ROOFLINE GROUP’s Post

Why do we talk our city of Stoke-on-Trent down? I had a conversation today about how the town of Stoke has an unfairly bad reputation. The poor reviews are based on the disused shops, but the town has great pubs, interesting housing on Hartshill Road and London Road, superb architecture with the grand town hall, plus the Spode and Goods Yard redevelopments. Work on redeveloping the area around the train station is also progressing and there's loads of new university development on Leek Road, such as the Catalyst and the science centre. Are we too quick to moan?

Exciting times ahead

major project to commence on the Northside of Limerick City this winter

33 out of 33. What an achievement London! All local authorities now have their own #designreview panel - with the inception meeting of @LBBarnet’s panel yesterday. It is fantastic to see how this important planning and design service has blossomed in the city. And not forgetting the @LLDC @OPDC @GLA panels and UDL’s environmental panel which reviews non planning application public realm transport and green and blue infrastructure schemes. About 10 years ago UDL was working with the #goodgrowth team at the #GLA to support the growth of borough panels. The quality review charter was born, UDL set up an on line directory of London panels (must update this now!) and we also started running regular training and networking sessions for those involved / how to chair a review, how to write a review note etc. I never thought all boroughs would end up with their own panels - fantastic achievement London! So there must be hundreds of reviews taking place across the city every year. Say each panel sees 20 schemes )expect most see a lot more). With the non borough panels included that would mean around 700 scheme a year are seen. What an amazing library of schemes and comments - the trends and stories it would tell if we could see it all together. Maybe it is time to set up a proper system for reviewing the reviews? (UCL ) And I can’t finish this post without a call out to Deborah Denner and the great Frame team. They run 12 or is it 13? London panels as well as spearheading the use of community panels. Their efficient and professional service has helped so many boroughs get into the design review (sorry quality review) swing. Maybe it is time for a big london design review get together? Can anyone offer a venue? Sarah Considine

Read about what Greendale have been doing for Bournemoth Uni!

🌆 Early Engagement in Action: The Future of Regent Street's Public Realm 🔗 Link to ECF's full blogpost: https://lnkd.in/e9H7WRhM Community engagement timing is crucial for project success. A standout example is the Regent Street Public Realm Vision, where the team prioritised early engagement with visitors, local residents and businesses. Innovatively, the project team went beyond traditional methods by hosting six workshops and four pop-up events right on Regent Street. They swapped static exhibition boards for interactive ones where people could leave feedback on post-it notes while shopping or commuting. At ECF, we're inspired by such creative strategies that are tailor made to include the community from the start. We're eager to see the ongoing progress of this project managed by Westminster City Council and The Crown Estate. 📄 For the full report on Regent Street’s vision, click here: https://lnkd.in/euPfi_Ei. #CommunityEngagement #UrbanDevelopment #InnovativeConsultation #RegentStreet

A rather rhetorical question in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) article, but not too difficult: "how do we make sure that it makes our city better than worse?" Apartment buildings (which is what State government proposes) can make the area better under certain conditions: 1/ The development is led by the community of future owners of those apartments. It does not matter if they are investors or occupiers. But they will ensure that the building is designed to their budget and needs. Buildings delivered by developers and sold without regard to people's needs will become transient and most occupants will leave them if they become unhappy there. 2/ There is a coherent community with a developed sense of self-governance, using some proven framework like sociocracy for decision making. This ensures that disputes are solved to everyone's satisfaction and management of the owner's corporation is not handed to a money-hungry strata business that will establish the highest fee possible that owners would pay without selling off. 3/ There is some integration of the new group of residents with the environment - so there are amenities beside it being close to the railway. For example a green space, school, basic shops and hospitality. This could ensure a good negihbourhood. 😊

How a new major development in Swansea will look

Good to see that this scheme has now secured planning permission. Anderson Acoustics were commissioned by Oundle School in 2022 to undertake an environmental noise survey and then in 2024 a noise impact assessment including advice on noise mitigation measures required to comply with the local planning requirements. We assessed the impact from existing environmental noise levels on the building itself, and set out recommended limits to externally mounted plant items so that a detailed noise assessment of external plant can be undertaken once the selections are made. The results of the noise levels measured on site, were used to calibrate an environmental 3D model of the site to predict façade noise levels at the proposed building elevations. Looking forward to seeing the scheme take shape. #planningapplication #planningapproval #educationestates #schools #noiseimpactassessment #acousticconsultancy

Project Spotlight: Fifth & Sixth Grade Center Expansion and Renovation 🎵🚍 We're excited to share the latest milestone in Seymour Community Schools' growth journey, driven by a 2019 study with VPS! The Vision: To accommodate Seymour Community Schools' expanding needs, we’ve embarked on significant upgrades to the Fifth & Sixth Grade Center. These enhancements provide much-needed relief to the Elementary and Junior High Schools. What’s New? • Space Infill: Courtyards are enclosed to maximize space while offering shelter during storms. • New Facilities: Addition of dedicated music instruction spaces, a new gym, kitchen, and cafeteria—addressing the previous combined gym/cafeteria layout. • Renovations: Transforming the existing gym/cafeteria into a modern administration suite with a secured entrance and a new media center. • Traffic Flow: Enhanced separation of bus, car, and pedestrian traffic to improve safety and reduce conflicts. This expansion effectively doubled the current building capacity, supporting a growing student body and ensuring a more efficient, safe, and functional learning environment! https://lnkd.in/em5QHzEN #VPSArchitecture #SeymourSchools #EducationExpansion #FacilityUpgrades #CommunityGrowth #StudentSuccess #InnovativeDesign #K12Design