NEW RESEARCH REVEALS SUCCESSFUL EUROPEAN MODELS HOLD THE KEY TO
UK ECO-TOWN DEVELOPMENT
· Research group identifies 4 overriding principles to facilitate
success of eco-towns
· European exemplar schemes all demonstrate 6 critical success
factors under broad themes relating to connectivity, community,
climate change, character, cash flow and collaboration
· Research group identifies 29 steps to improve success of eco-towns
or new housing-led community development
· Research comprised detailed studies of developments in Amersfoort
(Holland), Adamstown (Ireland), Hammarby Sjostad (Sweden), Freiburg,
Hafen City and Kronsberg (Germany)
Thursday, 17 July 2008: New research analysing some of today’s
exemplary European eco-town projects has identified critical factors
behind each development’s independent success – PRP, URBED and
Design for Homes have launched their initial findings as they feel
these results could hold the key to UK eco-town development. These
emerging research results were released as the government concluded
its first consultation on its paper, Eco Towns: Living a Greener
Future.
Having analysed the projects under the themes of connectivity,
community, climate proofing, character, cash flow and collaboration,
the team identified four key principles for success:
· Vision. The UK can avoid making further mistakes by learning from
Europe and earlier British experience with new communities,
particularly as far as the location and mix of uses and tenures is
concerned.
· Planning. A properly funded and comprehensive masterplan in
spatial, social and economic terms must provide the long-term
direction needed to give investors confidence, along with enough
flexibility to allow for changing circumstances.
· Resourcing. Ways of funding social and physical infrastructure in
advance of development must be found.
· Implementation. There has to be a driving force for the life of
the project that will secure the commitment of communities and
investors alike, and realise the agreed vision in terms of quality
and well-being.
URBED director, Nicholas Falk, commented: “Successful European
eco-towns are closely linked to thriving urban conurbations, where
there is a demand for housing. None of the projects we looked at is
a stand-alone settlement. All are either urban extensions or at
least reasonably close to a major conurbation, with excellent public
transport, cycle routes and footpaths leading to an urban centre.
“Furthermore, these “connected “places are able to share their
economic, social and transport infrastructure from day one. They are
close to cities that are growing, and are located where there is not
only housing need, (and hence the need to provide affordable homes),
but close to places where there is strong demand as attractive
places to live.”
PRP consultant, Simon Kaplinsky, said, “We believe there has been a
disconnection between the planning process and the means of delivery
in the UK. We have an abundance of guidance and exhortation at
central government level which is directed towards a mainly
sceptical housebuilding industry. At a local level, the planning
system has to do with development control and little to do with the
vision and aspirations of the local community. The European examples
we’ve studied have managed to achieve far more collaborative ways of
working which are more efficient and have yielded better results,
more quickly,”
Chris Wilford, Associate Director, PRP, added: “The concept of
eco-towns has aroused great interest but has also generated
considerable scepticism and opposition to particular proposals.
Eco-towns should be exemplary places that help drive standards up.
The premise behind our European studies has been to learn from
places that have achieved such success and, more importantly, have
been building better and larger homes, at a much faster rate than
the UK has yet to achieve. Large scale examples have been hard to
find in the UK; particularly, completed schemes with contented
communities, such as we have found in Europe.”
Under the headings of the “6C’s” the three research partners have
identified 29 recommendations which they believe, if followed, could
increase the chances of success if applied to emerging eco-towns or
indeed to any new housing-led community development. These include:
Connectivity. Choosing the right location, close to and well
connected with existing conurbations.
Community. Allow local responses to develop with sufficient time for
community engagement.
Climate Proofing. Focus on simple and robust house design strategies
which are future proof and combine with area wide energy, water and
waste programmes front funded by ESCO’s and MUSCO’s.
Character. Create family friendly places with variety and choice in
design and high quality public realm.
Collaboration. Make best use of scarce resources by developing more
collaborative ways of working.
Cash Flow. Develop new models for development which provide
infrastructure early and allow landowners to benefit from value
uplift and sales proceeds.
Six places were selected for the study – Adamstown near Dublin,
Ireland, a private initiative in a rural area; Amersfoort, a small
historic city in the Netherlands with its three suburbs (Nieuwland,
Vathorst and Kattenbroek; Freiburg, Germany with its two new urban
extensions, Vauban and Freiburg; Hafen City in Hamburg, the
redevelopment of a port area; Kronsberg in Hanover, Germany,
designed as part of the Expo 2000 international exhibition; and
Hammarby Sjostad, an urban extension of Stockholm that was once
promoted as the site for an Olympic Games bid.
The final research results will be launched in September this year,
at which time PRP, Urbed and Design for Homes intend to present how
the difficult economics of eco-towns might be made to work.
To obtain a copy of the final report in September 2008, contact the
email below.
Email:
vanessa.clarke@prparchitects.co.uk
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