Benwell ScotswoodBenwell ScotswoodArea Action PlanArea Action Plan

Progress ReportPresentation to City Council Executive and Corporate Management Team25 January 2006

Introduction// team & remit

• EDAW– Charles Ledward, Project

Director– Andy Spracklen, Project

Manager

• In association with– Admiral PR & Marketing– EKOS Consulting– FaberMaunsell– King Sturge– PS Consultants– Squint Opera– Turner & Townsend

• Objective– “… to secure clarity of vision

for the Plan area, understood, owned and supported locally. The vision shall be the guide for future planning, investment and management strategies.” (Project Brief)

• Key factors– Will form part of the statutory

planning framework– Critical component of the

Pathfinder programme– Capitalising upon and guiding

Housing EXPO, City Academy, etc.

The AAP// approach & outputs

• Spatial planning & design– Strategic fit – timing and

content

– Using GIS Spatial framework – to build

market confidence

• Consultation & branding– Communication and

consultation – focused and engaging local communities

– Using multimedia Marketing strategy – to help

‘re-brand’ and promote the area

• Business planning– Financial viability and delivery –

realistic and visionary

– Using project account models Business strategy – to plan

investment and create value

• Stakeholder engagement– Working with you – open,

honest and productive

– Engaging stakeholders Collaborative process – to

facilitate ownership and ensure quality of outputs

Baseline// key questions

• Policy landscape – what constraints and opportunities does this present? Do we need to challenge? What tests and strategic decisions will be required?

• Drivers – who and what is influencing the future of the area? How in turn must planning policy steer drivers?

• Socio-economic profile – who lives in Benwell Scotswood? How is the population changing? What are their needs and aspirations?

• The ‘market’ – what is the current housing make-up? What conditions are required to achieve a step change?

• External perceptions – what do communities, city leaders and opinion formers think of the area? How could that drive image transformation?

• Design – what physical qualities does the area possess that might lend itself to ‘re-branding’? How can we re-imagine the place?

• People – most importantly, what of residents and future residents needs and aspirations? What are their lifestyles and how might these influence our re-imagination?

Baseline// so what?

• we can’t leave things as they stand today– shops and services struggle from lack of catchment– personal safety reduced through lack of ‘eyes on streets’– the area is stigmatised by its past and may well continue to decline

• a lot of pain has already been gone through – we now need to DELIVER– we have the space and unique opportunity to change things positively –

optimum solutions to create viable communities?– improve the quality of life for existing residents by a step change in quality

and commitment?– how to attract new people to move here – returners and newcomers?– we need people to WANT to live here

Futures// assets & drivers

• differentiate Benwell Scotswood from competing markets– it can’t and shouldn’t compete with general suburbia– redefine the area as an attractive new part of west newcastle

• the area has to reconnect with its major asset – its landscape setting and location relative to the city centre– improve & define greenspace to provide a focus for development and

community– respond to topography– capture benefits of riverside location, south facing slope and amazing

views– maximise benefits of location by improving access, circulation and public

transport links to city centre, A1 and western employment areas

• understand and test the options and implications of key drivers– EXPO, City Academy, Westgate College site, Hospital site, Adelaide

Terrace/ Armstrong Road…

Futures// possible scenarios

• Our initial thoughts– Scenario 1 – baseline

minimal option– Scenario 2 –

essentially market driven

– Scenario 3 – market driven plus limited interventions

– Scenario 4 – market driven plus visionary interventions

• Tests required Policy fit and requirements Regeneration benefits Development opportunities,

build-out rates and phasing Level of transformation across

area Impact on people already in

area, i.e. for hard to reach groups

Impact on competition from elsewhere

Market and sub-markets (who?)

Critical mass to support range of specified services, e.g. hubs – issues of retail capacity

Relationship with adjoining areas

Scenario 1

Scenario 2

Scenario 3

Scenario 4

Lifestyling

Next steps// decisions

• Strategic policy fit• Drivers, opportunities and ideas

– EXPO, EXPOPark, Academy, University, Science City, Botanical Gardens, students, Whitehouse, Westgate, Hospital, transport corridors, bus and LRT…

• Location, nature, scale and distribution of uses to support viable communities– Retailing, housing choice, neighbourhood centres, open spaces…

• Deliverability– How step change in development rates can be achieved– Early wins? e.g. for young people– Business planning/ public sector investment

• Quality and changing perceptions

Getting to know the areaGetting to know the area

Understanding the issuesUnderstanding the issues

Developing design optionsDeveloping design options

Preferred option & action planPreferred option & action plan

Key stakeholdersKey stakeholders

Formal consultation – exhibition, etcFormal consultation – exhibition, etc

Stakeholder Workshop & Public EventsStakeholder Workshop & Public Events

Oct/ Oct/ Nov Nov ‘05‘05

Dec Dec ’05- ’05- Jan Jan ‘06‘06

Jan-Jan-Mar Mar ‘06‘06

Mar-Mar-Jun Jun ‘06‘06

Jun/ Jun/ Jul Jul ‘06‘06

Community Community involvementinvolvement

Our tasksOur tasks

Key stakeholdersKey stakeholders