Tina King’s Post

Swansea 💚 In February of 1941, Swansea suffered a 3-night blitz that shattered the centre of town, with Oxford Street and much of the commercial areas being particularly hit. Prior to this, Swansea High Street boasted grand department stores and detailed architecture, but following so much destruction, the local authority was forced to rebuild quickly, resulting in the concrete facade we see today. With a focus on creating space for businesses, public space and the integration of greenery went unaddressed. The Swansea Blitz may have been 80 years ago, but we are still rebuilding, with the decisions made then continuing to impact the success of Swansea today. First announced in 2017, The Swansea Bay City Deal aims to regenerate the locality. With many of the developments already complete, such as Copr Bay and the Albert Hall, and many more to come, the regeneration happening now is actually the most extensive since the reconstruction after WW2. It is great to see such an investment into the city to initiate a return of its former glory. The Biophilic Living project sits among the wider regeneration as it aims to build and enhance communities and rethink the design of our urban environments. Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “Swansea is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades and private sector schemes like the living building will combine with everything the council is doing to breathe new life into our city centre.   “Schemes like this are important. Not just because of their innovation but also because they’ll lead to more people living and wprking in the city centre. This is key if we’re to create more footfall there to support our existing businesses and attract further investment, jobs and businesses in future.” We are very grateful for the support from the council! City & County of Swansea 🌿🏙️🏡♻️ #biophilicliving #urbanregeneration #swanseabaycitydeal #resilientswansea #wellbeingoffuturegenerations #biophilicwales #biophilicswansea #lovewhereyoulive #mixedusedevelopment #citycentre #designforthefuture #community #peopleandplanet

There was a time when I believed creating a sustainable city centre could be achieved with Aberdeens vibrant economy. Now it’ll take a lot more than getting investment owners to agree to free up upper space above shops to convert into co- living ( student/ young professionals) accommodation. For a start considered integrated place making and various financial incentives such as reducing or removing VAT on building conversion work …. And certainly if it’s a build to rent - no fear of rent controls or other monetary burdens that discourage long term investment in the upkeep of these traditional buildings. So whilst restoring union streets commercial purpose is a significant objective- it has to be part of a wider vision to make Aberdeen an ambitious safe & vibrant City Centre- which includes tackling the city’s health and social issues as achieved in Manchester and Liverpool. https://lnkd.in/e6P9tGBq

Refurbishment works have commenced on the first phase to transform the historic Leamington Spa Town Hall into a creative hub. The project, undertaken for Warwick District Council, marks a significant step in revitalising the landmark building, built in 1884, with improvements set to enhance accessibility, safety, and functionality. Read more: https://bit.ly/40rY1sK #creativehub #townhall

Last week there was a gathering of Expert Advisors, including Andrew Haley, with those who have funded and managed the work of the High Street Task Force. This marked the end of this 5-year Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) funded programme, supporting the regeneration of high streets across England. The panel of experts drawn from the Institute of Place Management, Royal Town Planning Institute, Design Council and Landscape Institute, engaged with 149 high streets during the programme. It was wonderful to get a sense of the breadth of the work and hear stories from across the country. Each place is unique, therefore the approaches needed to stimulate revitalisation are specific to their circumstances. Andrew’s work over the last five years has reflected that diversity, including support for the Accelerator Programme for Stepney in Hull; Bedminster on the outskirt of Bristol; Westminster City Council in their work on Edgware Road and Praed Street; Stockport Town Centre; and the coastal towns of Paignton and Felixstowe. The legacy of the Task Force's work will be felt for many years to come, with it highlighting both positive transformation and common approaches to placemaking that hold back change. As a result of ongoing learning from this programme, the Task Force have helped MHCLG launch 10 pilot “high street accelerators”. The role of the task force in building and implementing the foundations of comprehensive place-making skills will equip high streets to the many challenges they face, both now and into the future. #thepaulhogarthcompany #paulhogarthcompany #landscapearchitecture #urbandesign #urbanplanning #highstreettaskforce #highstreet #MHCLG #highstreetaccelerators

Spurring Salford’s renaissance    Covering 240 acres of the city, Crescent is poised to transform this part of Salford into a globally recognised destination for people to live, learn, work, play and be active through a £2.5bn masterplan.    Comprising six unique – yet intertwined – zones, the area will provide space for world-class learning and research at Crescent Innovation; unlock the unlimited potential of the University’s Peel Park Campus; facilitate a new transport hub to promote sustainable and active travel; and deliver future-proofed homes which dovetail with the existing built environment and compliment Salford’s rich architectural history.   Nature will be at the heart of the development too, with all existing green space – including Peel Park and the River Irwell – being enhanced and improved to provide valuable recreation space and ecological habitats.   Here’s what Crescent Salford will deliver at a glance:   🏡 More than 3,000 homes 🏬 1m sq ft of office, retail and leisure space 🚲 A multi-modal transport hub 🌳 Vast areas of green space Delivered by ECF - a joint partnership between Legal & General, Homes England and Muse, in collaboration with Salford City Council and The University of Salford, all partners share a combined vision to elevate the city's status and put it firmly on the map as an international hub of innovation, collaboration and world-firsts.   For more information about Crescent Salford, and details of some of the spaces and places being delivered as part of the masterplan, head to - https://lnkd.in/dSC5BKs.   #placemaking #partnership #Salford

PLANNING SUCCESS. Ellis And Partners have secured permission for a 32 room (mix of single, double and studios) Student Halls of Residence in Bournemouth Town Centre (2nd one this year). On this application waste collection, cycle storage & Daylighting were all parts of the scheme initially rejected by the council. However, as per usual, our in house team were able to offer robust evidence based justifications as to why the application should ultimately be approved without any changes to the layout. The scheme retains all the ground floor retail, and other major commercial elements of the building ensuring the Town Centre remains diverse and viable.

🏙️ Barking Riverside Transforming East London with Ambitious Regeneration 🌳 🏗️ Barking Riverside is shaping up to be one of East London’s most exciting developments! With 20,000 new homes, schools, parks, and commercial spaces, this multi-billion-pound project is revitalizing the area and creating a vibrant, sustainable community. 🚉✨ 🏡 Affordable Housing: Over a third of the homes are designed to be accessible to all. 🚦 Improved Transport Links: A new overground station and pier to connect residents better. 🌱 Green Spaces: Parks and sustainable designs fostering a sense of belonging. 💡 Backed by partnerships with housing associations, the Mayor of London, and local councils, Barking Riverside is a shining example of urban regeneration done right. 🌟 👉 Read the full article on Highways Today: https://lnkd.in/e-hYwsMS #HighwaysToday #BarkingRiverside #UrbanRegeneration #LondonDevelopment #AffordableHousing #SustainableLiving #CommunityBuilding #ConstructionNews

We recently welcomed Tim Clark from Property Week to Greenford Quay, our community in West London, and one of the largest build-to-rent developments in the UK. "Using modular construction and volumetric technology, Greenford Quay is an example of how to build much-needed new homes, at scale and at speed... If the newly elected Labour government is to build its promised 1.5 million homes by the end of the current parliament, schemes such as Greenford Quay could provide a vital template." Our Senior Director, Construction, Kevin McHugh said: "This is a good indication of how modern methods of construction can significantly aid in accelerating the speed at which homes are built in the UK. We support construction methodologies that deliver sustainable solutions and better design and reduce delivery times by 50%." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eZX9k63E Greenford Quay was recently awarded the Urban Habitat Award of Excellence, and is shortlisted for this year's Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) awards. #GreystarEurope #housing #realestate #buildtorent

Brook Centre development marks 'key milestone' “Once completed, Brook Centre will provide new retail facilities and a café/bistro, plus a new base for Forest House Medical Centre – all enhancing the facilities of this pioneering new community.” A major milestone has been celebrated at New Lubbesthorpe in Leicestershire, with a topping out ceremony for the Brook Centre, a new local hub being developed by Charterpoint Group Ltd. Designed by Franklin Ellis Architects and built by Davlyn Construction Limited, the two-story mixed-use Brook Centre will be the first local centre serving the “pioneering new community” in New Lubbesthorpe, which will eventually include over 4,000 homes. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/edXmJkvb Giles Nursey

ICYMI: Cruden Homes and Mac Mic Group have secured planning for 172 energy-efficient homes in Millerhill, part of the Shawfair masterplan near Edinburgh. This landmark project offers a mix of private sale, build-to-rent, and affordable homes, tackling Edinburgh's housing needs. 🏡 Highlights include: 2-5 bedroom homes and flats A cutting-edge low-carbon district heating system 🌿 Exceptional connectivity and green spaces Work begins early 2025, with the first phase ready by year-end. Together, we’re building vibrant, sustainable communities. 🌟 📚 https://lnkd.in/eWwTmuhF #CrudenHomes #SustainableLiving #Shawfair