Taunton Urban Design Framework - Taunton Deane Borough Council

County Cricket ClubInternational CricketConsiderable work has been undertaken with the CricketClub to illustrate how the physical requirements can beaccommodated on the site. This includes :• Increasing the size of the playing area.• Increasing the seating capacity.• Enhancing indoor facilities.• Shifting the ground away from the river to enhance thequality of the riverfront and access the riverside.• Introducing commercial/active frontages at ground level.• Improving accessibility to and around the Cricket Club.Main StandThe main cricket stand will provide a landmark structure,visible along Station Boulevard. The changes in levelsmeans that a stand of up to 6 storeys can beaccommodated. This will provide views of the churchtowers as the southern stands will be restricted to 2-3storeys in height.SpacesWhilst the cricket ground remains, unavoidably, a largedevelopment block, the scale can be broken down by thenetwork of spaces around it and the connections createdthrough the ground itself.On Priory Bridge Road a new space will mark the arrival atthe Club Gates. Within the ground, a small space willprovide a setting for the listed barn which is currentlyhidden behind modern stands. This space can provide afocus for picnics and leisure activities during Countymatches, and would provide a further unique featurewithin the redeveloped ground.To the south of the ground, a new space on Priory Avenuewill mark the second main entrance into the ground andwould provide a new gateway into the town centre.Finally, the space outside St James’ Church will beenhanced, creating a ring of spaces which will encouragemovement through and around the Cricket Club, andwhich will emphasise the importance of the ground at theheart of the town centre.HousingThere is significant potential to add to the vitality of thetown centre by incorporating residential development intoboth the redevelopment of the Cricket Club and the longerterm proposals for the Safeway site. A particular featurewill be the development of high quality apartments as partof the new stand for the cricket ground. This will assist inproviding active frontages onto the riverfront helping tocreate attractive pedestrian routes from Firepool to thecore retail area.54 Areas of Change - Cricket & SafewaySection 4Taunton UDF