Along with several surrounding West Wiltshire industrial towns Bradford’s employment base was decimated by the loss of 700 jobs when its rubber processing industries closed at the end of the 20th Century. Once closed the site languished as a prominent blight on Bradford’s prospects of reinventing itself. Redevelopment faced many technical and viability challenges making it unattractive to the conventional development industry. But surrounded by the diversity of a 700-year development history, close to Bath and with good railway connections we could envisage how the site could again contribute to the town’s economy. It could offer a new and attractive way of living to households who would value the convenience and social context it could offer. We prepared a study of the town’s emerging new employment base. We promoted and secured planning permission for the then landowners and acted as delivery stage planners and designers in bringing this complex mixed-use proposition forward for lead developer, Linden.
Our work won the Royal Town Planning Institute Annual Award for Best UK Project for Local Regeneration and Renewal.
This experience showed us how new models of low car living and working can be popular in even small-town centres. Here a car ownership ratio of less than 1 car per dwelling was used and built a new resident population that accepted this as an aspect of their lifestyle choices alongside the many virtues living at the very heart of such who a socially and culturally rich historic town would bring. This was a most challenging site and extensive public consultation was needed to bring such a successful conclusion.