Glenbrook’s Post

Unveiling our newest plans in Milton Keynes We have today unveiled our revised plans for a new neighbourhood on the north side Campbell Park in Milton Keynes - something we’re creating in partnership with Glenbrook Urban Splash and Glenbrook first submitted plans last year, including proposals for towers up to 18-storeys tall. However, following a public consultation on the plans held by Milton Keynes City Council, we decided to revise the designs, with new proposals featuring The revised plans now feature: 👉🏻 Five buildings with a range of heights (from 6 to 12-storeys), but all substantially lower than the towers previously proposed 👉🏻 A reduced number of homes – down from 450 to around 400 👉🏻 A new café, restaurant or bistro by the canal 👉🏻 A cycle link to connect the existing Redway network 👉🏻 Biodiversity improvements to protect nature by the canal, including bat-friendly lighting, green roofs, and new wildflower meadows and wetlands areas Nathan Cornish, director at Urban Splash, said: “The feedback on our original proposals was clear: people did not want to see such tall buildings in this location. So we’ve reduced the number of homes proposed for the site, and significantly cut the height of the buildings. “We’re still listening, and we’re going back out to consult the public again before we submit a new planning application.” Sunny Johal, Glenbrook development director, added: “This is phase one of a larger planned development across the north side of Campbell Park, so it’s really important that we get this right. That’s why we’re happy to make these changes to ensure that the homes and public spaces truly reflect the aspirations of the local community. “The park and the canal are two of the city’s best assets, and we want to complement them by creating green landscapes, play areas, enhanced walking and cycle routes to link up the Redways, and a pub or café to let people sit out next to the canal.” #miltonkeynes #campbellpark #development #jvpartners #jointventure #architecture #glenbrook #urbansplash https://lnkd.in/eSn_43sC Sunny Johal Nathan Cornish Milton Keynes City Council Howells

In many historic downtowns, the upper floors of commercial buildings often remain unused or underutilized. However, transforming these spaces into modern housing units is a vital step toward revitalizing urban centers and driving economic growth. For communities like Freeport, upper-floor redevelopment not only preserves historic architecture but also brings much-needed housing into the heart of the city. Read more here:

A new park by LDA Design is at the heart of proposals for a £1 billion development in #Salford, submitted for #planning by Henley Investment Management Ltd with Savills and Matt Brook Architects. It will be the first park in the area in a generation. The development will transform the big box units of Salford’s Regent Retail Park to create a sustainable new place to live with a car-free core. The central green space sits within a wider two-hectare linear #park providing places to play and bringing close contact with nature. The #masterplan represents a 40% biodiversity net gain, transforming a large surface car park into a thriving green space. LDA Design delivered a #placemaking strategy prior to the #masterplan being developed to ensure landscape was at the heart of any new thinking for the area. LDA Design #Manchester studio lead Mark Graham said: “This is a significant development with landscape and placemaking at its heart. It demonstrates the importance of connecting new homes to playful, quality green space and investing in local infrastructure so that new and existing communities can benefit together.” A huge effort by many to get to this point, from LDA Design this includes: Mark Graham Ashleigh Davis and Sarah Brooks. https://lnkd.in/eicpcB2Z #Salford #Manchester #newhomes #homes #development #placemaking #landscape #landscapearchitecture #bettercity #greenercity #biodivesity #BNG

Here are 5 key traits we're using to revitalise high streets and town centres for a sustainable future.

Suburbanites are clamoring for pedestrian-friendly oases, but some balk at what developers and architects say are critical components of live-work-play developments: the higher-density apartments, hotels, and offices that help pay for these projects. #ICSC #Marketplaces #Retail #RealEstate https://bit.ly/3Lr2Rjp

Suburbanites are clamoring for pedestrian-friendly oases, but some balk at what developers and architects say are critical components of live-work-play developments: the higher-density apartments, hotels, and offices that help pay for these projects. #ICSC #Marketplaces #Retail #RealEstate https://bit.ly/3Lr2Rjp

Flipping Houses in Boston: Challenges in Boston🏡⬇️ While the profit potential is promising, house flipping in Boston comes with its set of challenges. The city's real estate market is known for its competitiveness, making it essential to ensure that your projected profit margin justifies your investment. This is particularly pertinent in a bustling city like Boston, where desirable neighborhoods command high prices. Another aspect that makes house flipping in Boston distinctive is the city's historic architecture. While these buildings hold immense charm, they can also pose challenges during renovations. Striking a balance between modernizing a property and adhering to historic preservation regulations requires careful navigation. #bostonrealestate #bostonhomes #bostonluxuryhomes #homesellinginnewton #sellingnewton #newtonma #newtonrealtor #newtonhomes #brooklinerealestate #newtonrealestate #newtonluxuryhomes #brooklinehomes #brooklineluxuryhomes

We were happy to sign a letter to The Times last week warning The Labour Party against housebuilding visions overly-focused on style, along with colleagues at Proctor & Matthews Architects, HTA Design LLP, PRP and Levitt Bernstein. As writer and critic (and former housing manager and educator) Jane Darke reminded us during our housing conference day last September (https://lnkd.in/dq75MB9T), her research showed that for residents – ‘the appearance does not have to be traditional. The case studies show that brickwork is not automatically popular: what is liked is lightness and brightness. Monotony is disliked. A pleasant outlook—open spaces, greenery, trees—is also important.’   With this in mind we’ve just published our latest sector guide – on rural and suburban housing – featuring future-proofed, connected homes in a range of projects from new settlements on the edge of small towns to finely calibrated townscapes set within historic suburbs. Their design and appearance is, of course, inspired by tradition and local character, but the overall look is contemporary. If you can win planning permission in Woodstock, West Oxfordshire, as we have, for a new settlement featuring fabric-first, Passivhaus-standard homes, there’s a simple takeaway to be had: Style wars are a massive distraction. If you'd like to know more about our rural and suburban housing work please take a look at our sector guide and get in touch with Kaye Stout or Alexis Butterfield. Sector guide: https://lnkd.in/dAPi2-KU #ruralhousing #suburbanhousing #distinctivelylocal #stylewars

Stonehenge, St Pancras…the Ringway? Ahead of the crucial vote this week by Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee, Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud has backed our campaign to save the Smallbrook Ringway Centre - a landmark mid-century modern building, currently threatened with total demolition. In a recorded video message to councillors, McCloud invokes Stonehenge, New York’s Grand Central Station, and London’s St Pancras Station, as now celebrated landmarks that at various points in their history, were also undervalued or faced the threat of destruction. Describing the Ringway as ‘a ribbon of craftsmanship, [and] of 1960s optimism’, he calls for the building to be imaginatively reinvented. The Ringway Centre was designed by James Roberts between 1958-60 - the same architect behind the city’s celebrated Rotunda tower - and has been described by historians as ‘the best piece of mid-20th century urban design in Birmingham’. Known for its dramatic 230m long elevation that curves along Smallbrook Queensway, and sweeps over Hurst Street on great V-shaped pilotti, it is thought to be the longest single retail frontage in the country. The planned redevelopment would see the building levelled to make way for three residential towers between 44 and 56 storeys. Of the 1,800 residential units, only 4.4% of would classify as affordable housing – well below the councils own 35% target for developments of this scale. Meanwhile the scheme would have a devastating carbon cost of 187 million kg of CO₂ - equivalent to driving a family car around the earth 33,000 time. This horizontal skyscraper, straight from the Mad Men era, deserves better than the bulldozer. With a little imagination, it's ready to be renewed and revitalised, fit for the 21st Century. Read more: https://lnkd.in/evMkFkFB

Residential Case Study: Spring Boroughs, Northampton Spring Boroughs is a development of 34 new affordable homes, comprising of 2 and 3 bed houses and a retail unit. Originally a scheme comprising of 18 homes off Little Cross Street, this development went under a full review to secure more sites and increase the development, including the relocation of a retail unit. Significant social value was created as part of the development, as it provideded the community with much needed affordable housing, provided the community with much needed affordable housing. Cellecta’s ScreedBoard 28 was specified by Northampton Partnership Homes due to the high sound reduction performance and low floor levels. As it’s suitable for all floor types, it is frequently viewed as the solution of choice for new build and refurbishment developments. Its interlocking edges for installation convenience, high density, and unique resilient layer provides unrivalled acoustic performance. Willmott Dixon was supplied 600m² of Cellecta products to develop these flats in Northampton. Download PDF here: https://ow.ly/LAmF50Qs7TG #ConstructionCaseStudy #Insulation #Cellecta #Architecture #Residential #ScreedBoard #Development #AcousticFloors