatrunedge-to-edgeandtheseshouldbelocatedtoallowforfutureconnectionsto the south.

Akeydeterminerinlocatingroutesshouldbefocusingmovementontheexistingretailcentre.

Key

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DesignParameters

Secondary and Tertiary Routes

Thesecondary(orange)andtertiary(purple)routesallowforaccesswithinthesite.

Theplacementoftheseroutesneedstodefinedevelopmentblocksthatarearound70mx110mtoallowforagrainthatrepresentstheexistingsettlementwhilstretainingwalkableneighbourhooddimensions.

Key

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DesignParameters

Nodes and Spaces

Keynodes(circledred)areplaceswhere‘special’spacescouldbecre-ated,whichcouldbeopenspace,featurebuildings,orkeycrossings.

Ifusesotherthanresidentialaretobeincludedaspartoftheredevelop-ment,thenthisshouldbelocatedasneartotheexistingretailcentreaspossibletohelpsupportexistingbusinessesandservices.

Key

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InitialConcept

Theconceptmasterplanshowsapotentialarrangementofstreetsanddevelopmentblocks,parksandopenspaces.

Akeyconceptfeatureisablocksizethatallowsforawalkableneighbourhoodwhilststillallowingforon-plotfrontage-accessedparkinganddecentfrontandreargardens.

Feedbackfrominitialconsultationrevealedtheneedforalargerareaofopenspaceakintoaparkratherthanasmallplayarea,andastrongereast-westgreenlinktoallowforintegrationintoawidergreeninfrastructurenetwork.

Also,worktoregulariseblockshapeisrequiredtoremoveproblematiccornersandreducethenumberofcross-roads.

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FinalConcept

Therevisedconceptmovestowardsamorerefinedapproachtoembeddingthedesignprinciplesandrespondingtothesiteparameters.

Therevisedmasterplanmakesanallowanceforthethemesraisedininitialconsultation,andthenewdesignfeaturesalargeparkwhosedimensionsaremodelledinpartonexistingfacilitiesintown.

Astrongereast-westlinkformingalowerloopaspartofatown-widegreeninfrastructurenetworkhasbeenincluded,whichisaround30mwideandfollowsthelineoftheoldrailway.

Akeyfeatureintroducedintherevisedplanisstrengthenedplantingonkeystreetstoensurethatmoreurbanrouteslinkintowidergreennetworks.Plantinghasbeenusedtodemonstratestreethierarchy,withtheroutesmostimportanttowiderintegrationthemostheavilyplantedandmorelocalroutesfeaturinglowergradeplantingtreatments.

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FinalConcept

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1.Centralplantingandparkingarea,echoingsimilarfeaturesonShewsburyRoad.

2.StronglinkthroughtoScroobyRoad.

3.Newrecreationspaceandparkland.

4.EntrancethroughDroversWoodoffScroobyRoad.

5.Greenlinkalongthelineoftheoldrailway.

6.Stronglinktothequarryandwoodstothesouth.

7.Futurelinktothesouthallowedfor.

8.Existingwaterfeaturesretainedforamenityvalueandbiodiversity

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FinalConcept

Thesouthern-mostdevelopmentareawillfeaturelargerhousingwithlowerdevelopmentdensities.

CarewillneedtobetakentoensurethispartofthesiteisnotisolatedfromtherestofthedevelopmentandakeytothiswillbeallowingtheGIroutetobeeasilycrossable.

1.Evenlow-gradestreetstobecontinuallyconnectedtoalloweaseofmovementandtodispersetrafficthroughthegrid.

2.PointsthatcrosstheGIrouteshouldgivepriorityaccesstopedestriansandcyclist.

3.Existingpondretainedandintegratedintoamenityspace.

4.Low-gradestreetswillformtheedgeofthedevelopmentabuttingthewoodland.

5.Streetsthatformpartofthelocalaccessmovementnetworkwillfeatureinherenttrafficcalming,lowdesignspeedsandon-streetparkingandplanting.

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FinalConcept

Theeasternandwesternentrancesofthesitewilllikelybethemainwaythatpeopleaccessthesitefrombeyondthetownandwillbedifferentincharacter.

1.ExistingpondstoformtheBlythRoadfrontage,withGIlinksrunningthroughthisareaandnorthintotown.

2.Majorrouteswillbedenotedbyfeaturecentralplantingandparking,signalingtheirroleinglobalaswellaslocalmovement.

3.RoutesthatrunalongtheedgeofthedevelopmentfrontingtheGIrouteshouldbelow-gradetomakethisspaceaspedestrianfriendlyaspossible.

4.Lowergradestreetsshouldfeatureareasofgreenspace,squares,playetctoboosttheirsocialamenity.

5.TheScroobyRoadeastentrancewillrunthroughDroversWood,althoughtheoptionof‘loading’thisstreetwithdevelopmentcouldbeexploredifTPOsallow.

6.Arrivalintothedevelopmentproperwillbedemarkedwiththeplantingandreservationtreatmentthatsignalsamainstreet.

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3.ThemainvehicularentrancetothesitefromtheexistingtownwilllinkwiththeexistingtreatmentofShrewsburyRoadtocreateaconnectionintermsofurbanmorphology.

4.Anewparkcouldbelocatedalongoneofthemainroutestodrawpeoplefromthetowncentretothedevelopment.

5.Lowergraderoutesrunningnorthsouthwillfocusmovementontothetowncentrefacilitiesandservices.

FinalConcept

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Theareanearestthetowncentrewillbethemosturbanincharacter,featuringhigherdensitiesandmoreformalarrangements.

1.ThelinkfromScroobyRoadintothesitealongthesideofthemedicalcentreispossiblythebestlocationforanofficeorotheruse.

2.Allowanceneedstobemadeforabusset-downareathatshouldhelpincreasemovementthroughthesiteandaddactivitytotheHighStreet.

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2.Effortshouldbemadetointroducevariationalongthelengthofstreetsintermsofwidth,edgetreatment,plantingandbuildingstohelpin-creasevariety.

3.Thesurfacetreatment,parkingarrangementandplantingonlowerorderstreetsneedstoworktogethertomoderatevehiclespeedsandincreasetheamenityqualityforresidentsandpedestrians.

4.Akeynodewheretwomainstreetscrosspresentsanopportunityforspecialbuildings,greenspacesorjunctiontreatments.

FinalConcept

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Thecentraldevelopmentareawillbethecoreoftheresidentialdevelopmentpartofthesite,offeringareasonablydense,urbanenvironmentinthecentrebutkeepingalow-grade,lessdenseedgetothe south.

1.Thelowermainroutewillservetheheartofthedevelopmentsiteandneedstobehighgradetoreflectitsimportantmovementfunction.

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Examplephotographs

Thephotographsherehavebeenchosentogiveaflavourofthe‘feel’ratherthantheexact‘look’ofthespacesandstreetsproposedonthecollierysite.

Photos(clockwisetopright):1.Alow-gradeconnectedstreetwithtreesandparking,Upton.2.Plantinginthecentreofthestreet,Exeter.3.Continuousgreencorridor,Northampton.4.Greenedgetoadevelopment,Oxford.5.Tree-linedstreetswithparking,Bristol.

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ScroobyRoad

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Sitephotographs

Photosfromthesiteshowthatthenorthernedgeisperformingwell,benefitsfromgoodpublicrealmandasunnyaspect.

Bycontrast,thesouthernedgeaddslittletothehighstreet.

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Analysisandparameters

CurrentlytheHighStreetis‘singleloaded’,withshopsonlyononeside.Withanynewdevelopmentintownthereisscopetoaddanotheredgetothestreettoprovidemoreretailinthecore.

TheexistingHighStreethasmanypositivefeatures,suchassmallindependentshopsandarecentpublicrealmupgrade.

Anyredevelopmentshouldworktobuildonthischaracter.

ThecurrentconfigurationofScroobyRoad,withdevelopmentononlyonesite,leadstoaverystretched-outretailcorewhicherodeswalkabilityandthustheinstancesoflinkedtrips.

ThesouthernsideofScroobyRoadisdominatedbyeitherbarrierplantingorpavilionbuildingsthataresetfarbackintheirplot,reducingthelevelsofactivityonthissideofthestreet.

Anyredevelopmentofthestreetedgeshouldseektoincreasehoweasythestreetistocrossandtomakesurethereisareasontomakethecrossinginthefirstplace.

ScroobyRoadofferssignificantopportunitiesforredevelopmentandretreatment,includingvacantsitestothesouthernedgeandfootpathandcarriagewaychanges.

Key

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DesignApproach

Scrooby Road / High Street: Specific Design Principles TheapproachtoremodellingtheHighStreetpartoftheScroobyRoadhasbeenmainlyinfluencedbytheneedtomakethisretailcoreperformbetterintermsofattractingvisitorsandprovidingchoice.Tohelpenablethis,thefollowingprinciplesmustbefollowed: -ScroobyRoadmustbeaseasytocrossaspossible,achievedthroughmoderatetrafficspeedscontrolledthroughsubtledesigntechniques;

-AsouthernmostedgeneedstobedevelopedfortheHighStreet,makingamoredenseretailcorethatismoreaccessiblebyshortwalkingjourneys;

-Sufficientandaccessibleparkingmustbeprovidedalongthestreetandinnewparkingareastohelpenableeasyaccesstoshopsandotherfacilities;

-Treesandotherplantingshouldbeintroducedtolinkintosurroundinggreeninfrastructureroutes.

Top:ScroobyRoadsiteoutline.Bottom:ExistingHighStreet,withseatingandasoutherlyaspect.

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ConceptMasterplan

TheconceptmasterplandrawsupontheprinciplesofManualforStreets1&2,reprioritisingthespaceforpedestrianmovementandallowingthedesignofthestreettocontroltrafficspeeds.

Sharedsurfaceprinciplesunderpintheproposedstreettreatmenttoallowforeasycrossingandhighlevelsofsocialactivity.

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ConceptMasterplan

1.AnarrowgatewayannouncesarrivalintothepedestrianprioritypartofScroobyRoad.

2.Newdevelopmentpickingupthebuildinglineonthesouthernedgewhilstalsoechoingtherhythmoftheexistingstorefrontages.

3.Widerfootpaththatretainssomeplantingtobeintroduced.

4.Courtesycrossingsatfrequentintervalsslowtrafficandincreaseeaseofmovement.

5.Roundelsatkeyjunctionsmanagetrafficwithoutinterruptingpedestrianmovement.

6.Centralnarrowingofcarriagewayhelptomoderatespeedsandgivepedestriansawaitingspace.

7.Newfrontagetoimportantjunctionaddsretailorofficeuseintothetowncentre.

8.On-streetparkingareasshouldofferconvenientaccesstoshopandotherfacilities.

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1.Roundels,flushwiththesurfaceofthecarriagewaybutdemarkedsimilarlytoroundabouts,areagoodsolutiontomanagingjunctiontrafficwithoutreducingpedestrianmovement.

ConceptMasterplan

2.Courtesycrossingsallowforeasymovementacrossthestreetandrelyonvehicleandpedestrianinteraction.Forcingcarstocrossthepavementratherthantheotherwayaroundslowstraffic.

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ConceptMasterplan

1.Akeyfeatureoftheconceptmasterplanisnarrow‘gateways’demarkingthepedestrianpriorityzoneofScroobyroad.

Thesefeatureacentralreservation,edgingrumblestripsandnarrowrunninglanestohelpslowvehiclesdownastheyenterthisspace.

2.Fromthegatewayon,thecarriagewayisvisuallynarrowedwithedgingandcentralrumblefeatures.

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Examplephotographs

ThephotographsherearefromtheredevelopmentofPoynton,Cheshire.

ThisretreatmentofanexistingtowncentreisamongthemostsuccessfulpublicrealmregenerationschemesintheUKandgivesanexampleofhowtheScroobyRoadcouldberedeveloped.

1.Courtesycrossingshowingreprioritisedstreetspace,withpedestrianshavingrightofway.

2.Driversslowdownnaturallyforpedestrians,negatingtheneedforcontrolledcrossingpoints

3.Near-levelsurfacesallowforeasycrossing,allowingbothsidesofthestreettobeactive.

4.Narrowrunninglanesforcarshelpkeepvehiclesspeedslow,withouttheneedforusingblockpavingacrosstheentirecarriageway.

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Examplephotographs

1.Longpinched‘gateways’toannouncearrivalintoapedestrianpriorityzone.

2.Side-streetsandparkingareasaccessedacrossthefootway.

3.Pavementcrossesstreettoenforcepriority.

4.Rumblestripsatcrossingpointscontrolspeed.

5.Surfaceroundelsworklikeroundaboutsatjunctionsbutstillallowcrossing.

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Aboutus

urbanforwardisamultidisciplinaryplanning,designandurbandesignconsultancydedicatedtoqualityoutcomesforthebuiltenvironment.Weofferacomprehensiverangeofservicesdesignedtodeliverthebestpossibleresultsforanyproject,fromnewdevelopmentstopolicyandresearch.Ourteamareleadersinthefield,withawealthofpracticalexperiencetohelpbothprivateandpublicsectorclientsaswellaswithcommunitygroupsandthoseinthethirdsector.