The Brief:
Prepared on behalf of a local community group, the brief was to produce restoration proposals for a stretch of neglected urban waterway.
Our Role:
- Johns Associates designed and prepared a comprehensive restoration masterplan in order to facilitate the coordination of future projects within the scheme, as well as forming a tool to secure additional external funding.
- The scheme involved members of Johns Associate’s landscape, ecology, hydrology and planning teams.
- The restoration proposals aimed to breathe new life and interest into the watercourse and its corridor, to encourage community involvement, and to inspire social responsibility.
- The key features of the proposals included provision of;
- In-stream improvements to the water quality through de-silting, creation of gravel beds, localised stream diversions, riffle features and reed bed filters,
- Habitat improvements including protection of the existing water vole population.
- Enhancement of the green corridor in terms of increased planting areas, coordinated landscape design, variation in mowing regimes and improved access to the watercourse,
- Improvements to community facilities, formation of seating areas, provision of play features, outdoor fitness/activity trail, nature trail and art installations.
The Outcome:
- The final documents were presented to the community group to put forward as part of an application for planning permission.
- Johns Associates presented the proposals at a public consultation exercise at the Town Council forward planning meeting, and as part of a community engagement exercise where they have been vital in gauging support for the project prior to the development of detailed plans for submission for planning permission.