The Scottish Government

Location

Northampton, England

Upton is part of the South West district of Northampton, a designated growth area which will accommodate 6 000 new homes by the year 2025.

Case Study Summary

Policy into practice; the scheme almost built out.

Use of design codes to maintain quality throughout implementation and the first practical use of a design code in Britain.

Exemplar scheme/ winner of RTPI Sustainable Communities award 2007.

Description and Project History

In 1997 an outline application was lodged for just over 1000 new houses and consent was granted for the 40 hectare site. This was for a "conventional " layout which was car-orientated and prepared without community consultation.

Subsequent to this, in 2000, English Partnerships (landowner) embarked on a process to demonstrate and promote sustainable growth whereby a real community could form. This was started through an Enquiry by Design process in association with the Prince's Foundation, and Northampton Borough Council, and with consultants EDAW (masterplanners), Alan Baxter Associates and Pell Frishmann (Engineers) and Quartet (landscape implementation) and was a 4 day workshop which fully engaged with the local community. This process particularly challenged the Highways Authority and the local communities as to the "normal" way for designing and delivering new streets, and the resultant urban framework plan allowed a fresh look at the form of the development. At the heart of the new plan was the school which was delivered early on in the process to enable an early sense of community and attract families in. The new plan increased the densities of the residential development and hence boosted the numbers to 1400 units, promoted walking and cycling, and provided for a local centre in addition to the primary school.

Subsequent to this a Steering Group was established in order to deliver the framework plan, consisting of English Partnerships, Northampton Borough Council and representatives from the community. It was agreed that the preparation of Design Codes would be the main mechanism for delivery of the plan.

The Design Codes were drawn up by the same team who prepared the Framework in close consultation with the steering group. The resultant Code is especially detailed on SUDS, Street character and building design standards. A high quality of public realm is specified throughout, but using easily obtained materials.

There are 8 phases to the masterplan; each phase has been released to the market through competition. Housebuilders bid for sites in response to a Design Brief and must demonstrate consistency with the Code in their submission. All phases on site have been built by volume housebuilders. The original design team have remained as consultants to English Partnerships and to the Steering Group which has helped ensure that the aims of the Framework and the Code are being met. Their role has also been one of mediation and translation; developers bidding for phases have been encouraged to meet the spirit rather than the letter of the Code.

All buildings on the site have a BREAAM "Excellent" rating, Some will be awarded Code 6 from the Code for Sustainable Homes, and overall the carbon footprint has been minimised wherever possible.

Developers have been encouraged to incorporate innovative technologies where possible.

Design details

The scheme overall comprises 60% houses and 40% flats. On average this equates to a density of 45 per hectare across the site with the lowest density being 30 dwellings per hectare. Affordable housing constitutes 22% of the housing; this is scattered throughout the site in clusters of a maximum of four units.

Parking levels are at 150%; Northampton Borough Council permit garages to be included within that total. Apart from garage parking there is also on-street parking and parking within courtyards. Some courtyards are controlled by gates, others are open. Monitoring usage of the courtyards and feedback from residents has demonstrated that the ideal courtyard size consists of 6 to 8 spaces; some of the first phases have courtyards of up to 20 cars.

Wherever possible, utilities panels have been placed in courtyards rather than within the street.

The Code divides street type into hierarchy of streets, drives, lanes and mews. Street names reflect their context and are named either with reference to the historic local shoe industries, field names or folklore.

Each street type has a different character which is set out in the Code; character is reinforced by width, whether of shared surface or traditional form, and how the building responds to the street within its plot.

Detailed requirements for streets, including how the service arrangement should work and how lighting and street planting should relate to the street type are included within the Code. Examples from the Code are shown within the accompanying illustrations.

The SUDS scheme is integral with the street design and is a design feature which lends place identity as well as performing a function. The SUDS system is, however, unadopted and is managed by the Upton Management Company. Residents pay management fees for the upkeep of all areas of public realm including neighbourhood squares and playing fields as well as the SUDS. The roads are all adopted and are maintained by the Highway Authority.

Comment

The scheme is generally considered to be a success in terms of successful place-making. The design of the streets has been fundamental to this. The timescales are impressive. The framework and code were granted outline consent in February 2003 and within 5 years the site was two thirds built out.

The project provides evidence that upfront investment and longer timescales in establishing design principles can pay dividends especially when associated with collaborative working in setting out the design framework, with associated design coding. Provided, of course, that the detailed applications are compliant with the Codes then consent can be secured very quickly.

The street hierarchy works particularly well and significantly aids place orientation. Investment in a high quality public realm and areas of open space ensures make them robust and sustainable in the long term.

A second Upton phase is currently being planned.

Quotes:

Local residents

" When you are walking round it…..you feel in a nice secure open environment"

"People walk their dogs, people cycling…there is always something different going on when you look out of the window"

Project Summary

Name:

Upton

Lead Architect/ Designer:

EDAW

Project:

Masterplan for significant urban expansion area with associated design codes

Key project attributes:

Use of street hierarchy and associated character attributes in order to establish sense of place
Creative use of SUDS

Client:

English Partnerships

Planning Authority:

Northampton Borough Council

Links

www.edaw.co.uk

www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/upton.htm