Scotswood New Identity, New Neighbourhood, New Norm
1. New Identity - transforming the image of Scotswood
The development provides a unique opportunity to transform the image and perceptions of Scotswood and the wider West End and redefine it as a distinctive and popular neighbourhood. In order to achieve the social and economic transformation, an ongoing community engagement programme is being developed. This will address educational and economic opportunities, skills development and training, new community facilities and services. Alongside this, a cultural programme will be developed to engage existing and new residents in the development to create a sense of identity and belonging.
2. New Neighbourhood - creating a sense of place
The Scotswood Masterplan focuses on place-making and the function of the neighbourhood to enhance social well-being and quality of life. It will provide a mixture of family housing to attract new households and residents to generate a flourishing and diverse population, which creates demand and therefore opportunities to support a range of local facilities and services. Overall, the Masterplan seeks to respond to the local context and establish a distinctive identity and sense of place.
3. New Norm - delivering quality volume housing
The majority of new residential developments remain poorly designed without regard to context and are isolated from surrounding communities & local services. The New Norm challenges the existing standard approach of the built environment professions, developers, house builders and the construction industry to deliver higher quality new homes and neighbourhoods. The New Norm refers to setting higher standards - a normative approach - and the need to create excellent and varied mainstream housing in sustainable neighbourhoods.
The development provides a unique opportunity to transform the image and perceptions of Scotswood and the wider West End and redefine it as a distinctive and popular neighbourhood. In order to achieve the social and economic transformation, an ongoing community engagement programme is being developed. This will address educational and economic opportunities, skills development and training, new community facilities and services. Alongside this, a cultural programme will be developed to engage existing and new residents in the development to create a sense of identity and belonging.The Scotswood Masterplan focuses on place-making and the function of the neighbourhood to enhance social well-being and quality of life. It will provide a mixture of family housing to attract new households and residents to generate a flourishing and diverse population, which creates demand and therefore opportunities to support a range of local facilities and services. Overall, the Masterplan seeks to respond to the local context and establish a distinctive identity and sense of place. The majority of new residential developments remain poorly designed without regard to context and are isolated from surrounding communities & local services. The New Norm challenges the existing standard approach of the built environment professions, developers, house builders and the construction industry to deliver higher quality new homes and neighbourhoods. The New Norm refers to setting higher standards - a normative approach - and the need to create excellent and varied mainstream housing in sustainable neighbourhoods.
Part 2: Development Frameworks
There are a series of six inter-related development frameworks setting out the design strategies to guide the overall quantum, layout and form of development. Each framework contains performance standards to establish the development quality for the delivery of the Masterplan.
The six Development Frameworks are summarised as follows:
1. Character: a place with a distinct identity
The Masterplan aims to create a distinctive new neighbourhood and this Framework establishes character areas to create a new sense of identity. A minimum Building for Life Silver Standard is targeted.
2. Land Use & Community: creating a sustainable neighbourhood
The redevelopment of Scotswood will be housing led, but will also include various mixed-use elements. The Framework sets out the quantum of planned development, including the balance and mix of dwelling typologies and tenure with the focus on family homes of 3 and 4 bedroom houses meeting Life Time Homes standards. There is a requirement for 25% affordable housing to be spatially distributed across the Masterplan. The Framework also explores the less tangible measures involved in creating the right conditions for a community to establish and thrive ensuring the creation of a sustainable community. It sets out targets for employment training and the provision of community facilities along with community safety and engagement strategies.
3. Urban form: network of streets, blocks and plots
The structure of the Masterplan is derived from the key elements of public streets, development blocks and housing plots and which are well connected to the surrounding neighbourhood. The Framework sets out design guidance for the development in terms of layout, scale, massing and appearance along with dwelling space standards.
4. Connections: improved movement and access
The Framework sets out the movement strategy, the hierarchy and function of streets together with public transport and parking provision. It proposes a number of hard and soft measures to improve accessibility and encourages travel by sustainable modes.
5. Public Life: quality of streets, public realm and parks
The Framework sets out the design guidance for the hierarchy of streets, spaces and parks to establish an overall consistent design approach, but one which will achieve variety through creating defined character areas, adding richness and local interest to the neighbourhood.
6. Resources: use of energy, water, waste & materials
The Framework sets out the environmental targets for the development. All residential development will achieve a minimum of Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 for phase 1 & 2 and Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 (post 2016) for phases 3 to 5. The non-residential buildings will be required to meet BREEAM Excellent standards
Page last updated: 16 August, 2011
