Weston Homes has unveiled details and images from the new hybrid (part full/part outline) planning application made to Norwich City Council for the redevelopment of the 4.65 hectare (11.5 acre) Anglia Square and car parks site in Norwich, which proposes a scheme of 14 lower rise buildings, ranging from 3 to 8 storeys, designed around inner courtyards, two public squares and a network of pedestrian streets.
The new proposals for Anglia Square will provide for up to 1,100 homes of mixed tenure and up to 80,369 sq ft of retail, commercial and leisure premises including a community hub, up to 450 car parking spaces, new cycle bays and new tree planting, green landscaping and ecological features.
The new proposals for Anglia Square are based on extensive local community and key stakeholder consultation undertaken between April 2020 and March 2021. This has included seven major public exhibitions, additional group and individual meetings involving over 1,100 local Norwich people from the general public, additional on-line/email correspondence and meetings with 16 key stakeholder groups including Norwich City Council, Norwich County Council, Historic England, The Norwich Society, Save Britain’s Heritage and Norwich Cathedral.
Weston Homes highlight that over the last six years since the initial designs for Anglia Square were devised the world has changed dramatically. The rise in digital retailing and changes in shopping habits triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled Weston Homes to relook at all elements of the commercial viability of the proposals.
As a result there is now a 30% reduction in the overall floorspace of the proposed development, from over 1.9 million sq ft (2018 plans), down to 1.23 million sq ft currently. The amount of retail and commercial space has also been readdressed and dramatically reduced (from 428,465 sq ft down to 80,369 sq ft), with the new proposals creating more commercially viable outlets. There has also been a reduction in the car parking provision, in line with Norwich City Council policy.
These changes have allowed for a significant overall reduction in the size, height and massing of the scheme. The 2018 plans proposed a smaller number of much larger buildings rising from 5 to 12 storeys, including a 20 storey landmark tower, in the new scheme the tower has been removed and the large blocks have been broken up in favour of a collection of smaller, lower rise 3 to 6 storey buildings designed around a network of pedestrian lanes.
During the Victorian and Edwardian eras the Anglia Square site was occupied by a network of streets providing housing, shops and factories. Historic photography of some of these buildings alongside existing local properties has helped to inform the new proposals which provide a series of elegant contemporary buildings with architectural facades and detailing that compliment the existing character and street scenes of Norwich.
The new proposals will deliver a series of lower rise buildings with contrasting red, white and flint grey brick or stone effect facades. Features will include canilevered and ornamental balconies, with brick detailing and design details to the upper floors such as lintels and sills, and undulating roofspaces characterised by gables, pitched roofs and dormer windows.
At ground level the scheme is designed around a network of central pedestrian courtyards accessed by covered archways, streets for pedestrians and bicycles and two public squares. There will be feature piers and residential front doors opening onto the streets and the pedestrian lanes and squares will feature large format paving in bespoke design patterns complete with street furniture, planting, trees and lighting.
The residential element of the new proposals will deliver studio, one, two and three bedroom homes of mixed tenure, many with dual aspect living spaces. The new scheme will include electric vehicle charging points for all the residential car parking with other eco-features including the homes being supplied by sustainable heat sources, brown, green and biodiverse roofs to the development and new planting creating a biodiversity net gain of +10%.
During its construction the development would create circa 411 construction jobs and related employment per annum with the complete project providing circa 288 jobs in the retail and other commercial premises and the residents of the new housing spending between £21.9 to £36.4 million per annum in the local Norwich economy, excluding revenue from businesses and local residential housing taxes.
Bob Weston, Chairman & Managing Director of Weston Homes says: “With the new proposals for Anglia Square we have consulted in depth with local people and listened to all the key stakeholders. After many months of hard work on the designs we hope that the new application will be well received by the planning committee and local people of Norwich. Weston Homes remains firmly committed to finding a viable future for Anglia Square which has the support of the people of Norwich.”
