stockton-town-centre-urban-design-guide

~ Stockton-on-Tees BOROUGH COUNCIL Stockton-on-Tees Town Centre URBAN DESIGN GUIDE Final Report July 2012 Prepared by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council For further information please contact Urban Design Technical Services Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council P.O Box 229 Kingsway House West Precinct Billingham TS23 2YL E-mail: technicalservices@stockton.gov.uk Website: www.stockton.gov.uk/urbandesign 01 02 03 04 05 FORWARD Introduction Context & Opportunities 19 Principles & Framework 39 Intervention 65 Streetscape Guidance 80 High Street Forward We are delighted to introduce the Stockton-on-Tees Town Centre Urban Design Guide, which aims to improve the vitality and viability of the town centre by providing design guidance for any party involved in the regeneration of the town centre The buildings, places and spaces that we live, work and learn in should inspire and lift the spirits, whilst providing functionality; regardless of who pays for or profits from the development The importance of good design is clear from the huge positive impacts that well-designed places have on the people using them It fosters a sense of local identity and civic pride; creates the right environment for reversing social decline and generating wealth; enables more sustainable living; improves physical and mental health; reduces opportunities for crime; enables more efficient delivery of public services; and reduces costs from construction through to maintenance Good design is in the public interest and it makes business sense The Council’s ambitious plans for the regeneration of Stockton town centre are underpinned by this guide, and following the Guide’s adoption by the Council’s Cabinet in May 2012, it can now be used as a tool by anyone planning new developments, public or private, in the town centre Councillor Robert Cook Councillor Michael Smith Leader of the Council Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Transport Introduction •• •• •• I Victoria Estate Splash Municipal Buildings & Library Parish Church & Gardens Wellington Square Shopping Centre High Street •• •• •• Cultural Quarter Town Hall River Tees 10 Castlegate Shopping Centre 11 Millennium Bridge 12 Chandlers Wharf Townscape Heritage Initiative Investment Area I Stockton Heritage in Partnership Investment Area Streetscape Guidance Public Realm Code & Themes Public realm can be a street, square or a park that is accessible whether publicly or privately owned, 24 hours a day for everyone to see, use and enjoy The quality of these spaces can influence how we interact and perceive the spaces and the buildings that contain it The visual and accessible appearance of these spaces can also establish how both the user and visitor are welcomed to a place Building on the town’s rich heritage it is proposed to provide radical but contextual improvements to the public realm in Stockton Town Centre which delivered in conjunction with other Town Centre investment, will provide a distinct sense of place and increased footfall throughout the year In creating such a successful and sustainable place, key public realm principles will need to be promoted in conjunction with developing any future public realm improvements Attractive - The choice of materials used needs to be both attractive and sustainable They need to integrate and reflect local character whilst at the same time providing a fit-for-purpose, maintainable streetscape treatment Uncluttered - A creative and innovative design thinking into how the street scene works will need to be applied This includes element in the street such as level changes and signalled junctions to reduce the use of columns, railings and signage Adaptability - The public realm should be as flexible as possible to provide for a wide range of uses The potential for removable street furniture can provide access to spaces that enable the High Street to accommodate Stockton’s year round programme of events Movement - Improvements to the public realm should encourage easy flowing pedestrian movement Future designs should take into account existing and proposed desire lines and remove any unnecessary physical barriers that currently restrict people getting from A to B Lighting - Both functional and aesthetical lighting should be used to encourage the positive use of spaces within the town centre at night Creative lighting design and projection schemes can provide and reinforce distinct character areas Cathedral Gardens, Manchester: An example of a simple but quality designed public space Public Art - The appropriate use of public art could be implemented to support the character of a space Themes or historic references can be introduced both on a small scale into street furniture or on a large scale such as a fixed iconic sculpture Left: Recent public realm investment in Stockton’s Cultural Quarter, Top: Sheffield Peace Gardens, Bottom: Oldbury Civic Fountain The diagrams on the following pages indicate the typical principles behind the detail design of the various streetscapes, including general layout, material types and street furniture themes The subsequent palette of materials is not an exhaustive list and is just a demonstration of what type of themes and quality is expected to be provided within any future improvements to the Town Centre’s public realm It is expected that all new developments are to follow this design code & themes to ensure that a consistent approach is taken to the application of materials within the streetscape Public Space •• • • • Building frontage Minimum 6m pedestrian circulation space between shop frontage and mixed use areas This allows for 4m maximum depth for street café and 2m passive space Mixed use areas constructed to vehicular standards to facilitate the markets and other events Natural Stone feature banding to delineate different uses Street furniture aligned to minimise street clutter and maximise the use of the space • • Bespoke seating to be comfortable and functional whilst contributing to the themes set within the public space Street lighting should be provided on buildings where possible and appropriate Where this is not possible, contemporary and functional pedestrian scale lighting should be provided Lighting column design needs to be attractive both during the day and night and incorporate arm facilities for banners • Semi mature avenue tree planting incorporating uplighting to provide opportunities for shading and to visually ‘green’ the public space Primary Streets • • Pedestrian footway treatment to be natural stone paving General carriageway treatment to be tarmacadam • • • Granite kerbs and channels demonstrate the distinctiveness of the primary street Granite feature banding to delineate the transition between tarmacadam and granite carriageway surfacing Granite blockwork carriageway treatment to be used within pedestrian focused spaces Semi mature avenue tree planting incorporating uplighting to provide opportunities for shading and to visually ‘green’ the public space Street lighting should be provided on buildings where possible and appropriate Where this is not possible contemporary and functional street lighting to mirror lighting used within pedestrian spaces should be used to denote the streetscape as a primary route Lighting column design needs to be attractive both during the day and night and night and incorporate arm facilities for banners Secondary Streets • • • • Pedestrian footway treatment to be natural stone paving or concrete alternative General carriageway treatment to be tarmacadam Natural stone or conservation kerbs and granite channel setts define the streetscape type, feature banding to be used at transition between surfacing types Where footway widths are minimal, angled cycle stands are to be implemented • • Appropriate scale tree planting incorporating uplighting to provide opportunities for shading and to visually ‘green’ the public space Street lighting should be provided on buildings where possible and appropriate Where this is not possible, standard contemporary street lighting should be used incorporating arm facilities for banners and flower baskets • Parking meters should be located in line with other street furniture or where appropriate, to the back of the footway Minor Streets • • •• Pedestrian footway treatment to be concrete paving General carriageway treatment to be tarmacadam Conservation kerb to match granite kerbs Appropriate scale tree planting incorporating uplighting to provide opportunities for shading and to visually ‘green’ the public space • • Standard black bollards only to be used where appropriate and set 450mm from back of kerb Street lighting should be provided on buildings where possible and appropriate Where this is not possible, standard street lighting should be used incorporating arm facilities for flower baskets Surface Materials Surface materials provide the foundation in defining the character of the built environment Paving and surfacing materials need to reflect local distinctiveness and context whilst being practical and sustainable in terms of function, supply and lifetime maintenance General Principles ■ Natural, local materials are preferred to manmade alternatives ■ Relate ground surfaces to their surrounding streetscape context ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Left to Right: Yorkstone, granite kerb & channel, granite blocks, porphyry setts, granite steps Retain the historic form of streets by maintaining kerb lines, using dropped kerbs where necessary Where footways are widened, demarcate the kerb line Avoid small paving modules laid in arbitrary colours and patterns Respect the subtle proportional relationship between the footways, the buildings and the carriageway Invest in quality and simplicity When assessing costs, use sustainable accounting methods and consider life cycle costing Suggested Palette Buff Yorkstone Paving Grey Granite Paving Porphyry Setts Granite Kerbs Concrete Paving - Buff Concrete Paving - Natural Tarmacadam Conservation Kerb Street Furniture Left to Right: Information sign, coordinated suite of street furniture, bollard incorporating traffic signage Bespoke or historically influenced street furniture can help contribute to the distinctiveness of a place, create a sense of arrival and instil pride It can be the signature, the delineation of a particular use, or a interactive element within the landscape Street furniture should seek to incorporate historical or cultural references but not be too literal ■ General Principles ■ Design street furniture as an integral part of the street ■ Locating seating in places of interest / activity ■ Consider needs of visually impaired people ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Street furniture should be simple, functional and robust Eliminate the need for bollards through higher quality kerb definition and good design Restrict signs to those which convey essential information Signage should be designed as part of a family of street furniture Remove superfluous and redundant signs Locate signs on buildings or at the back edge of pavements Avoid placing signs on new posts which add to clutter Left to Right: Bespoke handrail detail reflecting local history, bench incorporating artwork, contemporary finger post signage, coordinated traffic signage Lighting Lighting forms an integral part of our streets and can signify or contribute to the character of public spaces Whether it be for functional highway lighting or for the aesthetic lighting of a heritage building, lighting elements need to be considered as part of the overall public realm design and not just an afterthought Left to Right: Very effective step lighting, seat lighting, linear floor lighting, banner incorporated lighting columns General Principles ■ Select lighting which reflects the function of the place ■ Consider street lighting in conjunction with other light sources, including shop windows and floodlit buildings ■ Respect local designs where appropriate ■ Avoid light pollution especially within residential areas ■ Avoid clutter by mounting lights on buildings where appropriate ■ Consider the daytime appearance of light fittings, associated cabling and feeder pillars Left to Right: Architectural lighting, uplighting to trees, integrated street lighting & traffic signal head Trees Tree planting enhances the character of a street or public space They create great visual appeal, offer a natural form of climate control for buildings and provide shade for seated areas Tree planting should form an integral part of the design stage and not be considered as an after thought Left to Right: Architectural street trees, tree grille incorporated within the design, tree surrounded in seasonal planting General Principles ■ Species to be chosen carefully to suit the urban context ■ Tree species selection to be made at early design staged in co-ordination with existing and/or proposed service runs ■ Consider shape and form in conjunction with pedestrian flows, surrounding buildings, street furniture and lighting ■ Locate trees in areas that don’t restrict highway visibility ■ Consider the overall height and future maintenance of the specified tree ■ A full recommended list of tree and shrubs to use are detailed within Supplementary Planning Document 2: Open Space, Recreation & Landscaping Left to Right: Tree planting coordinated with street furniture, urban forest, linear planting to define routes, slim and tall growing trees for small urban spaces Public Art & Animation Left to Right: Sculptural water feature, integrated public art, interactive water feature The successful delivery of an animated public space can attract people into a town and provide the opportunity for people to stay, interact and engage This can be achieved through subtle and encoded pieces to the literal and overt demonstration of local history Either way public art and animation of the public space should be a foundation within the design process General Principles ■ Restrict use to high quality, well conceived items ■ Features can vary from large scale to temporary pieces ■ Features may be stand alone or incorporated into bespoke street furniture ■ Public art should be appropriate to the local context ■ Consider sighting and aesthetic life ■ Consider life-time maintenance ■ Use feature lighting to enhance appeal at night ■ Features should be as interactive or engaging as possible Clockwise from top left: Architectural water feature, light animated public art, large scale water feature Reference Further reading Project for Public Spaces (2006) PPS Approach to Transportation CABE & DETR (2000), By Design: Urban design in planning system: towards better practice Kent, Thomas Telford [Internet], Available from: [Accessed 27/06/07] Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (2003) Kensington High CABE (2006) Kensington High Street redesign sees 47 per cent decrease in accidents [Internet] London, Commission for Archi- Street Improvements [Internet] Available from: [Accessed tecture & the Built Environment Available from: [Accessed 27/06/07] CABE (2007), Living with risk: Promoting better public space design London, Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment tre Prospectus Transport 2000 (2007) Taming the traffic [Internet], London, Transport 2000 Available from: [Accessed 16/07/07] CABE & ODPM (2002), Paving the Way, how we achieve clean, safe and attractive streets Kent, Thomas Telford Transport 2000 (2004), Your route to a better High Street: How to reclaim your main road from traffic London, Transport 2000 CABE (2007), Paved with gold: The real Value of good street design London, Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment CABE (2007), Spaceshaper: A user’s guide London, Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment CABE (2007), This way to better streets: Lessons from 10 successful streets London, Commission for Architecture & the Built Background Papers Nathaniel Litchfield & Partners(2009) Stockton Town Centre Study Gillespies(2006) Stockton Riversides Sites Masterplan Drivers Jonas(2004) Stockton Town Centre Regeneration Study Environment CABE (2006), Transforming our streets London, Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment Department for Transport (2007) Manual for Streets Reports to Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Cabinet: Stockton Town Centre Regeneration (08.12.11) Available from http://www.stockton.gov.uk/egenda English Heritage (2005) Streets for All: North East English Partnerships (2000) Urban Design Compendium Stockton Town Centre Progress Report (14.07.11) Available from http://www.stockton.gov.uk/egenda Gehl, J (1987) Life between buildings : using public space, translated by Jo Koch, New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold Stockton Town Centre Urban Design Guide (17.03.11) Available Gehl, J and Gemzøoe, L (2000) New city spaces, Copenhagen : The Danish Architectural Press Gehl, J et al (2006) New city life, Denmark : The Danish Architectural Press from: Stockton Central Area Update (05.08.10) Stockton Town Centre & Riverside Sites Update(14.05.09) Stockton Town Centre (25.10.07) Project for Public Spaces (2006) Allan Jacobs [Internet] Available from http://www.stockton.gov.uk/egenda [Accessed 27/06/07] Stockton Town Centre & Riverside Sites Masterplan & Action Plan (30.11.06) Available from http://www.stockton.gov.uk/ Project for Public Spaces egenda [Internet] Available (2006) Christopher Alexander from: 27/06/07] [Accessed Project for Public Spaces (2006) Jane Jacobs [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 27/06/07] Image Credits CABE, G2 Photography, Gary Walsh, Matthew Hooton, Mike Kipling, Peter Fink, Peter Mernagh II II ~ Stockton Heritage in Partnership ~ Stockton-on-Tees BOROUGH COUNCIL RED a ENGLISH HERITAGE l STOCKTON