hackney central master plan p31-59
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PART II - THE MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK
This section establishes the over-arching urban design ramework and design
themes that underpin the proposed approach to developing the Hackney
Central Masterplan area. This section also sets out the core elements o theMasterplan in terms o a public realm strategy, land use, indicative building
heights, movement and access and community inrastructure.
The Masterplan Vision...
A thriving town centre oering a distinctive and highly memorable experience with high quality streets
and places to reect its status and civic role. The town centre will serve the needs o its users, providing a
sustainable and enhanced range o town centre services including: retail, leisure, employment, education,
community and civic acilities, as well as new homes and improved job opportunities. A high quality physical
environment will be created, that is sae, clean, and easily accessible or pedestrians and other users.
Hackney Centrals distinctive character, especially its historic environment, civic core and church gardens
will be protected and enhanced. A range o improvements to streets, spaces and transport, including
tackling congestion in the Town Centre and on the Narrow Way will enhance its attractiveness or those who
live, work or visit, both in the daytime and the evenings.
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Figure 3.1 A vision or Hackney Central
A vision or Hackney Central
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Figure 3.2 An urban design ramework underpins the vision
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3.1 The Masterplan VisionA key objective o national planning policy or town
centres is to promote their viability and vitality by:
The vision encapsulates what we aim to achieve
through the preparation o the Masterplan. This
document sets out design and detail development
objectives that will enable the town centre to
actively plan or growth and to manage change and
conservation.
The Masterplan aims to build upon HackneyCentrals strengths: its vibrant high street character;
attractive historic church and gardens; unique
shopping along the Narrow Way, civic/cultural
oci, leisure and entertainment acilities at Hackney
Empire and Ocean venue. It will improve the range
o attractions, enhancing pedestrian accessibility
so that it maintains its role as a successul district
centre with aspirations to becoming a major
town centre, whilst protecting and enhancing the
historic environment to reinorce its character and
distinctiveness.
It also aims to address its weaknesses: its trafc
domination /bus congestion and under perorming
sites/areas (e.g. bus garage, Tesco, Hackney
Central station); its key town centre access/
approaches and streetscape with environmentalimprovements; its weak defnition o character
areas and poor evening economy/restaurant
oer. Better management o the town centre will
be required to provide a broader range o visitor
attractions, especially in the early evenings.
3.2 Masterplan Themes and ObjectivesThe Masterplan has emerged around a set o
objectives and overarching themes. These have
continuously evolved throughout the Masterplan
process, initially at the baseline stage and then
tested through options development.
The 5 themes and 17 supporting specifc objectives
are used to structure Part II The Masterplan
Framework. These are set out on in Table 3.1
opposite. Importantly, the policies contained in
the London Plan (2008) have been considered
in the preparation o these themes and objectives
and a review o these overlaps can be ound
at Appendix A.
Planning or the growth and development o
existing centres by promoting and enhancing them
and by ocusing development and a wide range
o services there in a good environment which is
accessible to all (PPG15)
03 Masterplan Framework
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Theme 2: Enhancing the public realm
Objective 6: To address the lack o a consistent high quality public realm across the town centre through a
range o well designed public open spaces, street-based environmental upgrades and mutually supportive
built projects
Objective 7: To support an enhanced landscape design or key areas - St Johns gardens area - the Old
Town Hall - civic square
Objective 8: To work towards increased provision o childrens play acil ities to address current lack o
spaces or all age groups
Theme 3: Ensuring a unctional town centre or living, working and shopping
Objective 9: To ensure land uses are well integrated and incorporate mixed use models generating active
ground oors
Objective 10: To identiy and promote retail quarters or themes within the town centre that will support a
vibrant and diversifed retail oer
Objective 11: To achieve a range o high quality new dwelling types, sizes and tenures that will sustain and
attract a varied population
Objective 12: To achieve appropriate development densities that maximise the high public transport
accessibility levels and town centre amenity context
Theme 4: Establishing a coherent and attractive movement network
Objective 13: To establish a clear hierarchy o movement and access across the town centre
Objective 14: To improve the quality o the pedestrian and cycle environment addressing the dominance o
vehicular and bus movements
Objective 15: To ensure all transport inrastructure is well designed, integrated, accessible and sae
Theme 5: Promoting orward thinking sustainable regeneration
Objective 16: To maximise energy efciency, promote dierent orms o sustainable energy production,
minimise CO2 emissions and to recycle water. To achieve high quality design and CSH Level 3+ utilising
sustainable construction techniques
Objective 17: To ensure that regeneration is economically viable and enables town centre-wide
improvements beneftting existing residents and businesses
Table 3.1 Masterplan Themes and Objectives
Theme 1: Promoting high quality urban design or Hackney Central
Objective 1: To reinorce a distinctive character and identity or the town centre
Objective 2: To promote the legibil ity o the town centre, ensuring it is easy to get aroundObjective 3: To address the severance and minimise barriers to access
Objective 4: To careully locate tall buildings such that they support town-wide character, legibility and
stimulate economic growth and investment
Objective 5: To maximise the town centre benefts o key opportunity areas
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04 THEME 1 - Promoting High Quality UrbanDesign or Hackney Central
4.1 Reinorcing character and identityThe Masterplan or Hackney Central town centre
proposes signifcant new growth supported by
civic amenities and services, retail and employment.
These will sustain a balance o both economic and
population growth to enable Hackney Central
to meet the challenges o today and the uture.
O equal importance is how residents and
visitors perceive the current and emerging town
centre. In this regard local distinctiveness plays
an important role and is a key characteristic o
successul places. Distinctiveness is achievedthrough identiying the predominant land use
character o specifc areas/neighbourhoods
within a place (i.e. retail themes) and through
strengthening overall identity. This assists in
tailoring uture intervention.
4.1.1 Defning areas o predominant characterHackney Central currently includes a range o
more or less defned areas o dominant character.
These have been described at the Baseline stage
as indicated in Figure 4.1. In order to consolidate
local dierentiation across areas and steer uturedevelopment, the diagram in Figure 4.2 proposes
a Character Areas Framework or the town centre.
This describes 12 character areas as ollows:
Character Area 1: Mare Street East -new urban quarter
Character Area 2: Amhurst Road
Character Area 3: Mare Street
Character Area 4: St John-at-Hackney
Church Gardens
Character Area 5: Civic Heart
Character Area 6: Mixed Employment
Character Area 7: Traditional Streets
Character Area 8: Kenmure Triangle
Character Area 9: Horton Road
Character Area 10: Clarence MewsCharacter Area 11: Clarence Road
Character Area 12: Residential Estate
Several o these character areas already unction
reasonably well and display consistent land use,
development type and spatial patterns (e.g.
Character Areas 4 and 8). Others are less coherent
and would beneft rom dierent levels o intervention
/ remodelling to reinorce a dominant character.
These levels vary rom considerable intervention (e.g.
Character Areas 1 and 2) to moderate intervention
(e.g. Character Areas 7 and 9 and so on). Thevarying degrees o intervention to support the
respective Character Areas are described in the
Appendix report and urther elaborated below.
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Figure 4.1 Character areas
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Policy/Design Principles
4.2 Enhancing Town Centre Legibility:
1. Enhancing gateways and nodes
Principal gateways and minor arrival points should
be identifed as notable events in the townscape,
through:
Streetscape and landscape treatments that will
emphasis each location and will use a consistent
set o high quality materials that will signiy the
town centre.
Notable architecture including distinctive corner
eatures on adjacent buildings.
New/improved pedestrian crossings and access.
2. Landmark buildings and structures
Proposed new local landmarks should:
Be located above and/or adjacent to theTesco redevelopment site along Morning Lane,
emphasising the new Mare Street East urban
quarter.
Be reected in new the building(s) ronting the bus
station site onto Mare Street.
Include accents on key corners to help rame
important public spaces and may comprise,
distinctive architectural treatment, additional
height or emphasis with public art.
3. Key Views
Proposals should retain and respect strategic, local
views or view settings by:
Maintaining views with new buildings or
structures ensuring that all new development
works to rame these views where possible.
Enhance local landmarks and their settings by
respecting their height, mass and visibility as to not
overshadow or overpower the existing landmarks
and should urther improve their settings.
4. Building Frontages
Promote active rontages, ensuring new primarybuilding rontages are located along principal
routes and spaces with secondary rontages on
secondary streets.
4.2 Enhancing town centre legibilityA network o memorable places and spaces,
supported by a well-defned system o strategic and
local views, landmarks and edges is proposed to
make the area more legible. Legibility is essential
to ensuring a place is well understood and thereoreusable, i.e. allowing the resident and visitor to easily
access the choices on oer. At present, the dual
railway alignments, under-used arches, impermeable
blocks east o Mare Street (bus garage/Tesco site)
and introverted Housing Estate layouts provide
major barriers to pedestrian movements through
the core o the area. High levels o trafc congestion
are also a barrier to movement, particularly on the
Narrow Way. The Masterplan seeks to overcome
these barriers, to make it much more pleasant and
convenient to get around.
Figure 4.2 illustrates some o the key organising
principles that underpin the Masterplan and aid
legibility. These are reected in individual opportunity
area proposals and should inorm more specifc site
based proposals.
4.2.1 Enhancing gateways and nodes
The Masterplan defnes a number o gateways(points o arrival) and nodes and these are
described below. It is proposed to emphasise
the 4 principal gateways and 8 minor points o
arrival, both in terms o public realm improvements
and the design o adjacent corner buildings.
These comprise:
Principle gateways North-western gateway: the junction o Pembury
Road / Dalston Lane / Amhurst Road with
the signifcant building on the southern side o
Institute Place and Pembury Tavern on Amhurst
/ Dalston lane orming the principal welcoming
landmarks. These will be potentially accompanied
by a new building on the vacant Pembury Estate
corner site;
Northern Narrow Way gateway: the junction
o Clarence Road / Dalston Lane / Mare Street
(Narrow Way) / Lower Clapton Road strong
Victorian terraced mixed use rontage to the
south eastern corner, proposed redeveloped
opportunity area to the north eastern corneralong with potential incorporation o the under-
used Pembury Estate south-eastern edge;
Southern civic gateway: the intersection and
ocus o the cluster o civic, cultural and learning
acilities including the Town Hall, Ocean building,
Library, Hackney Empire this location orms
a strong point o orientation or visitors and
landmarks the town centre core area. To be
enhanced through Town Hall square landscape
and highways upgrading and through addressingthe largely inactive rontage along the section o
Mare Street ronting the square;
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Figure 4.2 Legibility
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Hackney Central Station gateway: the principal
public transport access including the junction
o Mare Street / Amhurst Road and urther
defned by the railway viaduct. This is a central
gateway rom which many parts o the town
centre are accessible, though this point is very
poorly defned. Facing the entry to St John-at-
Hackney church gardens and the new Tesco
and bus garage development area will make
considerable improvements to the perception o
this location. Major improvements to the public
realm, including the arches access, junction
design, pedestrian crossings, and potential
redevelopment o the ormer station ticket
building in conjunction with the gateway upgrade
will reinorce this as a central point.
These our existing gateway points defne theprincipal entry and departure points o the
town centre. The application o this strategy to
architectural, landscape and inrastructure design will
combine to create a series o major events or points
o distinction in the overall townscape experience.
In addition, the ollowing 8 minor arrival points and 6
nodes/crossings should be acknowledged:
Minor arrival points:
The crossing o the western railway viaduct with
Marcon Place;
the crossing o the western railway viaduct with
Graham Road;
the crossing o the western railway viaduct with
Wilton Way;
the crossing o the western railway viaduct with
Reading Lane;
the crossing o the western railway viaduct with
Richmond Road;
the entrance point at the eastern end o the
redeveloped Tesco site and Morning Lane;
the entrance point at the eastern edge o StJohn-at-Hackney church gardens at the junction
with Sutton Place; and,
the entrance point where Lower Clapton Road
intersects with St John-at-Hackney churchyard
and gardens.
Minor nodes/crossing points:
the junction o Marcon Road / Amhurst Road;
the junction o Kenmure Road / Amhurst Road;
the new access point into Hackney Central
station environs o Amhurst Road; the junction o Graham Road / Mare Street;
the junction o Morning Lane / Mare Street; and,
the new crossing point o Morning Lane north
into the Tesco site.
4.2.2 Landmark buildings and structuresWithin the Masterplan area, the ollowing existing
architecturally distinctive buildings and structures are
identifed as local landmarks:
Local landmarks
Hackney Empire music hall;
Hackney Town Hall;
Learning and Technology Centre/Hackney
Central Library;
Ocean Music Hall (ormerly Central library/
Methodist Hall);
Hackney Central station ormer ticket ofce;
Old Town Hall;
St Augustines Tower;
St John-at-Hackney Church;
Pembury Tavern; and,
The 3 residential towers south o Morning Lane.
Development proposed in the Masterplan would
create new local landmarks in appropriate locations
and emphasise key corners to assist legibility.
4.2.3 Key viewsImportant views operate at both the strategic (study
area-wide) and local level. At the local level view
cones/settings are also identifed where important
buildings (i.e. the view termination) are located in
open space and not viewed simply along a corridor.
The ollowing views are important inuences
on the Masterplan:
Development must respect the ollowing views
to ensure the views are retained to protect the
character and legibility o Hackney Central.
Strategic views
SV1 rom lower Mare Street to Hackney Empire;
SV2 rom Hackney Central station platorms to
St Augustines Tower and St John-at-Hackney
Church;SV3 rom Valette Street to St Augustines Tower;
SV4 rom Valette Street to St John-at-Hackney
Church spire;
SV5 rom the northern edge o Clapton Square to
St John-at-Hackney Church; and,
SV6 rom Morning Lane to both St Augustines
Tower and St John-at-Hackney Church.
Local street contained views
LV1 along Graham Road strong linear view into
Mare Street terminating on quality Mare Streetrontage;
LV2 along Mare Street rom south to railway
viaduct;
LV3 rom Paragon Road north to new Tesco
development on Morning Lane;
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LV3 along Amhurst Road into Mare Street;
LV4 along the back lane o Sylvester Road to
the Town Hall;
LV5,6 along the new north south links to St
Augustines Tower and St John-at-Hackney
Church respectively;
LV7- sequential view revealed along Narrow
Way; and,
LV8 - sequential view revealed along Kenmure
Road.
Sequential Views
SQV1 along the Narrow Way.
SQV2 along Kenmure Road.
View settings
VS1 surrounding St John-at-Hackney Church;
VS2 to the eastern area surrounding StAugustines Tower; and,
VS3 containing the Town Hall / Library and
Hackney Empire cluster.
4.2.4 Building rontagesFigure 4.2 indicates the proposed building
rontage structure or Hackney Central. This has
been described in terms o 3 basic types o
rontage and that should be reected in any
uture site proposal.
Primary building rontage:
Delineates the principal public realm structure
or backbone.
They are defned by high quality and/or
architecturally distinctive buildings that
create a direct and positive relationship to the
adjacent street and open space network;
Secondary building rontage:
Defnes the public realm network o lower order
routes and spaces, perhaps residential streets
and the like. A strong public/private building boundary is still
desirable, though ully active edges are
not required;
Intermittent rontage:
Includes areas where a degree o natural
surveillance is necessary but the type o location
(e.g. arches re-use, minor pedestrian routes
etc.) would not enable the same level o public
realm investment as more important / connecting
routes and spaces.
Policy/Design Principles
4.3 Addressing Severance:
1. New developments and proposals or identifed
opportunity sites should seek to reduce existing
severance issues and support the evolution o aclear connected urban structure. This structure
should ensure that:
All streets lead somewhere.
That places can connect with places;
That intermediary ocal points are generated and
supported by activities (e.g. railway stations,
community acilities etc.).
These ocal points are interlinked via high quality
pedestrian routes; and are
Further announced with landmark or key corner
buildings
4.3 Addressing severanceVarious types o severance are experienced across
the Masterplan area. These oten result in physical
barriers to pedestrian movement or visual/perceived
barriers. The latter oten reduce the perception
o saety and thereby inhibit movement and the
accessing o what the area has to oer. Both
physical and visual/perceived barriers need to be
overcome in Hackney Central.
The principal types o severance in the town centreinclude:
High level railway inrastructure oten
impermeable at ground level or movement;
Trafc dominated highways inrastructure,
particularly bus congestion on the Narrow Way;
Threatening and unsae locations with lack o
visual connection that inhibit pedestrian/cycle
access.
The Masterplan seeks to address each o these
types o severance through putting orward a clearand mutually reinorcing urban structure (Figure 4.3)
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Figure 4.3 Barriers to movement
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Policy/Design Principles
4.4 Locating Tall BuildingsOverall, the height o development proposals should
reect the indicative building heights identifed in
the indicative Building Heights Framework Drawing
(opposite). In addition, proposals should:
1.Consider and respect the context o the
surrounding townscape in relation to building heights
with regard to:
The height, scale and mass o nearby buildings.
Solar access to new and existing streets, spaces
and buildings.
Listed buildings and Conservation Areas; and
Proximity to public transport.
2. Crossrail and CTRL
Developers proposing schemes within the
saeguarded area should engage with Crossrail at
an early stage to ascertain the limitations this will
impose on their development.
3. Site proposals or tall buildings appropriately so
that they serve a meaningul townscape unction
and are inormed by:
The Hackney Tall Buildings Strategy and the
London Plan.
Reinorcing key strategic and local views.
Supporting the proposed urban structure and a
coherent public realm strategy.
Sensitivity towards the Conservation Area
planning designation along Mare Street.
Sensitivity towards St John-at-Hackney church
and garden setting.
Sub-surace railway and sewer inrastructure and
engineering constraints; and
Responding to development pressure and
attracting new investment.
4.4 Locating tall buildingsThe Hackney Central Masterplan area includes a
number o tall building opportunity areas as defned
in the Hackney Tall Buildings Strategy (Feb 2005).
These broadly include:
The area south o Amhurst Road that includes
the Macron Estate;
Hackney Downs and Hackney Central stations;
The area to the west o the Town Hall;
The bus garage, Tesco and site south o Morning
Lane; and
Signifcant other areas including the Trelawney
Estate extending south to Paragon Road and
beyond.
The London Plan (Policy 4B.9 - Location) promotes
the development o tall buildings where theycreate attractive landmarks and provide coherency
or locations. The plan also identifes the roll o
tall buildings as catalysts or regeneration and
maximising the potential o sites (Policy 34A.3).
The Masterplan urther refnes the approach to tall
building locations as shown in Figure 4.4.
The rationale o creating a coherent public realm
that is sensitive to the Conservation Areas and
existing buildings context is key. To the south o the
masterplan area the alignment o three 17 storey
residential towers across the Trelawney Estate
establish a skyline structure that may be continued
with a tall building(s) on the southern edge o the
Tesco site. Building heights should step down
towards the Mare Street and the Conservation
Area and similarly be moderated to 4 storeys along
the southern edge o St John-at-Hackney church
gardens. The area west o the town hall is also
suitable or taller buildings though the opportunities
or signifcant new development are limited. South
o Reading Lane the proposed development should
reect the scale o the new Council services building.Any potential new (re)development within the Marcon
Estate could accommodate heights o 6 storeys with
potential scope or taller structures on a podium.
The Chelsea-Hackney saeguarded route will have
an impact on all development proposed along its
route. The saeguarded land is likely to aect the
height and nature o any proposed development
within this area, such as the type o oundations
proposed and the overall height o development
being sought. The proposed location and depth otunnels will inuence these actors.
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Figure 4.4 Indicative building heights
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Figure 4.5 3D Image o the Masterplan area illustrating the proposed massing across the opportunity sites
Figure 4.6 Section through the Pembury Estate, through the Tesco site to St John-at-Hackney Church
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4.5 Maximising the benefts o key
opportunity areas
Hackney town centre is blessed with a wide range
o opportunities or new or improved development.
Such opportunities must be realised in the context
o Hackney Centrals excellent public transport
accessibility and high levels o amenity provision
(retail / community / civic / leisure / recreation /
employment). Forward-looking and aspirational
development that seeks to raise the bar and
assist in re-positioning the town centre should be
encouraged, while the more mediocre and standard
product should be required to rethink and achieve
more ambitious goals.
Opportunities in the town centre are detailed in Part
III o the Masterplan, Shaping Local Character, and
include 12 character areas and specifc sites. Theserange rom signifcant clusters o sites that together
have the potential to shit the character and image
o the town centre (e.g. the area east o Mare Street
and including the Arriva bus garage / Tesco store /
Morning Lane sites), to the more independent but
catalytic (e.g. Hackney Central Station environs),
to infll and reurbishments o underperorming
locations (e.g. Lower Clapton Road).
Strategies or each o the 12 areas have been
identifed that best support overarching urban
design and sustainable regeneration objectives or
the town centre. Such objectives emerged through
the Masterplanning process and were tested
through stakeholder and public consultation (see
Chapter 3). Testing o strategies or the opportunity
areas against Masterplan objectives took place
during the options development stage to ensure that
each area looked beyond its individual plot boundary
and responded to town-wide issues. The principal
ways in which the opportunity areas have been
developed to ensure this wider responsibility and
beneft include:
Ensuring all sites support a clear and coherent
underlying urban structure;
Ensuring all sites, where appropriate, are linked
to their parent key gateways/nodes and with
architectural design appropriate to that location; Ensuring the development content or sites
supports the respective land use strategies
or dierent locations. Reinorcing active retail
rontage is key;
Ensuring the town-wide townscape approach is
supported by appropriate site design, specifcally
in the location o taller buildings and landmark
structures; and,
Ensuring sites are developed with appropriate
densities, while massing patterns contribute to
enhancing the public realm approach.
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The Ropewalk, Bridgewater, Somerset is a public art /publicrealm enhancement that leads to the town centre.
St John-at-Hackney church and gardens would beneft rombetter connections into the centre, consolidated landscapedesign and enhanced perceptions o saety through greaternatural surveillance.
05 THEME 2 - Enhancing the public realmPolicy/Design Principles
5.1 The importance o the public realm
1. Development proposals should contribute to
the enhancement o the public realm through:
Designs that positively address the public realm;
and Reecting the key objectives o the public
realm strategy.
5.1 The importance o the public realmThe public realm encompasses our streets, public
squares, parks and everything within, including
benches, trees, paving, street lamps, signs and
so on. These places orm the backdrop to our
everyday lives and are oten taken or granted.
However, the quality and nature o these places
can have proound impact on our experience o thepublic realm. Experiencing a memorable place can
illicit delight and pleasure. Equally, an unkempt or
threatening public space can provide a negative
experience. Importantly, the rontages o buildings
adjacent to open spaces and streets very much
orm part o the public realm setting and private
buildings and public space should be considered
in tandem.
5.1.1 The need or improvementHackney Central contains a number o public
spaces, however, these are poorly connectedand the quality o these streets and spaces is
variable. The town centre also lacks a defning
space at its very heart, at the bottom o the
Narrow Way, resulting in a weak sense o place.
The range o public space is also limited, with
ew play areas or places to sit and relax, and
pedestrians are oten marginalised by trafc
dominated road space. The Masterplan
proposals seek to address these weaknesses.
5.1.2 The overall approachThe public realm strategy aims to address the
treatment and quality o the public streets and
spaces within the town centre and provide a
connected place that is easy to navigate and
move around. By its nature, Hackney Central
comprises a number o disparate locations that are
poorly connected within the town. This poses the
difculty o how to interrelate these elements in a
coherent way. Crucially, the Masterplan provides
an opportunity to ormulate a streetscape strategy,
which can help to relate these disparate locations
via a common thread through the public realm. This
will knit the town centre together, strengthen its
role and identity and provide a clear, practical and
attractive townscape.
Objectives o the Hackney Central Public Realm
Strategy:
To support and strengthen Hackney Centrals
distinct character, making it a memorable place to
visit and that is easy to move around;
To enhance the appearance, vitality and quality o
streets and spaces;
To provide a network o attractive places or
people to sit, relax and enjoy;
To provide a positive sense o arrival into the towncentre at key locations;
To respond to the defciency o public space and
play areas;
To utilise suitable, durable, quality materials, with
special attention to details and maintenance.
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The Public Realm Strategy (PRS) is structured
around improvements to the environment that are
directed at key locations and signifcant streets. The
PRS aims to provide both physical and aesthetic
enhancements to the quality o these places.
However, it also provides a uniying treatment o
public streets and places that ties Hackney Central
together as an identifable town centre. Degrees
o intervention in the public realm are determined
by the existing quality o the place, its signifcance
within the town centre and the role or unction that
it serves. One example is the area outside Hackney
Central station. This is a poor quality environment,
yet a signifcant location, serving an important role as
the entrance to the station. Such spaces demand
greater attention and quality in the public realm and
would merit a signifcant degree o improvement.
5.1.3 Key elements o the strategy
The public realm strategy recognises the hierarchy
o streets and spaces within Hackney Central and
proposes to reinorce their role by directing eorts
and resources towards key town centre locations
and routes.
New developments are arranged to make a clear
distinction between public and private realm.
Building rontages ace onto the public realm and
private space is largely placed at the back
behind buildings. Fencing and high boundary
walls should be minimised adjacent to streets
and public places.
The strategy incorporates the ollowing key
elements:Principal public spaces: Provision o new public
space and enhancement o the existing spaces.
Points o arrival: Improvements are
recommended or each o the principal entrances
into the centre.
Secondary locations: Improved crossings
and treatment o the public realm at selected
secondary locations.
A clear street hierarchy: A cohesive approach
to streetscape design is proposed, with varyingtreatment according to the signifcance o the
location.
Play and recreation spaces: A network o
recreational and play areas is proposed
throughout the area.
Management and maintenance: Addressing the
management and maintenance o the proposed
public realm to ensure the continued high quality
o the environment.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Figure 5.1 Areas or public realm enhancement
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5.2 Principal Public SpacesIt is important that these spaces are linked in with
the primary routes. It is essential that high levels o
pedestrian accessibility are encouraged between
the public spaces so they do not become isolated
or underutilised. We have identifed the ollowing
principal public spaces and a series o interlinking
smaller spaces.
Town Hall SquareThe existing Town Hall Square will continue to be
maintained as a civic space, although a review o
the existing area would look or suitable sensitive
additions or the reworking o the existing spaces,
including the surrounding roads such as Wilton Road
and Reading Lane, as well as access arrangements
to examine the potential or enlarging the existingpublic space. It is an ambition to reduce trafc and
prioritise pedestrian access. At present the square
provides a ormal setting to the Town Hall but is less
able to provide or a broader range o social uses. A
re-examination o the unction o the square should
seek to enhance the usability o the space or a wider
range o activities, whilst respecting its historic status.
Any improvements to this space must respect its
status and unction to provide a ormal setting or the
Town Hall. Improving the quality and integrity o the
space should include reinstating and traditional York
stone paving.
St John-at-Hackney Churchyard and GardensIt is envisaged that this established green space
would be retained essentially with its existing
tranquil character, providing a respectul setting to
the church and historic location. It would continue
to be the principal ocus as the major recreational
space or Hackney Central, providing a range o
types o spaces, including the current grassed
gardens or inormal relaxation, to equipped playspaces or children (Doorstep Playable Spaces,
DPS) and a place or events such as markets or
outdoor theatre. Mature trees would be maintained.
Intervention should consolidate this area through
a new high quality landscape scheme ocusing on
high quality materials and installation and better
links between spaces. Potential improvements to
pedestrian movement, primarily east-west routes,
would be evaluated in conjunction with proposals
or the bus garage site, to improve the relationship
between these two areas and enhance the degreeo overlooking and sense o security. Some minor
elements o the wider public realm strategy could
be extended into this area, maintaining a connection
with the wider area, such as common street urniture.
Figure 5.2 Town Hall Square
Figure 5.3 St Johns-at-Hackney Churchyard Gardens
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New Town SquareThe existing space immediately south o the Old
Town Hall (Narrow Way) will become an exciting
new town square situated at the bottom o Narrow
Way. This will restate the signifcance o this central
location as the nexus o the town and will be treated
with a combination o hard and sot landscaping,
public art and imaginative lighting in the square will
ensure that it continues to be a notable space at
night.
The existing space will be enlarged and re-
landscaped. Existing vehicle accesses would be
consolidated, with access to the bus depot taken
through Bohemia Place, enabling the enlargement
o the current space. A new pedestrian link
would be provided through the railway arches
creating improved connections to the space.This multiunctional area will be an attractively
landscaped place or people to gather, sit, enjoy
or simply pass through. Equally, it would be an
adaptable place that allows or markets, public
events, art or street entertainment. Like the Town
Hall Square, provision could be made or inormal
recreation in the orm o eatures or children rather
than ormal play equipment.
Linked spacesNew smaller public spaces would be created along
the route o the new pedestrian link through the
Tesco site between Morning Lane and Mare Street.
This route should provide or a variable width that
would allow spaces or outdoor seating or caes,
displays by retailers or kiosks/stalls, as well places
or people to linger and enjoy.
This elongated space would enliven the route and
make it an attractive environment and pleasant
experience or pedestrians and shoppers. The routeand spaces would be treated with a combination o
hard and sot landscaping and be consistent with
the wider public realm strategy or the town centre.
Figure 5.4 New Town Square opposite the station in the heart
o Hackney Central
Figure 5.5 New connecting route incorporating a series o
smaller spaces
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Policy/Design Principles
5. 3 Points o arrival
Important points o arrival should be emphasised as
ollows:
1. Hackney Central Nexus:
Mark this area as a major location and ocal point
with a landmark or eature;
Providing exciting landscape treatment to
emphasise this location as an entrance to the town
centre;
Treatment o railway over-bridge to highlight it as a
landmark in its own right;
New/improved pedestrian crossing arrangements;
Reurbish the ticket ofce rontage/space;
Extend the public realm south to Graham Road;
2. Dalston Lane
Mark this location as a clear gateway into the town
centre;
Enhance the setting o the two existing signifcant
buildings at this location.
Provide exciting, high quality landscape
improvements to emphasise this location as a
point o entry;
Recognise the importance o pedestrian
movement;
Recognise this location as a major junction.
3. Town Hall Square
Minor restoration o existing eatures;
Extending the treatment o the public realm into
the road to emphasise the importance o this
gateway and address the dominance o trafc;
Enlarge the size o the square, closing surrounding
roads to general trafc with priority to pedestrians.
5.3.1 Secondary locations1. Should be enhanced to strengthen their gateway
role through:
Marking these locations as minor landmarks
Design treatment o railway over-bridges to
highlight these eatures as landmarks
Provision o minor landscape treatments to
emphasise these locations as entrances to the
town centre
5.3 Points o arrivalImportant gateways into Hackney Central should be
distinguishable points o entry so as to create a clear
sense o arrival, marking the transition rom outside
to inside the town centre. Gateways already exist,
but tend to be trafc dominated spaces that provide
poor points o entry. The ollowing points o entry
are proposed or enhancement.
Hackney Central NexusThis location is the key node within Hackney
Central, orming a ocal nexus that links to all
the surrounding parts o the town centre and
through which important routes ow or both
pedestrians and public transport. Not only is the
nexus geographically central, but it is also the
point o convergence or several signifcant roads
and it perorms a vital town centre role in terms
o providing access to the station, the shops on
Narrow Way and St John-at-Hackney Church and
grounds.
Dalston Lane Junction
This complex junction marks the convergence o
5 roads at the top o Amhurst Road, resulting a
broad expanse o road space and a major
signal-controlled junction. It acts as a major
gateway with Amhurst Road serving as an artery
to the Hackney Central nexus.
Town Hall Square
This location is the frst signifcant eature o the town
centre when approaching Hackney Central romthe south. The iconic Town Hall, Hackney Empire
theatre and associated town square, combine with
new library and Ocean venue to create a memorable
and distinctive location, with an important civic
unction. This area is a landmark space in its own
right and indicates an important point o entry into
Hackney Central and is the third major gateway into
the town. This area is currently a positive public
space, although somewhat dominated by trafc.
5.3.1 Secondary locationsA range o secondary nodes, include the junction
o Narrow Way and Lower Clapton Road, and
the railway over-bridges at Graham Road, Wilton
Way, Reading Lane and Richmond Road. These
locations orm a series o secondary nodes with
a gateway unction, providing distinctive points o
entry to the town centre, albeit o a more secondary
nature.
These locations should be considered or
enhancement to provide a strengthened gateway
role into Hackney Central.
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Figure 5.6 Gateways and Nodes
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Policy/Design Principles
5. 4 A clear street hierarchy
The public realm should be the subject o high
quality coordinated improvements to strengthen its
character and identity and support the identifed
street hierarchy.
Principal High Street Spine:
Signifcant improvements to the public realm should
be directed to the Principal High Street Spine so
that:
1. Interventions include a common approach to:
Paving and surace treatments
Lighting and street urniture
Signage
Sot landscaping and Allowing or public art interventions
2. Interventions are directed towards:
Key locations where minor nodes/crossings are
present; or
Where particular locations require a greater level o
attention or emphasis.
Places where people gather or spend time, such
as spaces or bus stops.
3. Key locations should become:
the ocus o creative improvements to the public
realm, or example through the use o high quality
landscape design and materials, the provision o
public art, and/or appropriate lighting and street
urniture.
4. Enhancements to nodes and crossing points
should:
Also ocus on improving the pedestrian
environment in terms o quality, saety and
legibility/way-fnding.
5.4 A clear street hierarchyPrincipal High Street Spine
In addition to the gateways, high quality landscape
treatment o the public realm should be directed
towards the principle High Street route comprising
Mare Street and the Narrow Way. These routes
should be treated in a co-ordinated manner in a way
that reinorces their status and signifcance as the
principal spine running through the Masterplan area.
A common approach to the treatment o the public
realm throughout this area is important as a means
o tying the High Street spine together as a unifed
place.
It is important that proposals along this route are
ully co-ordinated and distinctive to create a clear
sense o place or the town centre, linking thegateways, via the primary routes to the central
nexus. The Narrow Way orms the northern
extension to Mare Street but serves a dierent
transport unction. It nevertheless is part o the High
Street spine route and perorms an important retail
role. It should receive the same ocus o investment.
Specifc treatment to Narrow Way will dier with the
intention o creating an intimate, pedestrian ocused,
quality retail streetscene. This is urther explored in
Character Area 3 (Part III).
Interventions should be directed towards key
locations to emphasise their role and importance
along the principal High Street Spine.
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Figure 5.7 Hierarchy o routes
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Policy/Design Principles
5.4 A clear street hierarchy (continued)Key connecting streets:
Signifcant improvements to the public realm should
on Key Connecting Streets should:
5. Include a common approach to the treatment o
the public realm interventions with regard to:
Paving and surace treatments Lighting and street urniture
Signage
Sot landscaping and
Allowing or public art interventions
These should be consistent with the treatment o the
public realm along the principle High Street Spine.
6. Direct signifcant interventions towards:
Key locations where nodes/crossings are present.
Locations requiring a greater level o attention or
emphasis to support the unction and character othese streets; and
Enhance the legibility o Hackney Central.
7. Key locations should:
Become the ocus o creative improvements to
the public realm, or example through the use o
high quality landscape design and materials, the
provision o public art, and/or appropriate lighting
and street urniture.
8. Enhancements to nodes and crossing pointsshould:
Also ocus on improving the pedestrian
environment in terms o quality, saety and
legibility/way-fnding.
Local Residential Streets:
9. These locations should include more minor
interventions in the streetscape, but should seek
to enhance the quality o the environment and
the legibility o Hackney Central by examining the
potential or improvements to the public realm or:
The planting o small/medium trees to provide a
consistency to the streetscape and linear direction
Improvements to existing suraces where
necessary and/or appropriate
Marking parking bays with quality materials such
as granite setts; and
The defnition o street entrances with quality
materials and landscape design/treatment
New pedestrian route (through Tesco site)
Key Connecting Streets
These principally comprise Amhurst Road, Morning
Lane and Graham Road and act as important
connecting roads to Mare Street, having a signifcant
transport unction. Despite their status as secondary
streets they do share some parallels with the High
Street spine, in terms o the broad scale o road
space, catering or signifcant amounts o trafc
and containing elements o retail, albeit o a moreperipheral nature.
These streets should be approached in a similar
way to the High Street spine, with a co-ordinated
treatment o the public realm, although the degree
o intervention will be less signifcant than that o
the principal High Street Spine route, reecting
their secondary role. This will allow resources to be
directed to the most important locations. Signifcant
interventions on secondary routes will ocus on minor
nodes/crossings or where particular locations require
a greater level o attention, where people gather andspend time, such as public spaces or bus stops.
Local Residential Streets
A number o tertiary residential streets are also
identifed or potential improvement o their public
realm, predominantly where these act as links
between the other signifcant streets, such as
Kenmure Road between the Narrow Way and
Amhurst Road. These locations will generally attract
more minor interventions in the streetscape.
New Pedestrian Priority Route (through Tescos site)
A new pedestrian route is proposed through the
Masterplan area linking Paragon Road to the Narrow
Way. This would provide a high quality environment
or pedestrian movement and an alternative to the
noise and bustle o Mare Street. It is also intended
or this to incorporate new outside spaces in places
along this route in order to create an attractive and
legible route through the area.
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Policy/Design Principles
5.4 A clear street hierarchy (continued)10. Design and treatment o this route should
provide:
A coordinated treatment o the public realm andlandscape along this route, consistent with the
approach to the public realm elsewhere within
Hackney Central
A rich landscape treatment o important
locations along the route such as crossings/
minor nodes, the inclusion o public art and/or
high quality landscape treatment to emphasise
their signifcance, role and aid legibility o the
townscape
A high quality lighting with particular attention at
minor nodes and the railway arches The provision o spill out spaces or shops
and caes, to generate lively spaces with high
levels o activity.
5.5 Play and Recreation Spaces
The Hackney Play Strategy 2007-12 has been
prepared by the Learning Trust and seeks to build
on previous successes as well as address gaps and
shortalls in the promotion and provision o quality
play opportunities or all children. It also aims to
ensure that play is an integral part o strategies and
developments which impact on childrens ability andopportunity to play in Hackney. This Masterplan has
thereore sought to have regard to the objectives o
the strategy.
The Hackney Open Space and Sports Assessment
fnds that small parts o the Hackney Central ward
are defcient in childrens play provision though
these all outside o the SPD boundary. Further
LBH Masterplanning studies have ound that 65%
o the childrens play areas do not meet all o the
criteria set by the National Playing Fields Association(NPFA). It was urther ound that 11.75Ha will be
required to meet the need or sports pitch provision
to 2016.
The SPG Providing or Children and Young Peoples
Play and Inormal Recreation prepared by the GLA
and adopted in 2008 establishes standards or play
acilities in London. In addition to ormal play areas,
the SPG recognises that other types o space can
be multiunctional. For example, green spaces can
provide opportunities or inormal recreation while
also being places that others can enjoy.
This Masterplan proposes a new typology o play
spaces based upon the multiunctional concept o
playable space rather than play spaces and defnes
a hierarchy o play provision as ollows:
Doorstep playable space: a place where childrenunder 5 can play;
Local playable space:a place where childrenaged up to 11 can play;
Neighbourhood playable space:a more extensiveplace where children aged up to 11 can play,
and where there are some acilities or young
people over 11;
Youth space: a place where young people aged
12 and above can meet and take part in inormalsport-based activities (including extreme sports
such as skateboarding) and other inormal
recreation.
The Masterplan ocuses on the need to adapt
existing spaces to provide suitable playable space
in order to cater or the uture child population that
would live in the area ollowing the introduction o
additional residential accommodation.
5.5.1 Defning the number and type o acilities
to be providedGLA guidance advises that a benchmark standard
o 10sqm per child should be applied to establish
the quantitative requirement or play space
provision arising rom new developments. It has
been estimated that the additional child population
resulting rom the level o development identifed by
the Masterplan would be approximately 624 children
resulting in a requirement o 6240 sqm o additional
recreational space.
The GLA typology o play spaces builds on themultiunctional concept o playable space and
defnes a hierarchy o play provision, with acilities
specifed according to intended target age.
Table 5.1 applies the GLA hierarchy o playable
spaces, to provide a schedule o planned play
provision. This ocuses on possible additional
children to be introduced to the area ollowing the
construction o proposed new developments. This
fgure thereore needs to be added to the existing
child population and thereore should be regarded
as a minimum requirement.
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Location Type Target age Characteristics Walkable
catchment
Size(sqm)
St John-at-
Hackney
Churchgardens
Local playable
space
5 11 year
olds
300sqm min
activity area
400m 2,700sqm
Doorstepplayable space
(ormal)
Under 5s
100sqm activity
zone with
a variety o
equipment
100m
Neighbourhood
playable space
11yrs and
over
500sqm min. A
varied natural
space with
secluded and open
areas, landscapingand equipment so
that children aged
rom birth to 11
can play
800m 24,000sqm
Youth space 12+ year olds Inormal sport
or physical
recreational
activities.
800m
Town Hall
Square
Doorstep
playable space
(inormal)
Under 5s
(potential
inormal 5 11 year old
provision)
Features or
children rather
than ormal playequipment
100m 1450sqm
Clapton
Square
Doorstep
playable space
(ormal)
Under 5s 100sqm activity
zone with a variety
o equipment
100m 6,300sqm
Local playable
space
5 11 year
olds
300sqm min
activity area
400m
Space to
eastern edge
o bus garage
Doorstep
playable space
(inormal)
Under 5s Features or
children rather
than ormal play
equipment
100m 820sqm
Games
area within
Trelawney
Estate
Youth space 12+ year olds Inormal sport
or physical
recreational
activities.
800m 880sqm
Grassed
area south o
Morning Lane
Youth space 12+ year olds Inormal sport
or physical
recreational
activities.
800m 1600sqm
Doorstep
playable space(ormal)
Under 5s 100sqm activity
zone with a varietyo equipment
100m 200sqm
Total on-site
playable space
37,950
Table 5.1 Hackney Central Town Centre Quantum and type o proposed playable space
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Policy/Design Principles5.5.2 Playable Spaces
Playable spaces should to be provided as ollows:
1. A wide range o play space types at St John-at-
Hackney by including:
Doorstep Playable Space (DPS) specifcally
intended or the under 5s
Local Playable Space (LPS) or children aged up
to 11, Neighbourhood Playable Space
A Youth Space.
2. Provide a Doorstep Playable Space within the
Town Hall Car Park:
Redevelopment under used Town Hall CarPark to potentially accommodate a new space
incorporating a new DPS space.
3. A ormal Doorstep space and Local Playable
space at Clapton Square:
Enhance acilities or these types o playable space
as is located close to residential properties with
good natural surveillance.
4. Provide an inormal Doorstep space to the
eastern end o the current bus garage: Incorporate into landscape proposals as part o
any redevelopment o the bus garage
5. Provide a new Youth space and Doorstep space
on the grassed area on Morning Lane:
Provide a space or more active recreational
pursuits, such as a skateboard park.
Encourage natural surveillance rom adjacent
buildings.
Facilitate protection rom trafc.
Accommodate a Doorstep space within its own
landscape setting.
6. Opportunities or inormal play are to be
provided in proposals or new development, where
opportunities arise, including:
Through innovative landscape design treatment o
open areas and spaces
Potentially incorporate into roo gardens and
space in proposals or the Tesco and Bus garage
opportunity sites
5.5.2 Establishing the accessibility, range and
location o play acilities
Figure 5.8 illustrates how the various proposedplayable spaces are distributed throughout the area.
The London Plan recommends that a 400m access
standard is used in relation to small local parks. This
represents a 5-minute walking distance applied as
a fxed radius rom the edge o the open space.
However, it also recognises that residents will not
make straight line trips rom home to park and
accounts or severance actors (e.g. railway lines,
busy roads), the location o park entrances and the
morphology and grain o the surrounding pedestrian
route network. It suggests that a 280m radius is alsoplotted, representing a constrained catchment.
Studies o childrens play have emphasised the
appeal and use o unofcial play areas in addition to
planned childrens play areas. Thereore provision
should also be made or inormal play within new
developments, where opportunities arise.
Inormal play sculpture
58
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