Stevenage Borough Council backs Town’s Fund projects

Stevenage Borough Council’s Executive approved recommendations through business cases for a new Garden Square , Stevenage Innovation & Technology Centre (SITEC) and Cycling & Pedestrian Connectivity and Heritage Trail on Friday 4 March 2022.  These three projects seek to bring together a range of arts, culture, leisure, food, community events, transport and learning facilities to the town centre and are about delivering high quality, rejuvenated places for local residents to enjoy.  The proposals also address the skills and training gap, creating opportunities for our young people and welcoming different sectors and audiences to the town centre as a part of Stevenage’s Town Investment Plan.

The Garden Square development (part of the SG1 scheme by Mace) brings forward a new high quality public square for leisure, food & drink, and community performances adjacent to Stevenage Town Square and seeks to transform the current bus station into a vibrant multi-purpose space.

Drawing on the principles of the Grimsey Review and the Stevenage Central Framework, these plans from our £37.5 million Town’s Fund (the second highest awarded in the country), seek to use leisure, culture, hospitality and an exciting events programme to create a vibrant town centre for all to enjoy.  Collectively these schemes will also help to create a diverse town centre economy, whilst utilising retail, leisure, culture and experience to attract footfall to ensure that new and existing businesses can thrive, and provide the amenities that residents, businesses and visitors need to make Stevenage a vibrant 21st century town.

The Stevenage Innovation and Technology Centre (SITEC) – a new purpose-built learning facility located in the heart of Stevenage town centre will help address the skills deficits that underpin the gap in employment and earnings, and is important in delivering an interface between Stevenage’s residents and the high-tech, high-value national and international businesses located in the town.

The SITEC will provide Level 3, 4 and 5 courses and act as a bridge between further and higher education, providing skilled local labour to local industries and showcase the town’s industries to inspire our young people.  Courses could offer specialisms in Engineering, Life sciences, Biotechnology, Digital and Computing Innovation and Advanced Construction Skills – all critical to the Stevenage area and the wider Hertfordshire and UK economy.

Cllr Sharon Taylor, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, said: “I am delighted to see the Garden Square proposals coming forward in the heart of the town centre and utilisation of empty town centre retail spaces to help create a better experience for our residents and visitors alike.”

“These plans will additionally help our businesses, with greater footfall and spending power within the town centre to support our local economy.”

“The SITEC is an important development, providing education, skills and training for better life chances for our young people, whilst capitalising on our unique heritage of technology, life sciences and pharma industries that have made Stevenage their home. Unlocking these opportunities by working with businesses and providing local young people with skills and employment is also a priority for us.”

“Stevenage is going through exciting transformation, and our residents sit at the heart of these ambitious plans. We are leading a period of change that will celebrate our legacy as the first post-war town, whilst creating a modern, diversified town centre offering something for everyone.  We look forward to delivering these ambitious plans together with the Stevenage Development Board and our private sector partners.”

The third proposal to be considered by the Stevenage Borough Council Executive is The Cycling & Pedestrian Connectivity and Heritage Trail, which includes the delivery of enhanced pedestrian and cycling infrastructure that will link between new developments in the town centre and other growth schemes our impressive 45km cycling network – increasing accessibility and levels of health and wellbeing through increased cycling and walking. The proposal also includes a heritage and arts trail that will connect with the public realm and provide opportunities to showcase the wide range of arts and culture assets that the town has to offer.

Adrian Hawkins OBE, the independent Chair of the Stevenage Development Board, said:  “The final three cases which are being recommended to the council’s executive represent the culmination of a very successful submission to government in 2021. This led to the securing of a £37.5m contribution as part of the Town’s Fund and I am proud to say that this is the second highest received anywhere in the country.

“As the first new town ever to be created in the UK, Stevenage is a post war vision of modern life and the need for this funding has arisen because some of this infrastructure requires enhancement and other aspects replacement, with services more representative of current times.

“The first of the final three business cases deals with cycling and heritage connectivity, everyone knows that our 45km of cycleway within the town was simply a visionary investment and that it connects our heritage for all to enjoy – it clearly is the future of our town.

“The second case supports the replacement of our vast 1950’s bus station with a remarkable collaboration, leading to the delivery of our new Garden Square and diversification of retail space – recognising absolutely that “the heart of a town lies in its people”.

“But it is my opinion that of all these excellent developments, it is SITEC which offers the biggest opportunity. There can be little doubt that agreement to this case means that we have the means to deliver social mobility by creating a radical change in people’s lives, creating local employment opportunities, supporting our local businesses, and providing higher incomes to those that wish to aspire to a better way of life.

“The town has seen the continued development of advanced manufacturing, life sciences, technology and pharmaceuticals with various employers already basing themselves within the Town. More will of course follow, and this means that in the next five to seven years we will see some 7,000 jobs created requiring level 3 qualifications and above. As a result, the need is clear for the Stevenage Innovation and Technology Centre (SITEC) and it will be launched to provide a clear focus and delivery of skills at this level and above.

“It is real world differences to people’s lives such as these, which I am most proud to be delivering as part of this regeneration of our town.”

These projects form part of the transformation of the Town Centre through the Town’s Fund and will be delivered by the Stevenage Development Board and Stevenage Borough Council, as part of the Stevenage Even Better £1bn regeneration programme.   Planning permission has been granted for a number of developments in the town to deliver new homes, jobs and transformation of our public spaces to create a vibrant destination.

Changes to Town Centre car parks as transformation underway

Stevenage Borough Council is making changes to some of the Town Centre car parks, so that we can use them to transform and regenerate the Town Centre, as part of the Stevenage Even Better £1bn programme.

Planning permission has already been granted for a number of developments in the town, which will deliver new homes and jobs, transform our public spaces, and make the town centre a vibrant destination by attracting increased numbers of visitors, to support existing businesses  and attract new ones to the town.

To enable the works to be delivered, some of the existing car parks are being modified or redeveloped; this includes:

  • Marshgate Car Park, which is being redeveloped to become the European headquarters of Autolus, to deliver over 300 jobs alongside a 44-space public car park
  • Swingate South Car Park, which together with Swingate House is being redeveloped as part of the first phase of the SG1 regeneration scheme
  • We are also reviewing blue badge parking for people with disabilities to ensure there’s sufficient provision across the town centre

Improvements have recently been made to the St George’s Way Multi-Storey Car Park, with upgrades to the concrete structure, CCTV and security arrangements, and space delineation to improve the overall parking experience. The car parks at the Westgate Centre, The Forum, St George’s Way (above Stevenage Indoor Market), in addition to many others including those provided by retailers, continue to provide over 500 spaces above the current demand on a daily basis.

Government funding has been identified for the provision of a brand new travel hub, including a new car park with electric charging points, secure cycle storage and blue badge bays at the railway station.  This will connect the Railway Station and new Bus Interchange to create a sustainable transport interchange, giving more travel choice to residents.  Further news on when this will start will be coming forward in the next few months.

Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE and Cllr John Gardner Portfolio holder for Regeneration jointly said” “We recognise that for many people, private car journeys are still an important part of visiting our Town Centre, and with enhancements to electric vehicles it will continue to do so in the future. By providing higher-quality parking facilities, ensuring there is sufficient capacity, and investing in sustainable transport, we can continue to give residents choices about how they travel whilst also releasing land for our vital regeneration programme.

Whilst construction works will undoubtedly cause some disruption, these developments are key to delivering a vibrant 21st Century offer and transforming our town. We will do all we can to minimise any disruption, and our website provides an interactive map showing which car parks are available.”

Swingate House demolition

Work starts on landmark development in Stevenage

Following granting of planning permission by Stevenage Borough Council for the £66 million development which will become the European Manufacturing Headquarters of Autolus, a ground breaking ceremony was held today (8 November) at the former Marshgate carpark site.

This marks a milestone for the start of the works and was attended by representatives from Stevenage Borough Council, Autolus USA and UK, Reef Estates, UBS, Stevenage Development Board, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Stevenage Bio-Science Catalyst.

The development by Reef Estates received planning permission in August 2021, with work planned to start immediately and scheduled for completion in 2023.

Autolus, a biopharmaceutical company listed on the NASDAQ, are focused on the development of precisely targeted, controlled and highly active T Cell therapies that are designed to offer cancer patients substantial benefits over existing standards of care and this facility will be the UK’s first purpose built CAR T- Cell manufacturing unit and will assist in the growth of the Cell and Gene therapy cluster in Stevenage (currently the third largest in the world).

Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council said: “I am very proud that Stevenage is home to a world-leading life science cluster already. This development will further enhance this and cement our standing as a leading STEM location within the UK. Autolus’s work perfectly complements the activities of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult already in Stevenage. We look forward to continuing to support this work with the life sciences sector to put Stevenage on the national map for the life science sector.”

Cllr Sandra Barr, Mayor of Stevenage said: “As we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, it gives me great pleasure to see this happening right here in the town centre, bringing with it enormous benefits for the people of Stevenage, which includes employment and apprenticeship opportunities for young people – our next generation.”

Cllr John Gardner, Executive Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Environment at Stevenage Borough Council, added:  “Today’s event marks an important milestone for Autolus developing their European Manufacturing Headquarters in Stevenage, and a key moment for our regeneration and Towns Fund programme. We’ve retained part of the Marshgate site as a car park to serve the needs of the local community and I look forward to this development bringing footfall to our town and supporting the local economy.”

Olivia Drew at UBS-AM REPM commented: “We are very excited to partner with Reef on a GMP-led facility in the centre of Stevenage, a globally recognised hub of scientific innovation. Stevenage offers all of the key structural drivers we see as being necessary to support a thriving life sciences eco-system, as demonstrated by Autolus’ significant commitment to the area. We would also like to thank Stevenage Borough Council and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for their ongoing support of this development.”

Will Rohleder, Development Director at Reef Group said: “This has been fantastic public /private partnership to realise such an important facility in Stevenage town centre. Autolus have decided to locate their manufacturing HQ in the town creating over 400 jobs and committing their future to Stevenage, which is experiencing significant investment and regeneration. We look forward to working with all parties to complete this first phase and bring forward our wider life science vision for the town centre over the next few years.”

The 81,000 sq. ft. building will focus on strong environmental credentials and is targeting BREEAM excellent rating Through net-zero carbon emission design that uses heat source pumps and heat recovery systems, significantly reducing waste through the use of 5D BIM technology and, through hybrid construction with 75% offsite manufactured content, resulting in significantly reduced carbon emissions.

Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chairman, Stevenage Development Board said: “From our first meeting with Autolus in January 2021, the Regeneration Team at Stevenage Borough Council have demonstrated both their clear ability, knowledge and speed in proposing sites and several contractors to Autolus which has since resulted in the swift progress to planning permission, now approved, for the new Autolus HQ, to be developed by Reef.”

Dr Sally Ann Forsyth OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst said: “At Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) we have built a world class cluster of excellence accelerating the translation of cutting-edge science to improve the health and quality of people’s lives. We are delighted to continue our relationship with Autolus, which has been based at SBC since 2018, as it moves onto its next stage of development working with Reef and further strengthening the cluster here in Stevenage.”

Stevenage celebrates completion of the Town Square and North Block

Stevenage Borough Council celebrated the first major landmark in its ambitious £1bn 20 year town centre transformation with the completion and opening of the Town Square and North Block last Friday.

Originally developed in 1959 and rightly proud of its original first new town heritage, Stevenage’s Town Square has been sympathetically transformed to reflect that heritage and make way for the next exciting stages of the new SG1 development to complete the regeneration.

The refurbished Square provides an attractive area for the local community, businesses and visitors to meet.   With the iconic clock tower remaining a key feature, the Town Square benefits from attractive new paving – an updated version of the paving originally used which becomes more vibrant in colour when it rains.  Granite benches, new bins, bespoke heritage streetlamps and festoon lighting all help to provide a bigger and more flexible event space in our Town Centre.

The pandemic has had a profound impact on town centres everywhere.  With the increase in online shopping and the reduction in traditional retail, town centres need to be more ‘multifunctional’ and provide additional reasons for people to visit with a combination of residential, food and beverage, leisure and commercial facilities.  These facilities need to be available during the daytime as well as into the evening for the town to continue to be economically viable.

The recent announcement from pharmaceutical company Autolus that it wants to build its global headquarters in Marshgate demonstrates the importance and new purpose of the town centre.

 

The restoration of heritage building glass frontages are based on Stevenage’s original architectural design. Damaged canopies have been replaced with new ones made from highly durable and attractive Siberian larch.  The project has been completed utilising Growth Deal 3 funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership and delivered by Stevenage Borough Council, with contractor Ashe Construction.

With many workers primarily working from home, flexible workspace in our town centre has become ever more important.  The Council took ownership of and transformed the previously derelict / unused upper floors of North Block to provide 18,000 square feet of brand new accessible and usable space.  Co-Space, has taken this space and will be providing up to 200 desks, bringing more people in to the heart of the town.

Speaking from the new balcony of the North Block, in use for the first time in over 20 years, Sharon Taylor, OBE, Leader of the Council, said:

“This is an exciting day for Stevenage.  We all have reason to be extremely proud of our new Town Square and North Block and to celebrate. It’s great to see local residents and businesses enjoying our new 21st century facilities.

“This celebration heralds the start of a new era.  The events of the last 18 months have changed the way we live our lives forever.  Our New Town Square and North Block are major milestones in our Regeneration Programme that will help the town, its people and businesses to move forward. This amazing transformation has happened despite the challenges of the pandemic and is testament to the hard work and commitment of a dedicated team of people.  I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to achieve what we see here today.

“We can’t wait to share with you our exciting plans for the current bus station once the new interchange is up and running, what an amazing time for Stevenage.”

Cllr John Gardner, executive member for Environment and Regeneration added:

“Stevenage should be very proud of its newly regenerated North Block and Town Square.  Today marks the celebration of one of the most unique post-war town centre regeneration projects in the country.”

Topping out ceremony held at new bus interchange

The event was attended by representatives from Stevenage Borough Council, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), and contractors Willmott Dixon.  A ‘topping out’ ceremony is traditionally held once the last beam has been placed on top of a new construction in the building trade.

Work started on the project in late 2020, part-funded by a £9.6m Local Growth Fund investment from Hertfordshire LEP, with Willmott Dixon working ahead of schedule to complete the first stages of the transport hub. The development will drastically improve transport links across the town, provide wider accessibility and align with the newly-regenerated Town Centre.  Works on the interchange should be completed in the coming months with services commencing thereafter.

The interchange features an extensive canopy with a large glazed screen and automatic doors for easy passenger access. It also includes a passenger facilities building which provides a waiting area with extensive seating, live passenger information boards, a café kiosk and public conveniences as well as greatly-improved accessibility features.

External works include a new high-quality connection linking the bus interchange, town square and the train station ensuring a clear connection between the existing cycle network and bus and rail networks and providing integrated links between Stevenage’s main transport hubs.

Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council said:

“We are delighted to carry out this ceremony with our partners and to see the incredible progress that Willmott Dixon has made on such a key project. The interchange is a pivotal part of the early stages of our ongoing 20-year regeneration programme, and, when open, will provide a massive improvement on the existing setup.”

Cllr John Gardner, Executive Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Environment at Stevenage Borough Council, added:

“The new interchange will offer a boost to the town at a time when we’re all looking to push forward following the impact of the pandemic. It links more effectively with the newly expanded railway station and will enable a new Garden Square to be delivered at the location of the old site. This is a really exciting time for Stevenage and we’re very happy to meet with our partners today, all of whom have been integral to the success of our regeneration programme.”

“We are delighted with the progress made to date on the new interchange” commented Adam Wood, Head of Infrastructure & Regeneration at Hertfordshire LEP, “which will not only improve connectivity and transport links within Stevenage but also provide an attractive gateway for visitors that befits the redeveloped Town Centre. The scheme forms a key part of our £34m Local Growth Fund investment towards the town’s regeneration, set to help bring forth new homes, public amenities, and retail and business space to maximise the town’s economic potential.”

Chris Tredget, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon concluded:

“It’s fantastic to be able to celebrate the ‘topping out’ of Stevenage’s new Bus Interchange and all of the progress made so far. Once completed, the project will make a real difference to the transport links in the town and we’re proud to be working alongside Stevenage Borough Council and Hertfordshire LEP to deliver the first stage of the town’s regeneration programme.” 

Plans agreed for regeneration of key Matalan site

On 2nd March The Guinness Partnership, one of England’s largest housing associations received the overwhelming support of Stevenage Borough Council’s Planning and Development Committee for the regeneration of the Matalan site, Danesgate – a key site within Stevenage Town Centre.

The site has long been identified by Stevenage Borough Council as suitable for redevelopment.  It currently includes a retail store and associated car parking, as well as the adjacent car parking to the rear of the store and fronting Lytton Way.

In line with the outline planning permission agreed a number of years ago, 526 one and two-bedroomed apartments will be provided, along with 779 sq. m of flexible commercial space, which will be located at ground floor level.

The design, by Stirling Prize winning architects Maccreanor Lavington, was comprehensively reviewed and supported by the independent Design Council who stated that, ‘It is our view that this proposal would be an asset to Stevenage town centre’.

Jon Milburn, Group Development Director at Guinness said, “We are very pleased to receive the support of Stevenage Borough Council for this site which is a very important and integral part of the wider revitalisation of Stevenage Town Centre. Due to the site’s prominence and role in the Council’s ambitions for a new and vibrant heart to the town, we have placed a very high emphasis on achieving excellence in design. These proposals will transform an under-utilised brownfield site with excellent links to the town centre, leisure facilities and public transport including the brand-new bus interchange and the improved railway station.”

Jon Milburn, concluded, “We heard from councillors that they are very keen to see construction commence given the Council’s long-standing aspiration for the regeneration of the site. We will now take the necessary steps to deliver these exciting plans and expect construction to start in early 2022, creating an estimated 188 jobs. In line with our 130-year history of providing social homes, we will also assess our ability to increase the number of affordable homes above and beyond that which had been agreed in the outline planning permission prior to our involvement.”

SG1 Holding Direction Lifted

The Comet
Georgia Barrow

 

The development – which is the single largest within the 20-year, £1bn regeneration programme – is now under way in the town, has received public support and has been consulted on widely by its developers.

SG1 will deliver a range of new residential, commercial, leisure and retail facilities and will cover 14.5 acres of the town centre.

It will also bring 11 new buildings and include a new park in the heart of Stevenage along with a new Garden Square and Public Services Hub.

Mace expects the development to provide an additional £38.6m in new spending power per annum from the residents of the 1,800 new homes it will deliver.

It will also create over 1,000 jobs, including 36 new construction apprenticeships that can boost the skills of local residents.

Council leader Sharon Taylor said: “We are delighted that the Secretary of State has given the green light to this vital regeneration project.

“With COVID-19 bringing so many challenges to the country and to Stevenage, the regeneration of the town centre is critical to our recovery efforts.

“This project will create vital local jobs and opportunities, new public areas and green spaces, improved health and community facilities, new homes and places for people to enjoy.

“Our regeneration programme is well under way, with the finishing touches being put to the Town Square, the new bus station being built and the regeneration of part of Queensway also making great progress.

“These investments are needed now more than ever, so that we can create a vibrant town centre and hope for a brighter future.”

SG1 joins ongoing regeneration projects which form part of the wider regeneration plans for Stevenage, including the Town Square and Town Square North Block, Queensway North and the new bus interchange, all currently under construction.

Kevin Cowin, development director at Mace, said: “We’re delighted by the news that Stevenage Borough Council can now proceed to issue planning permission based on their decision last October to support the SG1 proposals.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership with the council to bring forward this exciting and ambitious project which will transform the town centre and create social and economic opportunities for the local community.’

“We will now focus on the phased delivery of the revitalisation at the heart of the town, which will be crucial for Stevenage as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to start work later this year and will keep everybody up-to-date with our progress.”

A holding direction can restrict the relevant Local Planning Authority from granting planning permission essentially until the Secretary of State has had time to make a final decision on whether to call it in.

Further information about the regeneration programme is available at www.Stevenage-Even-Better.com.

The First New Town – An Exciting Future

Innovation Corridor
Adrian Hawkins
22 october 2020

When times are at their most difficult it can often be hard to look ahead and see the positives which are there for us all. It is important though that we do seize the opportunities that present themselves and now is just such a point in time, for Stevenage.

As the independent Chairman of the Stevenage Development Board, I am so proud of the transition which the first New Town is now making, as it becomes such a progressive place to live and work.

The recent classification by the Department of International Trade of Stevenage as a High Potential Opportunity zone (HPO) underlines just how much progress the town has made in such a short space of time – and just what an exciting future it has.

The HPO classification was made in recognition of Stevenage’s thriving cell and gene therapy cluster, and it underlines what a centre of innovation the town has become.

And while of course we must recognise that Covid-19 is having a major impact on our present, towns such as Stevenage are proving to be resilient to this and are clearly going to be the places of the future, where shrewd investment, both Public and Private, will help to create high quality local jobs and truly great lifetime opportunities with the support of an ever growing Business sector in the Town.

Our Towns Fund bid is nearing completion and will shortly be submitted to Government for due consideration. It will create the opportunity for the long- term development of the Town as the ideal environment for our innovative businesses and our very capable residents to continue to develop.

The £1bn transformation of Stevenage Town Centre

Hertfordshire Mercury
Matthew Smith
June 16 2020

It’s an exciting time in Stevenage’s future. As people start to return to the town centre it brings a new sense that normality might just be returning.

But, for the Herts town, there is much more on the horizon.

After redevelopment plans fell apart in the past, most notably in 2008 after the financial crisis, we’re now years into a decades-long project to breathe new life into the town.

As coronavirus shut construction sites this time around, it was hard not to feel a little sense of dread that 2008 was happening all over again.

Luckily, it appears that it’ll be little more than a blip with construction resumed again on most of the projects – including the Town Square and the £50m transformation of Queensway North

£1bn will be spent on Stevenage over the next 20 years, with the redevelopments primarily focusing on underused space and forgotten parts of town.

The project is being spearheaded by established construction companies Reef and Mace, who were recently involved with the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

That means there should be little disruption for established businesses as the area around them improves. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Benefits for local people

Danestrete

One main question mark is whether this project is being done to benefit the people who have lived in Stevenage for years or to appeal to commuters wanting to escape London.

However, this was quickly disputed by the Council Leader Sharon Taylor, who pointed out the benefits for local people throughout the process and once it’s completed.

Cllr Taylor said: “The Stevenage Works project, which works with the construction companies, has a £130,000 grant which means we will have Stevenage people to do the jobs, and that is a really great thing to do.”

And, while there are fears that the area could become a nondescript commuter town, the Leader pointed out plenty of people work in London but join community schemes and charities in the area already and that it’s not as simplistic as that.

A council spokesman, who showed HertsLive around the sites, also argued that while people do move for its access to the capital, Stevenage is a large employer in its own right – including with leading airline manufacturer Airbus and BMW.

There’s also increased office space to bring those companies right into the heart of the town and it means those local businesses in the centre will be benefiting from much higher footfall than they currently have.

The move to bring housing into the town centre should also bring more people to spend – whether it’s in gyms, restaurants or shops once they all fully reopen.

What do the plans involve?

Skyline - Stevenage

There are 18 different schemes announced so far set to transform the town centre.

The plans completed include Skyline and Brickdale House, and Vista Tower, which have brought much needed housing to the town and helped shake some of the grey tower blocks.

But for visitors to the town it may not be as noticeable yet, while the revamp of Market Place is much improved, it’s not enough to draw people in.

But that should be about to change. Now that the early work has been completed, the more ambitious refitting and rebuilding work is well underway.

Work has been ahead of schedule on the redevelopment of the railway station, with a new bus interchange soon to follow, meaning the first impression of the town will soon be much more impressive.

Then when visitors arrived it’ll be almost unrecognisable to how it is now, with a new pedestrianised boulevard offering a light, modern feel to what is quite a bleak part of the town. Work is expected to begin on that in 2025.

There will also be an almost brand new Town Square, which brings offices to the town centre as well as giving the whole town a much needed lick of paint once it’s completed in the next couple of years.

That involves a £50m refit of the ageing Queensway North, which began early 2019 and will include a town centre gym, with the huge old Marks and Spencer building redesigned to accommodate housing and new shops.

The small team behind the plans are all local to Stevenage, which has ensured the plans bear in mind what has worked in the past, as well as local gripes – and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

The benefit of a local team is also that little touches are thought about too – including ensuring the Joyride statue will be completely accessible for the first time in its history.

There’s also a commitment to get rid of the old police station, which is a huge, empty eyesore for most people walking into the town centre.

There is also the commitment of 1,100 new homes being completed by 2021 – with hundreds more to arrive in the years after.

Stevenage remains one of the most affordable places to live in Hertfordshire, and by meeting housing demand that should remain the case despite the vast improvements to the town.

There are also some specific commitments made, including Kenilworth Close which will deliver 236 new homes, with 50% of those being affordable and social rented homes.

Park Place

Park Place Stevenage

 

One of the most notable new developments already completed is Park Place, which is a sleek modern looking building, but one that has frustrated local people.

Despite being completed in 2019, the retail space has stood largely empty – with just one shop moving in, unfortunately a couple of weeks prior to lockdown.

However, Peter Beard of MBU Capital, who are responsible for the development, said that things have been progressing.

Speaking in March ahead of the lockdown, he pointed out that the sales of the residential properties have been strong.

He said: “There are 202 apartments, of which just over 161 have been sold, and only a few of those still need to be occupied, and the remainder remain for sale using a variety of means –  whether that’s cash or a mortgage or help to buy is still available on them.”

Mr Beard also responded to speculation about whether the empty space indicated that the rental price was too high.

“[Rents] are competitive, we also manage some of the units on Queensway and know the tone of rent in The Forum, so competitively they’re actually below those levels.

“But they are fully respectful that we aren’t on the main pitch, so I’m comfortable with the rates we’ve been attaining pound per square foot from our incoming tenancies.

“I know what we’ve been getting in Park Place is an acceptable rate, we’re happy with what we’ve got.”

Instead, MBU believe there has been a lack of demand across the retail sector but is hopeful once momentum builds around both Park Place and the town, more progress will be made.

Stevenage Even Better also insisted that over the whole town there will be a focus away from traditional retail and onto office space, restaurants and leisure facilities.

That diversity ensures that the town won’t be so dependent on retailers as it has been in the past, while also giving residents a more vibrant town centre experience.

Before the coronavirus lockdown, those involved in the plan boasted about how the work was actually ahead of schedule – almost completely unheard of when it comes to major projects.

That may have now been pushed back slightly but – whisper it quietly – after false dawns in the past, it looks like Stevenage will soon have the town centre it deserves.

To read the feature on the Hertfordshire Mercury website click here 

Why we are celebrating New Town heritage

Local Government Chronicle
Chris Barnes
8 January 2020

Stevenage was developed as the first New Town in the UK in 1946. It promised much: to provide homes, to pull people out of the slums of war-ravaged London and to offer a ­better quality of life.

More than 60 years later the town is still driving forward as home to major international firms like Airbus, MBDA and GSK. It’s also benefiting from a £1bn regeneration scheme, the largest of its type in the east of England, which is designed to reimagine the town and transform it into a place where people can live, work, play and relax. It aims to make use of some of the town’s famous New Town architectural heritage.

Decades ago, Leonard Vincent, Stevenage Development Corporation’s chief architect and planner, described the town like this: “Around the square and central pedestrian way the buildings are constructed with a pre-cast reinforced concrete frame and clad in steel, glass, stone, exposed stone aggregate panels, mosaics, tiles and brick.”

Ageing concrete

The concrete-dominated approach was once seen as cutting-edge, but in recent decades that’s not been the case, and as the first New Town, the majority of central spaces and amenities were built at the same time, meaning they’ve aged similarly, leaving buildings and streets feeling tired and in need of investment. Stevenage is also not immune from the wider challenges affecting town centres.

“We’ll be following the principle of less is more, aiming for minimal ‘street clutter’ with uniform materials and colour palettes”

The single biggest scheme in the 20-year regeneration project is being led by Mace in partnership with Stevenage BC. Called SG1, the £350m project will include the creation of 11 new buildings, five new, distinct character areas and a series of streets and thoroughfares designed to improve connectivity and accessibility across the town. There will be a shared facility containing health, voluntary, charity and council services.

Although this may seem like a traditional regeneration programme, in Stevenage – as always – we’re doing things slightly differently. As well as improving facilities for residents, we’re also placing a major focus on architecture, and making the most of our status as the first New Town.

Reinvigorated heritage

While Stevenage’s distinct architecture and design may not be to everyone’s taste, it is iconic and not something that should be cast aside. Rather than making a clean break from the heritage that has put Stevenage on the map, we’re reinvigorating it, restoring traditional buildings with a modern flourish.

Stevenage-3-300x200.pngThe decision to continue to follow the architectural heritage of the original New Town has been deeply embedded into the earliest inception of the Stevenage Central Framework upon which all regeneration programmes are based. These principles have fed into designs for our campaigns and can be seen clearly in the images our developers have produced and the schemes currently under way. The creation of this plan then led to the development of a local plan which outlined the value of this approach.

The local plan and associated framework had some challenges, including conservation areas and listed structures in central spaces that have proved, in some cases, to be a difficult obstacle to overcome.

We have heeded the guidance of groups like Historic England and are working with them to find a solution that maximises the potential of our central spaces while recognising the importance of these protected structures and entities.

The designs for the next stage of the town are not quite as starkly geometric as those Leonard Vincent described, but the new developments – particularly in the town square – take advantage of the existing structures and frontages. The new paving, being installed this autumn as one of the first stages of the project, will align with these initial designs.

Less is more – again

Our new layout will express characteristic modern principles and will establish the function of the area through a minimal approach to design aimed at facilitating public life. As in the last century we’ll be following the principle of less is more, aiming for minimal ‘street clutter’ with uniform materials and colour palettes being used to accent the dark tiling that currently surrounds some of our key ­features like the fountain, clock tower and iconic ‘Joyride’ statue that have been a part of the town for decades.

Stevenage-300x200.jpgThe developments will feature more rectangular and square shapes, following and echoing the initial style of the New Town, along with landscaping and artwork enabling a functional design of asymmetrical composition that’s typical of Modernist town centres.

We’re working with the brands and outlets here to ensure that any additional work that is carried out by private tenants also follows the style we have agreed, and the designs we have proposed clearly echo the initial Brutalist style. Looking further down the line, we’re also looking to feed in some of the artistic heritage of the town by including work from artists like ­Franka Belsky, Henry Moore and Piet Mondrian, whose work formed a key part of the early development of the town centre.

“A quarter of the satellites currently ­orbiting Earth were built at Stevenage’s Airbus facility”

Initial discussions mooted positioning Stevenage as a tourist destination. While this may seem like a distant dream, it is not that far from reality. The town is the first ­example of New Town architecture and has plenty to boast about, not least that more than a quarter of the satellites currently ­orbiting Earth were built at its Airbus facility. However, in the shorter term the central focus is to transform Stevenage into a place where people once again want to live, work and enjoy.

Popular appeal

The strategy of celebrating the heritage of the New Town has, to date, been a popular one and we’ve received strong commitments from businesses and retailers based here which have welcomed plans to increase footfall, regenerate the town and provide a better platform for further investment. There has, of course, been a degree of scepticism, as there is with any major campaign like this, and particularly in a town where regeneration has been promised before. However, the vast majority of residents and businesses have been very positive, and more than 3,000 people have come to the visitor centre we set up to communicate the changes.

Stevenage holds an important position both as the first New Town and at a wider, national level, and we must celebrate what makes our town unique, and be proud of the place we live and work in.

Why we are celebrating New Town heritage in our £1bn regeneration scheme