The one-day event, which showcased a ʻwork in progressʼ for the regeneration of Gravesend town centre, included the first-stage over-head plans for the three sites.

Architects, designers and the team from Edinburgh House were on-hand to discuss the new plans and talk to the public about their thoughts on the scheme.

The new designs respond to the key criticisms of the previous plans that were turned down by Gravesham Borough Council in 2010, which includes, a reduction in the oversize of the buildings, more green space, a new community facility and the retention of view points of St Georgeʼs Church.

While the designs on show are not the finished concepts, the event was an opportunity not only to put emerging designs on show to the community but to gather feedback, and work with the designers, using the thoughts of the community to help shape the project.

The open-day was in addition to the statutory consultation period that will take place later in the year, and ran alongside the meetings that Edinburgh House have held with community groups, presenting the new designs since December 2011.

Public response to the new designs was overwhelmingly positive, any many discussion about the designs, the viability and the future of the town taking place. Many people who had previously objected about the former plans visited the exhibition and discussed the fears, and took on board the substantial changes in the new designs.

Richard Hughes development manager said: “We met with a huge number of people, from Gravesend and beyond, its clear that the local community care very much for their town. The team today had lengthly discussions about the emerging designs and weʼll be taking the feedback to our designers to help shape these plans. We have, and continue to meet with local groups but wanted to have a day for the public to drop in and see our emerging plans. The day has provided us with a sample of comments about the project. The plans we have shown today will be available on our website for the next fortnight, along with the feedback form.”

The new plans

The new plans feature designs for St Andrewʼs Gardens as a green space and ʻpleasure gardensʼ, with new play area for children, picnic green, outdoor performance stage towards St Andrewʼs Art Centre, ecological gardens, better crossing points across West Street and sculpted sites inspired by the heritage of the Bawley Bay and the Bawley Bay boats.

Features in the Western Quarter (the extension to St Georgeʼs Shopping Centre) includes the reduction in the height of rooftops and the overall size of the extension, an increase green space around St Georgeʼs Church, the inclusion of a landscaped and ʻtranquilʼ garden next to the church, a play area for children, new church hall and a new community space, which could be used for local lectures and events to use by the Scouts and Brownies, schools and fairs / indoor markets. The area will become a new retail space for the town.

The Eastern Quarter, (the area behind the indoor market), will feature ʻmarket squareʼ a vibrant outdoor space that will become a hub for town centre events, markets, fairs and seasonal attractions. The space, likened to a European ʻpiazzaʼ style setting will feature family restaurants and cafes, a hotel and some residential spaces. Views of the river will be retained overlooking St Andrewʼs Gardens.

Car parking across both the Eastern and Western Quarters will be underground, with approx 300 spaces relocated to another site in the town centre.

Edinburgh House will continue to meet with community groups throughout February and gather feedback about the emerging designs and meet with KCC to discuss the one-way system and traffic issues on West Street.

The content of the exhibition and a feedback form about the plans can be found online at www.g-h-q.co.uk

The meetings, which began this week, and will continue into the new year, included the new concept for the Western Quarter (the extension to St Georgeʼs Shopping Centre and the area surrounding St Georgeʼs Church) and St Andrewʼs Gardens (the outdoor area next to the Three Daws pub).

The new plans are just the first stage in the design process, with the aim of these meetings to discuss the features of the design before they are fixed and developed in further detail for the new planning application. The new designs for the Eastern Quarter will be the next stage in the process.

Lead designer for the project Andy Williams explained to representatives from St Georgeʼs Church and Urban Gravesham the ideas behind the concepts for the Western Quarter and St Andrewʼs Gardens, which focussed on:

• The overall size proposed for the buildings have been reduced to increase the open space around St Georgeʼs Church.
• The significant reduction in the height of the building along West Street and Bath Street – The addition of a sculpted and tranquil garden to compliment the church
• The addition of new viewpoints and walkways leading from the town centre, Bath Street, West Street and the High Street to the Western Quarter
• The addition of a new ʻcommunity facilityʼ and managed office spaces alongside a new Church Hall.

Andy Williams described how the heritage of Gravesend had inspired his designs and that he was in talks with public artists about the development of St Andrewʼs Gardens to design a space that makes better use of the space and is linked to the history of the Bawley Boats. He went on to show examples of similar developments in heritage areas, and those close to churches that have proved successful, including Peterborough, Dundee and Birmingham.

Edinburgh House have asked St Georgeʼs Church to consider their needs for a new church hall so that the design can best fulfill their wants from the space.

Richard Hughes, Development Manager said,

“We are extremely pleased with the meetings we have had this week, this is a positive step forward, and we had some excellent discussions with Urban Gravesham and St Georgeʼs Church. Iʼm extremely pleased with the designs that Andy Williams has proposed and while we are still in the early stages of the new designs, they have made a significant difference already. The combination of Andyʼs research into Gravesend, his thoughtful designs and taking on board the thoughts of local groups and by the council, are all helping to shape what I think is a very exciting new design. I look forward to taking these designs to the public early next year to get even more feedback.”

Both groups acknowledged that the proposals tabled had changed substantially from the previous application This is just the first stage in the new designs being drafted, these drafts will be further developed to a standard that will form part of a public consultation in early 2012, where Edinburgh House will seek the feedback of the local community.

Andy Williams, appointed by Edinburgh House, is an urban design advisor who specialises in developments surrounding historic environments. He will lead on revising the designs for the planned development, which take into account the concerns of the councilʼs Regulatory Board and the views of residents.

Edinburgh House have for some months been engaged in discussions with representatives of the local community via the Forum Group and have taken on board the various concerns raised. This includes the scale and understanding of the development surrounding St Georgeʼs Church.

Richard Hughes (of Edinburgh House) announced to the Forum that their design team were now actively committed to addressing these issueʼs, which include:

Western Quarter

• Reducing the height of the Western Quarter proposals (extension to St Georgeʼs Shopping Centre) to retain key views of the St Georgeʼs church and respect the conservation area.
• Providing far greater details to supplement the outline application to aid a better understanding of the proposals.
• Increasing the open space around the church.
• Introducing a new community facility in addition to the new church hall, for example a small theatre, or meeting, multi-use facility.
• Looking at alternative uses for the units close to St Georgeʼs Church, previously designated for residential use.
• To relocate part of the proposed car park (containing 300 spaces) to an alternative site outside of the Heritage Quarter development, in turn helping to disburse traffic and parking in the town centre.

Eastern Quarter

• A detailed examination of the design of the exterior of the development and the rooftops will be undertaken by newly appointed architect Andy Williams.
• A re-test of the environmental impact of the proposed scale of the buildings adjacent to the High Street. For example looking at the impact on the amount of sunlight / daylight.

General

• Review of the mix of residential units in the development. (ie number of one and two bedroom properties).
• A review of the pubic space in the development, the design for the space, use of public art, play spaces, links to the river and use and design of the open space, especially surrounding St Georgeʼs Church.
• An up-to-date environmental impact assessment, such as traffic surveys, and new assessments carried out against the new proposals.
• Progression of a section 106 Agreement, which if agreed would provide the council with a financial contribution.
• Reconsideration of a number of smaller features in the proposal as requested by Gravesham Borough Council.

At this weekʼs forum Andy Williams also presented the proposed changes to the overall size of the designs for the Western half of the development, which includes the extension of the St Georgeʼs Shopping Centre, the area surrounding St Georgeʼs Church and development on West Street.

The plans have been amended to improve visibility of St Georgeʼs Church, with a reduction in the height and style of the rooftops of the building.

Edinburgh House have taken into account the sensitivities raised by the impact of the original designs and taken steps to design a space that is respectful of the church and the public space that it will create.

Tony Quayle, MD of Edinburgh House said;

“We have taken on board all of the points discussed at the forums and listened to the concerns raised. We have revised the plans to accommodate these concerns and worked with the community to design a space that everyone can enjoy and that will economically prove successful in both the short and long term.

“We all want to see a development that is well designed and respectful of the heritage that it surrounds. I have a huge amount of confidence in Andy Williams, who has a significant amount of experience and knowledge in working on projects of this kind. He has already made a big impact on the proposals and I am hopeful that the amendments made will allay any fears that may surround the proposals.”

While the designs announced this week focused on the ʻmassʼ and overall impact on the town, the next phase will focus on the details; the look and feel of the development and the facades of the buildings.