Hertford
The site, lies adjacent the southern gateway to the town centre within a conservation area overlooking the historic castle and grounds. The contemporary residential scheme initially drew opposition from local authority planning and conservation officers whose original preference for traditional design was modified during robust consultation and peer review by their external design review panel. Town planning studies helped to make our case for a scheme of greater density and height. The practice ultimately gained consent for 80 contemporary apartments in a 5-6 storey buildings designed as a mix of affordable and market units set into a cirque of buildings around a new, publicly accessible pocket park.
A broader masterplan was prepared to promote locality improvements to ease access to the town centre. Additional public realm improvements included a new tree lined walkway extending across the north of the site over rising ground levels and site wide landscaping with routeways improved connectivity for the benefit of new residents and the wider community alike.