Nine Greater Manchester local authorities have achieved what at times might have seemed impossible. The councils of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan have adopted a spatial plan for development over the next 15 years. Places for Everyone establishes an ambitious plan for sustainable growth for them all, with much-needed homes as the major driver. It has been ten years in the making and during that time, the crises for climate and nature loss have accelerated, as has social inequity, and so working together is more valuable than ever. This ..read more

Plan the street as well as the sky What causes more debate – how tall buildings look, or what happens at their feet? Words: Scott Carroll Images: Anna Gibb   When it comes to building tall, skyline eye candy seems to trump the ground floor every time, which is curious because it will be the public realm that does all of the heavy lifting when it comes to making community. It is where lives overlap, and people get to know their neighbours. Not a square metre can be wasted. Inspired by a conversation with Scott Carroll, a director at LDA Design who is leading our work with Ali ..read more

New designs have been revealed that celebrate the heritage of Grainger Market, the Grade 1 listed indoor market which has been an important part of life in Newcastle city centre for nearly 200 years. A short walk from Grey Street, Newcastle’s premier street, Grainger is known as the city’s first supermarket, and you can find most things there from fruit and veg to haberdashery, from bread to vintage clothing, flowers and pizza. LDA Design is working with Newcastle City Council and a team led by FaulknerBrowns architects to restore and revitalise Grainger Market so that it remains relevant fo ..read more

Exciting plans for Temple Island are taking shape. The proposed new waterfront neighbourhood in Bristol city centre is on the site of the former train diesel depot near Temple Meads railway station. This prominent brownfield site has been vacant since 1995. Bound by the River Avon to the east, the scheme is part of the evolving Temple Quarter area of the city, one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects and which includes the new University of Bristol Enterprise Campus. Legal and General are delivering Temple Island, which includes two office buildings, around 500 new homes, with up to 40 ..read more

Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, has chosen Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater, Somerset, as the site for its new multi-billion pound, 40 Gwh battery manufacturing gigafactory. This is a £4 billion investment into the area, which is expected to create 4,000 new jobs in green energy and be a catalyst for clean growth across the region. LDA Design worked closely with Salamanca Group on an initial strategy, vision and masterplan for Gravity, to create the UK’s first commercial ‘smart campus’. LDA’s strategic placemaking work helped to create the conditions for significant investme ..read more

Camden Council, in partnership with LDA Design, Norman Rourke Pryme and Urban Symbiotics, is looking to transform Holborn into a place that works better for people and nature. The £40m Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood scheme aims to create a place which is more comfortable and safer for pedestrians and cyclists, with less pollution and more attractive and greener streets and spaces. Situated between the West End and the City, Holborn is a place of contrasts, of heritage and highways. Stretching from Bloomsbury Street and Drury Lane in the west to Gray’s Inn Road and Chancery Lane in the east ..read more

The Warwickshire town of Royal Leamington Spa is asking its residents what they would like to see included in a vison to strengthen its future. LDA Design is helping the town explore options including for the main shopping street, Parade, which features some of the spa town’s finest Regency architecture. It is also the main traffic route crossing the river. Transport consultancy, Norman Rourke Pryme, is part of the LDA Design team, helping to examine how the town could become more welcoming for those on foot and cyclists. The principles behind a new masterplan for Parade and for other importan ..read more

Unlocking the potential of Trafford Wharfside, the home of Manchester United FC, is the subject of a new draft development Framework which if approved by Trafford Council will go out to consultation in early March 2024. The 215-acre site encompasses Imperial War Museum North and the O2 Victoria Warehouse as well as the iconic Old Trafford stadium. LDA Design is supporting the designer of the Framework, Hawkins/ Brown, on landscape and public realm. The vision is an ambitious transformation of Trafford Wharfside, creating a mixed-use neighbourhood with up to 5,000 new homes. Connectivity is a ..read more

Carpenters Estate, London’s largest and most ambitious estate regeneration and restoration, has been unanimously approved by the London Legacy Development Corporation. The plans were brought forward by Newham Council’s wholly owned development company Populo Living, with a multi-disciplinary project team led by Tibbalds for the Tibbalds CampbellReith JV. The masterplan was developed by Metropolitan Workshop, Proctor & Matthews and LDA Design. make:good led on engagement. The team also included environmental consultancy XCO2 and Mott MacDonald. The outline application provides for up to 2 ..read more

Freedom to play A Government committee is seeking evidence on the experiences of children in the built environment and how their needs are being met by the planning system. About time, argues LDA Design’s Jemma Hall.  Cars have been allowed to dominate our towns and cities, reducing independent mobility. Eighty six percent of children walked or cycled to school fifty years ago, compared to 25 percent in 2022. When it comes to designing places, do we care more about bats than children? If you looked at the National Planning Policy Framework you might come to that conclusion ..read more