We’re delighted that not one but two projects led by Nash Partnership are finalists at this year’s national Planning Awards:
- Unit DY in Bristol for our client Science Creates is one of three finalists in the ‘Promoting Economic Growth’ category.
- ‘Streets for People’ in Pontefract for our client Wakefield Council is a finalist in the ‘Fostering a Healthy High Street’ category.
Our work at Unit DY combined planning, evidence, engagement, creativity and innovation. Bristol’s science sector has been constrained by a lack of suitable premises and planning policy removing protections on employment land. Nash Partnership and Science Creates secured planning permission in 2016 for Unit DX , which was set up in response to a lack of premises and support for science companies, before subsequently appraising sites and rapidly securing Unit DY in 2020.
Unit DY is the next step in Bristol’s ecosystem of ‘deep tech’ premises and was developed in partnership with the University of Bristol. Collaborative working was expanded to involve the local community, in helping deliver Neighbourhood Plan objectives, and the local planning authority. Planning permission was rapidly secured and Unit DY is underway to make an important contribution to growth of the local economy and regeneration of Bristol’s Old Market area.
Our ‘Streets for People’ (SfP) project had community consultation at its heart alongside a robust means of indicating potential improvement to health and the backing of practical knowledge of urban design principles. It aims to improve the quality of Horsefair – the street which links Pontefract to the medieval castle – and the health/wellbeing of its users. The project simultaneously aims to build trust and confidence with stakeholders and the wider public in the future masterplan for the town.
Using a SfP scoring system we tested various options to see how improvements to the street would benefit people’s health. These included creating places to sit or cross the road, providing SuDs and trees and anticipating improvements to air quality due to a reduction of vehicles. The preferred design for a new public realm increased from a SfP baseline of 50 to 71. The process of scoring will also be undertaken following the project’s realisation to test the real life scenario. In addition to consultation, the SfP indicators and scores encourage confidence in the success of the scheme that is critical to future engagement from the public and stakeholders as the project progresses.
Leigh Dennis, Planning and Regeneration Research Manager at Nash Partnership, said of Unit DY: “We’re proud to have worked on a project that’s making such a vital contribution to Bristol, the science sector and the city’s economic growth. And we’re doubly proud that this project has been recognised as a Planning Award finalist! We’re looking forward to the event in June.”
Amanda Taylor, Urban Design Director at Nash Partnership, said of the Streets for People submission: “We were so pleased to work with the people of Pontefract on a new public realm for Horsefair, the street which links the town centre to the medieval castle. Improving health, wellbeing and the economy were equal priorities in the regeneration of the high street and the town centre as a whole. We’re delighted to have our role recognised at these prestigious national awards.”
Spanning 25 categories, the annual Planning Awards are held to recognise excellence and to celebrate outstanding achievements accomplished by those in the industry.
Winners will be announced digitally on 9th and 10th June 2021. You can read the full Planning Awards shortlist here.