Agenda item

Presentation by Ryan Shepherd, RMBC Planning & Transportation Service

Ryan Shepherd, Planning and Transportation Unit, gave a presentation on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) Design Code Pilot Programme for Rotherham town centre.

The Design Code was a planning document which will form part of the planning framework for Rotherham when determining planning applications.

The Code was intended to be flexible to developers and Rotherham was one of the few pilots to be undertaken, in view of having the following features:-

-                       central urban context

-                       regeneration focus

-                       housing market renewal dimension

A presentation was given which included information on the following aspects of a master plan approach:-

·                    boundary line (essentially Westgate river corridor)

            identified as a strategic location for a number of developments over          the next 20 years

·                    within European Objective I Area Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder/Rotherham town centre Strategic Development Framework arising from Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance Towns

·                    Key Partners – RMBC – Transform South Yorkshire - Town Team

            Yorkshire Forward (Satnam Developments) – ODPM – The            Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)

The work so far had included more detailed written and illustrative guidance and the following aspects were reported on in terms of raising the design quality:-

-                       Opportunities

-                       Issues – River and canal to form a key part in town’s future improvement

-                       Best in architecture and urban design

-                       Examples of current standard housing designs – Riverside Exchange, Sheffield

The Consultants had looked at the areas to ensure they match the design code priority area in terms of its surrounding and usages. 

Other aspects of the plan included:-

            Housing Market Renewal Demonstrator Project

            Riverside (application presently submitted for part of that site)

            Hillside (aspirations within the town centre masterplan for new housing)

An indicative programme of the project was given.  A community stakeholder event was to take place on the 1^st March, 2005 with a four week public consultation period following at the end of March.  The final report would be submitted for adoption through Council in May, 2005.

The project, which would raise high standards, implement Rotherham’s renaissance and help raise Rotherham’s profile, would be reviewed annually.

One member asked whether shop frontages and quality signage were a part of the Design Code, a standard which it was felt was presently lacking in Rotherham.

It was explained that the Design Code initiative would not particularly concentrate on the appearance of shop fronts, but important aspects such as active frontages – i.e. that there has to be a certain spread of doorways. 

Councillor Boyes believed there was a suggestion that resources would be available within Rotherham Renaissance in terms of existing shop fronts to replace designs that did not reflect the quality of the upper stories of existing buildings.  Suggested buildings for Rotherham Renaissance are striking and ambitious for Rotherham and the Design Code will ensure another way of achieving this, a great deal of discussion having taken place within the Town Team on this issue.

Reference was made to proposals by Tesco in terms of whether they could affect the masterplan.

It was pointed out that flexibility within the Design Code would allow both large and small scale development, in addition to landscape and suggested areas of improvement in terms of tree planting.

Agreed:-  That Ryan Shepherd be thanked for an interesting and informative presentation.