Ludlow: case study of a successful market town

Ludlow: case study of a successful market town

Parking in Ludlow market place (click images to enlarge)
Informal pedestrian crossings slow traffic
Wider pavements and crossings give more priority to pedestrians. The yellow lines, however, are visually intrusive.
Ludlow Buttermarket - drivers still park on pavements if it suits them.
Cars and people jostle for space.
The corner has been rounded off, making it easier for buses to turn.
Old and new mingle successfully.
Ludow's famous Feathers Inn.
Ludlow library - the hard landscaping here is harsh and out of keeping with the area.
Tesco designed to mirror the hills behind.

Population: 10,500

Contact: Head of Planning & Building Control, South Shropshire District Council, Stone House, Corve Street, Ludlow, SY8 1DG.

Fax: 01584 813128 Email: planningpolicy@southshropshire.gov.uk

Introduction

Ludlow is the largest town in the South Shropshire District. It has a Norman Castle, and a large number of listed buildings. While trading on its past to attract visitors year round, it is also striving to look to the future, and in 2004 was given funding by Advantage West Midlands to build a new eco-park on the edge of the town.

As a small market town, Ludlow is endeavouring to balance the conflicting demands of the old and the new. Its heritage buildings are a key attraction, while the town’s economy is being driven by its growing reputation for good food. Its problems are common to many. It has a historic street plan, and suffers from traffic congestion and unsightly parking. It recently faced strong pressure from Tesco which wished to open a new store in the town. This case study shows how a small community can create its own niche through maximising the potential for tourism, whilst striving to create an attractive streetscape for visitors and locals alike to enjoy.

This success resulted in it being voted a Great Town in last year’s Academy of Urbanism Awards

Festivals and food

Ludlow has become famous as the gastronomic centre of Shropshire and won its first Michelin star in 1995. The ruined castle has become a venue for festivals, open-air theatrical performances and other events throughout the year. Several festivals are held a year, attracting visitors from across the country, including the main Ludlow Festival, held in the last week of June/first week of July.

It became Britain's first Cittàslow town in 2004. (Joined later by Aylsham, Diss, Mold, Perth and Berwick-upon-Tweed). Unlike slow food, which is open to individuals, Cittaslow is open to towns with populations under 50,000.

It has also led the slow food movement in this country which has resulted in restaurateurs, artists and craftspeople moving into the area and setting up new businesses. Regular markets are operated throughout the year on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, in addition to crafts, antique, garden and European markets.

Ludlow hosts an annual Green Fair. The district council organised an Environmental Building Conference as part of the 2007 event, aimed at exploring sustainable building practices through the use of local examples. A straw bale house built by community groups remains in the town centre.

Public realm enhancements

Ludlow Town Council has worked with county and district councils to improve Ludlow town centre, gaining funding through the Market Towns Initiative and the Ludlow Marches Partnership. Ludlow’s one way system and narrow streets slow drivers and encourage them to give way to pedestrians.

The pavements have been made as wide as possible, with informal crossing points. Note the rather intrusive yellow lines, however. The aim of the project was to reduce the impact of the traffic in the town centre whilst maintaining access, viability and vitality and respecting and enhancing the historic character.

Measures taken include:

• Improving access by public transport, cycling and walking

• Making historic streets as attractive as possible

• Improving pedestrian access between east and west across the town

• Using a limited pallet of materials used to achieve a simple scheme

• Paying attention to the geometric designs – curves and simple lines.

• Narrowing gateways

• Introducing 20mph speed limits and pedestrian dominance

The yellow lines dilemma

Shropshire County Council, along with other local authorities is introducing decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE) and it is a legal requirement for all parking restrictions, signs and markings to be 100% correct on the ground before they can be enforced. There are no lines in a couple of the most highly sensitive areas in Ludlow, such as Quality Square, but elsewhere the choice is stark: lines, signs or cars, says the English Historic Towns Forum

Striving to maintain local identity

Speaking at a conference on Local Identity(pdf) hosted by the Historic Towns Forum James Caird, Head of Planning and Building Control at South Shropshire District Council said there had been inevitable tensions in the Conservation Area, while the difficulty of assessing the impact of out-of-town retail outlets remains.

Addressing the issue of introducing new architecture into a historic area, he suggested that many of the buildings we now value were not ‘in keeping’ when they were built but now form part of the character of a place. New schemes can be successful, but have to be sensitive to the local character and historic setting.

Recent redevelopments include the Assembly Rooms and the Castle which also demonstrate how well the new can work with the old.

Tesco

A Tesco finally opened after 10 years of negotiation, and is now cited by CABE as a good example of a building in context. After two earlier planning applications were refused, the third, designed by architect Richard MacCormac was finally given the go ahead. The innovative technology involved in the lighting and ventilation systems has helped to reduce the impact of the building, and its sweeping roof was designed to mirror the curve of the natural environment.

Tesco has been a hard negotiator, and continue to put in further planning applications for more signage.

Transport

Speaking at a conference on Transport Innovation(pdf), Colin Richards, Conservation Officer at South Shropshire District Council, said the Conservation Area Partnership (jointly funded by Shropshire County Council, the district council and English Heritage), provided the opportunity for streetscape and traffic management improvements.

The guiding principle for the design ethos was ‘simplicity of form and layout, retention of the varied palette of historic surface materials where they survived, and the use of high quality natural materials on the pavements’. The transport plan for Ludlow dealt with the neglect of the Market Square, which had suffered from informally parked cars, and buses and coaches parked with engines running. The buses and coaches were moved out, and a residents parking scheme introduced. The council managed to stick to its guns, despite public opposition to the loss of parking.

More information

English Historic Town Forum conference on Local Identity Ludlow (pdf)

CABE case study: ‘Tesco in Ludlow is a success in planning and architectural terms. The project has been accomplished without compromising the functional requirements of the supermarket. The design provides both a contemporary aesthetic and sensitivity to the heritage context.

Paper by Elaine Paterson, University of Northumbria, in Journal of Urban Design, Volume 11, Issue 2, published June 2006. ‘Quality New Development in English Market Towns: Examining the Role of Town Planning.’ This says that ‘the role of town planning in urban design issues relating to new development is poorly understood and undervalued’. In the case of Ludlow, the library project is seen as less successful, as opposed to a development in Castle Street that ‘plays its part in enclosing the traditional Georgian Square it forms a part of’. She concludes that her findings ‘indicate that planning can play a significant role in securing a successful outcome, but organisational and political issues, as well as varying skill levels, can hinder the role and give rise to negative perceptions. It is clear that many factors have to work together to help ensure good outcomes, and there is no quick fix.’

Further guidance

Traffic in Historic Town Centres (English Historic Towns Forum)


Traffic Calming, Department for Transport, 2007, published by The Stationery Office.