planning leicester early planning · ‘slums’. planning leicester growing pains typical...

10
Iron Age Ratae captured by the Romans 44-45 AD Town walls built 250 AD End of Roman rule 410 Leicester Castle built 1068 Leicester Abbey founded 1143 King Richard III killed 1485 Siege of Leicester 1645 Top: Drawing of Roman Leicester (Ratae Corieltavorum) from the north- east, as it may have looked during the late 3rd century AD ©ULAS; Middle: Plan of Roman Leicester ©ULAS; Bottom: Plan showing Civil War defences of the town in 1645. PLANNING LEICESTER Early Planning Typical Residential Development Characteristics: l Generally single storey buildings l Fairly tight urban grain l Varied plot sizes within regular block structure l Varied building lines l Brick/stone/concrete as dominant materials l Modest, functional landscaping Long before the modern conception of town planning was developed, Leicester was subject to planned development. The earliest phase we have meaningful evidence of is the Roman town of Ratae Corieltavorum, with its ordered street network linking key civic buildings. Following the end of the Roman Empire, Leicester continued to be inhabited and was subject to further phases of development. With relatively low population growth, change was less dramatic than what was to come later. Much of the strategic planning related to ecclesiastical developments or the need to make the settlement secure from military attack.

Upload: lynguyet

Post on 20-Aug-2018

214 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Iron AgeRataecaptured bythe Romans

44-45AD

Town wallsbuilt250

AD

End ofRoman rule410

LeicesterCastlebuilt

1068LeicesterAbbeyfounded

1143 King RichardIII killed1485

Siege ofLeicester1645

Top: Drawing of Roman Leicester (Ratae Corieltavorum) from the north-east, as it may have looked during the late 3rd century AD ©ULAS; Middle: Plan of Roman Leicester ©ULAS; Bottom: Plan showing Civil War defences of the town in 1645.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Early Planning

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally single storeybuildings

l Fairly tight urban grain

l Varied plot sizes withinregular block structure

l Varied building lines

l Brick/stone/concrete asdominant materials

l Modest, functionallandscaping

Long before the modern conception oftown planning was developed, Leicesterwas subject to planned development.The earliest phase we have meaningfulevidence of is the Roman town of RataeCorieltavorum, with its ordered streetnetwork linking key civic buildings.

Following the end of the Roman Empire,Leicester continued to be inhabited andwas subject to further phases ofdevelopment. With relatively lowpopulation growth, change was lessdramatic than what was to come later.Much of the strategic planning related toecclesiastical developments or the needto make the settlement secure frommilitary attack.

LeicesterInfirmaryHospitalopened

1771LeicesterRacecourseopened(VictoriaPark site)

1773LeicesterNavigation(canal)opened

1793CountyJailopened 1826

Leicester &SwanningtonRailwayopened

1832Municipal CorporationsAct – key developmentin creating localgovernment framework;town boundary

1835 1840

Top: Plan from 1835 showing expanded town boundary;Middle: Plan of town from 1792 showing New Walk extending out tothe south-east; Bottom: Typical floor plan of slum courts.

In the late 18th century the townstarted to grow dramatically. Followingthe development of a strategic toll roadthrough the town, Leicester wasconnected to the canal network in 1793.

Elsewhere, in 1785, a promenadewas laid out linking the racecourse to thetown core. New Walk, which remains atraffic free promenade to this day, wasdesigned by the Corporation toencourage the expansion to thesoutheast.

In 1801 the population of Leicester wasaround 17,000; by 1901 it had balloonedto over 211,000. The Corporation wasunprepared for the scale of growth, withmuch of it in the form of crowded‘slums’.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Growing Pains

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally two-threestorey buildings

l Tight urban grain

l Incrementaldevelopment but fairlyconsistent plot sizeswithin fairly regular blockstructure

l Consistent building lines –close to pavement

l Brick/stone as dominantmaterials

l Some rear gardens andintermediate landscapedspaces

LeicesterCampbell Streetopens as thefirst passengertrain station inthe town

+1848PublicHealthActs 1875

Welford RoadCemeteryand NewWalkMuseumopened.

1849First majorallotments andpublic parkdeveloped (laterrenamed NelsonMandela Park).

1870sFirst Horsedrawntramwaysstartedoperating

1874Sewage networkcreated,includingAbbey PumpingStation

1880sLeicesterbecame aCountyBorough

1889

Top left: Foreman Sale Plan from 1869 of Aylestone;Top right; Plan from circa 1877 for Abbey Park;Bottom: Plan of building plots in North Evington in 1906.

Following a cholera epidemic in 1847, thePublic Health Act of 1848 helped setmore of the foundations for townplanning, not least in encouraging publicopen space. Leicester was one of onlytwo places outside London to appoint aMedical Officer of Health in the yearsthat followed.

The Corporation was increasingly activein developing infrastructure for civicdevelopment, such as public parks, andin developing by laws that set minimumstandards for new housing. Moregenerally, some locals, such as ArthurWakerley in Evington, began developingland in a much more comprehensivelyplanned way.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Civic Development

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally two storeybuildings

l Tight urban grain forterraced streets, looserurban grain for largervillas

l Consistent plot sizeswithin developments, butvaried block structure

l Consistent building lines,close to pavement forterraced streets, large setback for detached villas

l Brick as dominantmaterial

l Small rear gardens forterraced streets, largefront/rear gardens forlarger villas, formal parks

Town boundaryexpanded toincludeKnighton,Aylestone andBelgrave

1892

TudorWaltersCommissionreport

1917Leicester gainscity status.Establishmentof Housing andTown PlanningCommittee by

1919ArthurWakerley –who wasfirst Chairman

Town &CountryPlanningAct

1932Town boundaryexpanded toinclude Evington,Humberstoneand Braunstone

1935

Top left: Sale plan of Western Park circa 1905Top right: Plan from 1923 of £299 houses;Middle: Plan from 1931 showing The Circle; Bottom: Plan from 1926 for the Braunstone Estate.

The early 20th century saw the firstdevelopment of town planninglegislation nationally and attempts atadopting a strategic plan for Leicesterlocally. Much development was stilluncoordinated as urbanisation continuedapace.

Influenced by the likes of EbenezerHoward and emerging pressure groups,such as the Garden Cities Association,various linked developments occurred inLeicester. A cooperative housing venturefrom Anchor Tenants Ltd developed landto the east of the old village ofHumberstone between 1907-1915, whilethe Corporation bought land inBraunstone to develop holistically from1927, supplementing housing with newshops, schools, churches and publictransport.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally two storeybuildings

l Relatively tight urbangrain

l Variety of blocks designedaround series of greenspaces and ordered roadnetwork. Consistent,larger plot sizes

l Generally consistentbuilding lines behind frontgardens, althoughvariation in setbacksfollows a set pattern inplaces

l Brick, often coated withpaint/render, asdominant material

l Front/rear gardens, someintermediate landscapedspaces and formal parks,limited parking provision

Town PlanningEstablished

+1909Housing &TownPlanningActs

1919Frank Cottrillemployed byLeicester Council –one of the firstfield archaeologyposts in country

1938

BarlowReportpublished 1940

Town &CountryPlanningActs

Last tramservice incity 1949

FestivalofBritain 1951

Leicester CityDevelopmentPlan adopted 1952

City/CountyDevelopmentPlan 1956

Inner ringroadconstructionbegan

1958

Top left: Model from 1956 of proposed highways scheme on LondonRoad;Top right: Plan from 1952 showing proposed clearance of ‘slums’;Middle: Plan from 1949 for new bus station off Charles Street;Bottom: Plan from 1952 showing zoning of residential and industry.

Although World War II significantlycurtailed development activity in the city,the success of strategic planning duringthe conflict and a commitment todomestic renewal post-war hadsignificant impacts on planning inLeicester. A new national developmentcontrol regime that required developersto acquire planning permission for anextensive range of works was introduced.

There was a revival of the pre-war housebuilding programme by the Corporationwith the development of estates in areassuch as New Parks, Thurnby Lodge andStocking Farm. Slum clearanceprogrammes continued apace, whilstprivate development of housing in thesuburbs resumed.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Post-War Planning

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally two storeybuildings, with somebungalows and singlestorey prefabs

l Intermediate urban grain

l Variety of blocks designedaround series of greenspaces and ordered roadnetwork. Consistent,medium plot sizes

l Generally consistentbuilding lines behind frontgardens

l Brick, render and mock-Tudor style timbering asdominant material

l Front/rear gardens, someintermediate landscapedspaces and formal parks,modest parking provision

1943 1944 1947

Leicester & RutlandThe Buildings ofEngland (NikolausPevsner) published

1960The Death and Life ofGreat American Citiesand The conciseTownscape (Jane Jacobsand Gordon Cullen)published

1961City PlanningDepartmentestablished –2nd in country

1962Traffic inTowns report(ColinBuchanan)published

1963Leicester TrafficPlan published –1st in country 1964

PlanningAdvisoryGroupreport

1965

Top left: Drawing of proposed monorail through Charles StreetTop right: Conceptual sketch of potential new development aroundthe Clock TowerMiddle: Conceptual sketch of Gallowtree GateBottom: Rowlatts Hill Estate plan

The 1960s has been characterised bysome historians as the ‘golden age ofplanning’. This reflects the confidence ofthe age where bold town planningschemes were seen as the solution towider challenges in society. In 1962 thecity set up its first dedicated planningdepartment and created the post of itsfirst Chief Planning Officer: KonradSmigielski.

Ambitious plans were developed in thecity in response to a paradigm shift inurban mobility, with exponential growthin car use threatening the viability oftraditional street patterns. A newmonorail network was planned, whichwould have linked a new town atBeaumont Leys with the city.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally two-four storeybuildings, with somebungalows and somehigh rise towers

l Loose urban grain

l Irregular block structurecharacterised by blocks offlats set back away fromroad network. Large plotsfor blocks of flats

l Varied building linesbehind gardens andcommunal landscapedspaces

l Light coloured brick,concrete, compositepanels as dominantmaterial

l Large areas ofintermediate landscapedspace, with some formalparks and privategardens, more extensiveparking provision

Visions ofModernist Planning

Section of M1motorwaythroughLeicestercompleted

1968Town and CountryPlanning Act- establishment ofStructure Plans

1968Skeffington Report;Housing Act andLeicester/LeicestershireSub-Regional PlanningStudy published

1969Urban and regionalplanning; a systemsapproach (J. BrianMcLoughlin)published

1969

Top left: 1960s model of Beaumont Leys Town Centre;Top right: 1953 plan for Belgrave Gate; Middle Plan of proposed market area from 1963;Bottom: Model of ‘regenerated’ city centre.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Visions ofModernist Planning

Civic AmenitiesAct –establishmentof conservationareas

1967

Alongside dramatic changes to the highway network,extensive investment was planned in new housing,commercial development and further slum clearance. Many ofthe plans were never realised, but some were – including thecontroversial development of the ring road in the historicwestern side of the city centre and the slum clearance thatfacilitated the building of the St Matthew’s and St Mark’sEstates.

Alongside some of the more futuristic design styles, the periodalso saw the development of national legislation to betterprotect heritage. In 1969 the first three conservation areaswere designated in the city at New Walk, Castle Gardens andGreyfriars.

Top left: Model of proposed ‘woonerf/home-zone’ for WorthingtonStreet in 1984;Top right: Clarendon Park General Improvement Area documentcover from 1971;Middle: 3D mock-up of Co-op plans for new retail centre off the HighStreet in 1981;Bottom: Out-of-town retail plan from late 1970s /early 1980s.

As the city continued to expand in thisperiod some of the orthodoxies ofmodernist town planning were foundwanting and urban renewal wasincreasingly focussed on enhancingexisting assets, rather thancomprehensively replacing them.Following the passing of the Housing Actin 1969, the Leicester HousingCommittee created plans for variousGeneral Improvement Areas, such asupgrading the housing stock inClarendon Park.

Innovative new approaches to streetsincluded pedestrianisation schemes inthe city centre and home zones inHighfields. Some of this was related toenhancing the retail offer of the citycentre to combat the threat of peripheralretail development by the M1.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Sustainabledevelopments

Typical ResidentialDevelopmentCharacteristics:

l Generally two-threestorey buildings

l Tight urban grain

l Varied block structurereflecting varied landparcels of sites. Irregularstructure of cul-de-sacstreets. Fairly consistentplot sizes

l Fairly consistent buildinglines behind frontgardens

l Brick/stone as dominantmaterials

l Front/rear gardens,limited intermediatelandscaped spaces,smaller formal parks,more parking

Local Government Act –major overhaul of waylocal government isorganised; John Deanbecame Head of Planningin Leicester

1972LeicesterCouncilreplacesLeicesterCorporation

1974Firstpedestrianisation of citycentre streets(GallowtreeGate)

1975LeicestershireStructure Planadopted 1976

Inner Urban AreasAct – shift in focustowards urbanregeneration

1978 –1978Eight LocalPlans adoptedfor differentparts of city

1988

Leicester wasdesignatedBritain’s firstEnvironmentCity

1990ShiresShoppingCentreopened

1991City ofLeicesterLocal Planadopted 1994 Western Bypass

completed 1995Leicester CityCouncilbecomesunitaryauthority

1997

Top left: Europa Nostra Award in 1989;Top right: Paving the Way content (1990);Middle: Site plan for Highcross Shopping Centre; Bottom: Riverside Park exhibition.

City ofLeicesterLocal Planadopted

2006HighcrossShopping Centreand CurveTheatre opened

2008

In this period, Leicester came to the forefront for developingprotection and proactive enhancement plans for the naturalenvironment. One of the first Council’s to employ a full timeecologist, ground-breaking work in managing flood risk,allocating land for community buildings and inclusive designalso took place.

In 1989 the multi-award winning Leicester Ecology Strategywas published. One aspect of this was the creation of theRiverside Park, which won the prestigious Europa NostraAward in 1989. Much of this work helped contribute to thecity being designated Britain’s first Environment City in 1990.

Leicester set the standard for embedding inclusive designinto the planning system in the 1980s. The Council were thefirst in the UK to employ a Disabled People’s Access officer in1981 and one of the first to establish a Disabled People’sAccess Group.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Sustainabledevelopments

Top left: 3D model of city centre regeneration;Top right: 3D mock-up of proposed neighbourhood centre atAshton Green;Middle: Land use masterplan of Ashton Green;Bottom: Plan for landscape enhancements along River Soar.

PLANNING LEICESTER

Into the Future

In the new millennium town planning remainsfundamental to both driving and managing sustainabledevelopment in the city. There is a significant amount ofcontinuity between planning now and the activities thathave taken place in the previous century, with continuingefforts to regenerate areas of the city that have seentheir former uses change and new urban extensionsplanned.

The ‘Connecting Leicester’ programme is stitchingtogether disparate elements of the city centre throughenhanced streets and spaces, while award winningapproaches to reducing flood risk continue to createattractive new public spaces in the city. Planned overseveral decades, a major urban extension at AshtonGreen continues to be progressed with innovative use ofmasterplanning, while the city continues to develop bestpractise in a wide range of areas.

3D mock-up of proposedneighbourhood centre at