Patchway, Bristol - Town Centre 'Retrofit'
In 2013 Patchway Town Council approached TownCentred to find out about a a greening project they had seen and wished to replicate (a series of planters and benches) - by the end of the meeting the seeds had been sewn for the pursuit of a much bolder vision, to reclaim the land made available as the result of a newly defunct adjacent dual carriageway and create a vision for a new expanded town (village) centre with more shops, services, excellent transport provision and over £20m of residential development.
Within one year a Town Centre Vision document had been agreed between the stakeholders, been through a process of consultation with the local population and supported by the planning authority (South Gloucestershire).
TownCentred led on many aspects of the written strategy to inform the design team. Core elements produced included:
The urban design concept is to form a network of traditional streets and open spaces to create a place that:
Transforms largely under-used land along Highwood Road into a centre for sustainable living
Knits into the existing urban grain by integrating with the existing Patchway and new Charlton Hayes communities
Improves connectivity and permeability throughout the site
Provides a series of accessible open spaces that are productive, sustainable and have many uses.
Introduces a new ‘gateway’ to Patchway
Promotes neighbourly values
Improves disabled accessibility
Creates an age-friendly town centre, promoting activity in older people
Offers a convivial network of streets and squares to encourage socialising, walking and cycling
Generates walkable and car accessible neighbourhoods with a mix of uses
Delivers high quality public realm and open space
To see the full Vision document please click here.