WWE Framework SPG 010805.pages 30

Wolverton West End
Development Framework
5.0 WOLVERTON WEST END DEVELOPMENT
FRAMEWORK PLAN
5.1 Description of the scheme (figure 5)
Regard for the site context, interpretation of the
broad vision and application of established urban
design objectives suggests an optimal layout for
the framework area.
While the framework does include a number of
sites in the west end of Wolverton it can be said
that two streets provide the over arching structuring
elements for the layout of the development.
The first is the existing Great Monks Street which
runs north-south through the framework area. The
framework provides a strategy for development
between Hodge Lea Roundabout in the south to
Stratford Road in the north in a largely linear form
along the eastern side of Great Monk Street. The
framework proposes development that differs from
the normal treatment of grid roads in Milton Keynes
by positively addressing Great Monks Street with
strong landmarks marking the entrance from the
north as well as other important locations along
its length.
each end of the new east-west aligned street.
The first is a mixed use node on the eastern side
of Great Monk Street (opposite H1 Ridgeway)
with the second being a consolidated node of
facilities around the Radcliffe School Buildings.
Indicative design of new school
facilities next to square
Indicative design of facilities node
square
The second street that forms a key structuring
element is a proposed east-west street connecting the
H1 / Great Monks Street intersection with Aylesbury
Street West to achieve the aim of better links and
integration between Greenleys and Wolverton.
Two ‘nodes’ of activity will further characterise
the framework area. Both these nodes ‘anchor’
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Indicative street section design
Wolverton West End
Development Framework
Bong McCorquodale
Wolverton Mill
Radcliffe School
Cemetery
Allotments
Greenleys Middle
School
Planting
Parking
Private Courtyards
Greenleys First
School
Development
Greenleys Local Centre
Key frontages
Redway
Existing development
sites
100m
N
Wolverton West End Framework
Indicative Framework Plan
This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the
controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown
Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Milton Keynes Council - 10019593 - 2004
Figure 5. Indicative Framework Plan
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Wolverton West End
Development Framework
5.2 Movement Strategy (figure 6)
The overall aim of the movement structure is firstly
to connect into the existing movement network
and secondly, to promote easy access within the
development framework area.
The overall movement structure proposed for
Wolverton West End has been largely informed
by the existing context, of Great Monks Street and
the fact there are no east-west links connecting
Wolverton and Greenleys between Stratford Road
and Gloucester Road.
Access points onto Great Monks Street will be
increased. This will not only improve links between
Wolverton and Greenleys, but will reduce the
barrier effect that currently characterises Great
Monks Street. Safe pedestrian surface level road
crossings need to be encouraged as well as
ensuring the existing underpasses are safe and
well overlooked.
A new east-west route is proposed to link Greenleys
to Wolverton. This will be in the form of a link
between Aylesbury Street West and the Greenleys
roundabout. This will however be a through route
for buses, pedestrians and cyclists only. This street
is particularly important to provide access to the
new health centre and indoor swimming pool from
Greenleys. The street will be tree lined and fronted
by development on the northern side.
In order to facilitate access to the new development
two additional access points will be provided
on to Great Monks Street as well as one joining
Stratford
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Road.
The main entrance to the Radcliffe School will be
from Stratford Road which will serve to reduce traffic
levels in Aylesbury Street.
Each street will contribute to the creation of a
comprehensive, interconnected network which will
ensure that there is always a choice of routes to
promote efficient and direct journeys.
Movement modes will not be segregated as currently
occurs across Milton Keynes; rather, pedestrians
will use pavements which follow streets and cyclists
will share the streets with cars and buses. The only
exception to this is a dedicated redway across the
Western Road Recreation Ground which formalises
an existing pedestrian desire line. This route will be
overlooked by development.
The streets will be designed to reduce vehicle
speeds through built form, street hierarchy, and
road layout.
In terms of public transport, Stratford Road has
been identified as a key public transport route
in the Draft Long Term Public Transport Vision.
A well overlooked bus stop will also occur on
Stratford Road just to the east of the Stratford Road
Roundabout. Great Monks Street is also an existing
public transport route. Higher density development
along this route will improve its service. The only
other public transport route through the framework
area will be the re-routing of route 19 along the
new East West link Road, to provide a bus service
to and from the health centre. This re-routing
does however require further negotiation between
MKC Passenger Transport and MK Metro, and will
also be explored further as part of the transport
assessment. This will need to be submitted as part
of a future outline application.
Wolverton West End
Development Framework
!LLOTMENTS
New access point
New Redway
Redway
Connector street
Access street
Shared surface
Existing streets
Existing Bus stop
Proposed Bus stop
100 m
N
Wolverton West End Framework
Indicative Movement Structure
This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the
controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown
Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Milton Keynes Council - 10019593 - 2004
Figure 6. Indicative New Movement Structure
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Wolverton West End
6.0 CHARACTER AREA GUIDELINES
The development framework has generated
distinct character / project areas (see figure 7).
While they will all have their own character they
will all comply to the set of well documented urban
design objectives. The character areas provide
opportunities for detailed design to:
•
Explore a range of urban densities
responsive to the location and character of
the setting.
•
Establish localised focal points to create
areas of interest.
•
Create a high quality, safe public realm.
•
Promote identity and legibility through variety
in the built form and ease of movement, and
•
Encourage creative designers to
promote contemporary architecture that
respects the ethos of the development
framework.
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Development Framework
Wolverton West End
Development Framework
Stratford Road
Gateway
Bon g
McCorquodale
Wolverton
Mill
Radcliffe
Grove
Facilities
Hub
Wolverton
Mill East
Mixed use
Hub
Radcliffe
Grove
Gloucester
Grove
Gree nleys
Local Centre
Character Area
100m
N
Wolverton West End Framework
Character Area
This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the
controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown
Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Milton Keynes Council - 10019593 - 2004
Figure 7. Character Areas
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Wolverton West End
Development Framework
6.1 Radcliffe Grove
Radcliffe Grove, located on the western sides of the
Radcliffe School playing fields and Western Road
Recreation Ground along Great Monks Street, will
be the primary residential development within the
framework area. Consisting of apartments and
perimeter blocks of terraced housing and semi
detached housing, it will serve in part to bridge the
gap between Wolverton and Greenleys.
Great Monks Street structures the overall layout
of Radcliffe Grove. A new road parallel to Great
Monks Street and directly adjacent to the existing
redway will allow residential development to
positively address Great Monks Street and provide
surveillance to the redway. An internal road parallel
to Great Monks Street will provide access onto
Stratford Road and will divide the terraced and semi
detached housing from the apartments which will
back onto the Radcliffe School playing fields.
The residential component of Radcliffe Grove on
the western side of the Western Road Recreation
Ground will be set back further from the grid road
and further north along the Radcliffe School site. A
street will line the western side of the Western Road
Recreation Ground with residential development
providing active frontages onto both this street and
the Recreation Ground.
The morphology of the residential development
will reflect the Victorian character of Wolverton.
However the buildings will be modern in design and
internal layout, reflecting the era in which they are
built and relating to the 21st Century, not a
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6.2 Wolverton Mill
superficial, historic pastiche. The residential streets
will integrate parking provision promoting a safe and
secure environment for all residents.
This Character area will be explored further through
design codes and a brief.
Vacant land at Wolverton Mill will incorporate a
residential development north of the Former Post
Office Training Centre (now Stratford Office Village).
This is a change of use from the Second Deposit
Version of the Local Plan, which currently allocates
the land for employment.
The development will consist of apartments and
houses (many in a terrace form) with higher
densities toward the Stratford Road Roundabout
and Great Monks Street. Landmark buildings are
proposed to form a gateway at the Stratford Road
Roundabout (to correspond with the proposed
gateway on the eastern side of Great Monks Street
on the Radcliffe School site).
The development will have a permeable structure
with robust development blocks. In addition all
development will front on to streets. Development
will positively address Great Monks Street (V5)
reflecting the proposed urban form on the Radcliffe
School site and provide surveillance onto the
existing footpath that runs parallel to Great Monks
Street. A street will border the eastern and northern
edges of the residential development with the
existing footpath becoming a pavement to this
street. This will not only improve the connectivity of
the movement network and improve surveillance of
the footpath but will also provide the housing fronting
Great Monks Street with more active frontages (as
occurs on the Radcliffe School site).
Existing vegetation with balancing ponds will be
incorporated into the scheme.
Wolverton West End
There must be a complementary interface between
the proposed development and Stratford Office
Park. In this regard an element of live work or
commercial units on the ground floor would provide
a suitable interface and be considered a ‘good
neighbour’ to the existing Stratford Office Park.
Development Framework
6.3 Wolverton Mill East
6.4 Bong McCorquodale Site
To the south of Stratford Office Village, adjacent
to Great Monks Street is a vacant plot within the
boundary of the framework area. A mixed use
development comprising of employment uses (B1
offices) and residential or live work units is proposed.
There should however be a range of development
forms reflecting the context of this site, with
employment buildings with larger footprints directly
abutting the existing warehouse development and
a more fine-grained building form of residential or
live-work units positively addressing Great Monks
Street. This latter developments architectural style
should reflect its prominent location along Great
Monks Street.
A development of 90 dwellings comprising
apartments and terraced housing has been
approved for this site. In addition to residential
development, a nursery and non-residential uses
on key corners within the site are proposed. A
key element of the proposal is that it represents
an integrated extension of the existing historic
street network of Wolverton, combined with a
contemporary design inspired by existing Victorian
terraces and a significant amount of on-street
parking to resemble the existing Wolverton streets.
Importantly, the existing factory façade on Stratford
Road will be retained.
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Wolverton West End
Development Framework
6.5 Facilities Hub
6.6 Stratford Road Gateway
A consolidated group of facilities is proposed to This Character area will be explored further through
frame a new high quality public square at Radcliffe a more detailed design brief.
School. The facilities will positively address the
square with active ground floor uses fronting onto
the space. This square will be on the proposed
east-west aligned public transport street and will
thus be highly accessible and well integrated into
the new and existing community.
This character area forms the principle entry point
to the framework area from the north. In order to
celebrate this gateway, (the residential buildings of
Radcliffe Grove) should be of a landmark nature.
They should feature distinctive four- storey buildings
a prominent façade that positively addresses both
Great Monks Street and Stratford Road. This will
serve to enhance first impressions of Wolverton
and signify the entrance to a distinctive area. A
symbolic sculpture of Wolverton’s past should
further celebrate this gateway. A public transport
stop will be located adjacent to the gateway on
Stratford Road, easily accessible for residents.
This character area will be explored further through
design codes and a brief.
These facilities include the re-build of the existing
swimming pool into an indoor facility, new sport
facilities and residential accommodation associated
with the British Olympic Association on the southern
and western edges of the existing Radcliffe School
as well as the possibility of the relocated Wolverton
health centre.
The Health Centre will occupy the lower two floors
of a mixed use building with offices or residential
flats available above.
The final element of development around this
public square would be a terrace of residential
development to frame the northern edge of the
square.
The square should be designed to offer a high
quality public space which will promote pedestrian
activity and serve as an appropriate setting for this
node of facilities. It is proposed that a portion of this
square would be used as disabled parking for these
new facilities. In addition to this limited parking,
further parking for new facilities will be provided in
line with the councils parking standards as part of
the construction of the facilities hub.
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Wolverton West End
Development Framework
6.7 Mixed Use Hub
6.8 Greenleys Local Centre
An element of mixed-use development, incorporating
a 500ft local corner store and other flexible ground
floor buildings will be located on Great Monks
Street at the important junction of Ridgeway (H1)
and the proposed east-west aligned street that links
Wolverton and Greenleys.
Greenleys Local Centre currently turns its back
on Great Monks Street. In line with proposals for
other character areas addressing Great Monks
Street, there is the opportunity to ‘clip’ on a layer
of development to the rear of the local centre that
provides active frontages onto Great Monks Street.
A short slip road with parking off Great Monks Street
would provide easy access to the centre.
This mixed use node could incorporate uses that
complement Radcliffe School. A provision of basic
services at this highly accessible location will assist
in integrating Wolverton and Greenleys by reducing
travel distances and serving the needs of new and
existing communities.
New buildings must perform three important
functions. Firstly they must positively address this
junction, secondly they must be distinctive enough
to celebrate this gateway, and thirdly they must be
adaptable / robust so as to be able to accommodate
a variety of uses. The latter point is important as
non-residential uses may not be viable early on in
development and therefore residential buildings (on
the ground floor) should easily be convertible into
non-residential uses in response to neighbourhood
needs over time.
This Character area will be explored further through
design codes and a brief.
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