28th recap
- 2. Aims of the Project A design and development brief for the site. Community design aspirations embedded in the eventual solutions for the area Community engagement with the design principles of better place making Raised awareness of the significance of the regeneration and quality of the town centre environment as a whole and how this will benefit local residential neighbourhoods.
- 3. Workshop 1 – 28th Nov Site visit and SWOT analysis – what do we have, value, or want to change? Workshop – Problems and Propositions Examples from elsewhere – retail and other development in town centres.
- 4. Strengths: TBC are a key landowner. The site is in an excellent central location with good access. The site is large and could provide a broad range of redevelopment opportunities. The variety of parking available in the town centre. Alleyways are a special feature of the Tewkesbury urban morphology.
- 5. Weaknesses: Quality of place is very poor. Though busy at times it feels like a dead space. The townscape quality of the backs of existing development that fronts the site is very poor. Poor legibility overall. Natural way finding difficult, poor and inaccurate signage, poor highways design. Some alleyways frightening due to being isolated, un-overlooked, not linear. Efficiency and quality of parking provision is poor.
- 6. Opportunities: Better quality and more diverse parking facilities. Better location for the Market – Back of Avon and the High Street being mentioned as possibilities. Improved quality of streets and public / civic spaces. Screening poor “back of development” with good quality redevelopment. Repair and enhance the historic street pattern and movement network. Reassess the Town’s needs in the context of the current and future economic situations. Explore how the Towns’ medieval attractions could be better utilised / expanded and promoted.
- 7. Threats: Not getting the right balance between parking / development / public space within the Town Centre. Not getting the right mix of development. Possible that too many large retail units could threaten shops on the High Street. Not getting the right balance between cars/pedestrians/cyclists etc, in the design of the streets / public spaces. The current and future economic climate..
- 8. Key Learning Points: Realistic and robust economics must be at the core of redevelopment proposals. The site must be developed as a mixed use scheme that supports and enhances the existing Town Centre offer – not competes with it. The east/west movement routes need drastic improvement. Striking the right balance in the town wide parking strategy is hugely important. Tewkesbury should not try and compete with Cheltenham or Gloucester, but should promote and enhance its own special identity and offer.