Consultation Draft 1 - Stoke-on-Trent City Council

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 4 4.6 Sustainable Principles The regeneration agenda provides a great opportunity to incorporate sustainable principles into the public realm that address community, economic and environmental issues. Community Issues On a community level, ease of access to high quality amenity facilities and amenity space is addressed in the first strategic objective proposed, by emphasising linkages to surrounding residential areas. On a more detailed level, inclusive access underpins the improvements to public realm proposals, by substantially reducing street clutter, incorporating hazard warning materials within surfaces and revising levels to achieve maximum 1:21 gradients where achievable. The public realm proposals seek to enhance the City Centre’s local distinctiveness through the development of a visible brand within the City Centre public realm. The public realm will also provide opportunities for observation and resting places. Public art and community facilities will engender the values of local people. Economic Growth & Employment <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent City Centre currently comprises mainly retail with associated small businesses. Limited but important leisure uses are available but are not supported by a broad mix of leisure uses. Parking is also a significant land use within the City Centre although it is currently under-utilised. The NSRP objectives intend to redress the balance by creating opportunities for business development, increased leisure uses and employment opportunities. Additionally, work is currently ongoing in developing the North Staffordshire brand . Following on from this will be the development of a clear and structured City wide destination marketing strategy to provide a robust platform from which to build both external profile and local pride. The existing Potteries Shopping Centre and proposed East-West Centre within the City Centre will result in a strong retail dumb bell effect that will envelop the retail heart. This retail heart will be emphasised using high quality public realm materials. A strong link will be provided from the new Tesco superstore along Clough Street, Brunswick Street and Albion Street, in order to highlight the supporting role that the store will provide to the existing retail core. Tesco Central Business District Potteries Centre East-West Centre Improvements to shop frontages and retail units will promote a quality shopping experience, whilst public realm enhancements will articulate appropriate spaces for on street trading and commercial activities to animate the streetscape. Provision for service connections and anchor points for on street activities will be designed and built in. Illustrative Anchor Retail & Employment Layout The development of Trinity Square and Town Road will also increase retail opportunities, and promote niche markets and artisan products that will add character to the street. The combined effect of the existing and proposed retail is shown on the figure diagram opposite. 22 23
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 4 Environmental Issues Environmental quality should be supported through a variety of measures, including the delivery of green infrastructure and sustainable transport options. Green infrastructure provides natural cooling and shelter from extreme weather conditions within the streetscape. It also helps to alleviate the carbon footprint of commercial businesses in the long term, in addition to providing an attractive environment. Green infrastructure can be enhanced through street tree planting, hedging, green walls and green roofs. Softworks - incorporated to reinforce the creation of a green character of the City Centre and sense of place. Trees located in hard paved areas should have provision for maximum growing conditions in order to provide longevity and good quality trees that serve to minimise extreme climate variations. Specifications should include for the correct selection of tree and plant species, planted in the right conditions with proper maintenance procedures in order to maximise the life cycle of the trees. Use of native species will be encouraged, although final selection of plant species should be appropriate to the scheme and ensure successful establishment. Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) should be used in large hard surfaced areas, including car parking across the City Centre, by way of addressing water management and future proofing the City Centre from flooding. Given the extent of the City Centre that is currently cleared for regeneration purposes, or about to be cleared, this is an unprecedented opportunity to create a truly sustainable City Centre within a very short time frame. Options for transport modes need to be increased, including provision for sustainable transport links, in order to reverse the current trend of over reliance on the private car by historic development. The provision of excellent cycling facilities (to support the City Cycle Initiative that <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent City Council are implementing) and public transport provision is required, in order to achieve this objective. High quality public realm treatments will help to make these options more attractive. The public realm highlights key sustainable transport links, including links to surrounding residential areas, strong links to the Caldon Canal Way and extended cycle network for cyclists, attractive arrival points, particularly for Street Car users and the development of the Transport Interchange (appropriately positioned on the fringe of the City Centre, but allowing easy access to the City Centre). These links have been highlighted with a view to increasing accessibility whilst reducing car dependence and traffic congestion. Enhancements to primary and secondary routes will also emphasise quick pedestrian routes across the City Centre. Car parking will observe benchmark guidance set out in the Park Mark Safer Parking Assessment Guidelines. Conflicts between pedestrian and vehicular users shall be minimised. Public realm improvements intended to enhance legibility will also improve the perception of a safer environment, as pedestrians and cyclists will be able to form a more immediate understanding of the structure of the City Centre. Liaison with the Staffordshire Police Architectural Liaison Officer will be a requirement in the development process for major developments. Design needs to work on different levels from form and function to flexibility and durability. Surfaces - use of good quality natural materials to provide a durable surface. Paving installation should be future proofed to allow for anticipated uses such as vehicular over-run, events and street trading uses. Materials should be sourced locally where possible. Materials should be assessed under the life cycle assessment, in order to evaluate and ultimately reduce the environmental impacts of specific materials. The development of a specific lighting scheme will be crucial to a reduction in crime and the promotion of a safe and secure place to be. When appropriately installed, lighting will reduce anti-social behaviour by improving general levels of illumination and quality of colour rendition. This will enhance the sense of safety and security within the City Centre at night time. Lighting pollution will be reduced and low energy bulbs will reduce energy consumption. Lighting installation shall be in accordance with current British Standards. 23
Page 1 and 2: STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY CENTRE PUBLIC R
Page 3: STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY CENTRE PUBLIC R
Page 6 and 7: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Why is this Publ
Page 9 and 10: BASELINE SUMMARY 2 2 Baseline Summa
Page 11 and 12: BASELINE SUMMARY 2 3.4 Transportati
Page 13 and 14: THE VISION 3 The City Centre public
Page 15 and 16: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 4 linkages loc
Page 17 and 18: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 4 4.1 The Deve
Page 19 and 20: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 4 4.3 Enhancin
Page 21: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 4 4.4 The Mate
Page 26 and 27: CONNECTIVITY 5 5.1 The Transport Hi
Page 28 and 29: CONNECTIVITY 5 5.4 Gateways Increas
Page 31 and 32: BASELINE SPATIAL HIERARCHY SUMMARY
Page 64 and 65: DESIGN PRINCIPLES 7 7.1 General Des
Page 66 and 67: DESIGN PRINCIPLES 7 7.3 General Des
Page 68 and 69: DESIGN PRINCIPLES 7 7.3 Design Prin
Page 70 and 71: DESIGN PRINCIPLES 7 7.6 Design Prin
Page 72:
DESIGN PRINCIPLES 7 Decorative tile
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Consultation Draft 1 - Stoke-on-Trent City Council

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