Southampton City Centre, Peter Brunskill
Urban Design in Southampton
Early in 1999 EDAW Ltd were appointed to help Southampton City Council prepare an Urban Design Strategy for the city centre. Following an extensive public consultation exercise, this was adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance in November 2000. A newly formed City Design Team is charged with implementing the Strategy and drafting further guidance covering architecture and the public realm.
Background
Southampton is the major regional city in southern England. It is one of the United Kingdom's main ports, has a varied employment base, an extensive network of parks and green open spaces and a large student population.
The city centre was devastated by bombing during the Second World War and this was compounded by an ill-conceived post-war reconstruction programme. Many buildings constructed as a temporary measure in the early 1950's are still in use today.
Politicians decided that the city needed to position itself as the undisputed regional capital to survive and prosper in the new global economy. There was a growing realisation that we were in competition not only with Bournemouth and Portsmouth but also Rotterdam and Barcelona.
Out of this a holistic City Strategy was prepared in conjunction with a wide range of stakeholders. A key section of the document addressed the physical environment and in particular, the creation of an "attractive city centre". Accepting that much of the current built environment was mediocre and uninspiring and emboldened by a £300 million investment in the West Quay Regional Shopping Centre (then under construction) members decided to prioritise a design-led approach to redevelopment.
EDAW looked at current best practice examples from the Continent, Australia and the United States before proposing a series of landmark developments, tree-lined streets and key new public spaces.
A key part of preparing the Consultation Draft was the establishment of an "Architects' Panel", which consisted of three of the country's leading architects and urban designers, Richard Fielden, Piers Gough and Edward Cullinan who provided initial insights and ongoing advice during the process.
A bold urban design vision
| The Strategy defines an urban design vision for the city centre over the next fifty years. The document splits into three main sections:
The framework covers five key themes:
|  Reconnecting the waterfront |
 The walkable city | The overriding aim of reconnecting the city centre with its waterfront will be achieved, by strengthening key linkages notably, the "north-south spine", seen as the fundamental historic route through the city. This spine will be complemented by the creation of much stronger west-east pedestrian links. Taken together, the effect will be to link the core city centre to Mayflower Park, Royal Pier and Ocean Village defining a new centre of gravity along the waterfront. Other proposals included:
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| One of the Architects' Panel's main criticism was that Southampton lacked a distinctive sense of place. It was felt that this could be recreated by developing the identity of seven "Character Areas" - northern, central, Old Town, western, waterfront, eastern and Central Parks. Of the six keynote projects three were seen as absolutely fundamental to the future success of the city: The Royal Pier, City Plaza and Northern Above Bar. The Royal Pier is proposed as a major waterfront redevelopment encompassing a derelict, Listed pier and building, an existing ferry terminal and green open space at Mayflower Park. City Plaza involves laying out a high-quality multi-functional public space adjacent to the new West Quay Shopping Centre. Northern Above Bar is centred around the Guildhall Square link through from the Civic Centre to the Central Parks and ambitiously, proposes the establishment of an "Arts Quarter". Enriching the public realm. Primary public places shown in dotted circles. |  |
Taking it forward
 | The Strategy was subsequently adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance and now forms a firm basis for more detailed supporting guidance (a City Centre Development Design Guide, Streetscape Manual and Old Town Strategy are currently being produced) as well as being used actively in the Development Control Process. Further, detailed work has been undertaken on the Royal Pier proposals and is shortly to be subject to public consultation before development partners are signed up. Consultants are working with the City Council on development / design briefs for the City Plaza and Northern Above Bar and it is planned to consult on these prior to seeking partnership funding. Members have warmed to the idea of "design-led" redevelopment and are keen to incorporate recent Government advice contained in the "By Design, Urban Design in the planning system: towards better practice" document. It is intended that a Design Panel is set up, drawing on the skills of nationally renowned eminent urban designers to advise on the major development proposals. Potential massing and form for the redevelopment of the Royal Pier. |
Development Control
The City Design Team now work very closely with Development Control colleagues in pre-application negotiations on city centre sites. This was seen most recently in December 2000 when the newly-adopted Strategy was successfully used in persuading developers (and members!) to agree a proposal for a strikingly contemporary residential development at Portland Street (see illustration below).
| The site was located directly adjacent to the new West Quay Shopping Centre and close to the main (pedestrianised) core of the city centre however, it was surrounded on two sides by Georgian Listed Terraces. The initial proposal was for a very weak pastiche of the terraces in a buff brick and mock stucco style The approved scheme is a high-quality red brick and white render building with extensive glazing and hardwood detailing. This was seen as successfully integrating historic sections of the city centre with its new retail core. The scheme was approved at the Development Control Panel on the Chair's casting vote on the strength of it being in line with aspirations contained in the Urban Design Strategy. # |  |
Pete Brunskill
