Rushden High Street

Rushden Town Centre has been identified as a priority area for regeneration, with the High Street recognised as a key area to concentrate the start of the regeneration.

A Regeneration Strategy, developed by the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment using the Enquiry by Design Process, involved a Community consultation in February 2010. Through this, a vision was created for the Town Centre which acknowledges its strengths, as well as its heritage and character.

WSP's multi-disciplinary team included urban designers, landscape architects, civil engineers, and Project Manager, using the PRINCE 2 methodology and structure. WSP's Urban Design and MGWSP's highway design teams worked in tandem alongside stakeholders to redesign Rushden's High Street.

Local disability groups' concerns had about shared space; liaison throughout included construction of trial sections of corduroy strips (creating marked transitions without trip hazards) for the groups to test, ensuring the design would be accessible to all.

The project objective is to redesign and regenerate Rushden High Street, keeping the town vibrant for future generations whilst working within the Town Centre Vision. The following elements are identified as key public realm improvements for the High Street:

–  Refocus the Town Centre
–  Build on the unique qualities and historic character of the Town Centre
–  Promote walkability and sustainable transport
–  Private realm and shop front improvements to be encouraged

These elements have been created by using:

–  High quality and appropriate paving materials.
–  Paving detail to accentuate buildings of interest.
–  Reduced Street clutter by assessing street furniture needs.
–  Simplified parking and loading arrangements

WSP Urban Design and Highways team together are able to provide a design to the client that is successful in its ability to refocus the town centre of Rushden. A refocused, pedestrian friendly town centre will attract more people, increasing footfall and the viability of the High Street itself.

Overview

  • Project Name

    Rushden High Street

  • Location

    Rushden, Northamptonshire

  • Category

    Masterplanning and urban design

  • Landscape Architect

    WSP

  • Client

    MGWSP, Northamptonshire County Council / Rushden Town Council

  • Brief

    The aims the project redesign and regenerate Rushden High Street, keeping the town vibrant for future generations whilst working within the Town Centre Vision inlcuding significantly improve accessibility and creating fully inclusive environments, reduce and rationalise street clutter, create a sympathetic environment, highlighting the town’s unique characteristics and reduce trips made by car and encouraging the use of public transport.

Details

  • Project Team

    WSP UK and MGWSP

  • Year Completed

    2011

  • Contract Value

    '£700k

  • Capital Funding

    Growth Area Funding

Technicals

  • Materials

    High quality modern man-made products sympathetic to Rushdens heritage; additionally, the design had to comply with BS standards for durability, serviceability and skid resistance. The use of wooden and stainless steel, high quality street furniture in suitable locations and urban tree planting. The project location required careful design using an appropriate materials palette whilst still achieving satisfactorily robust construction fit for purpose for the varied intended uses including, public space, potential outdoor cafe cute; usage and entertainment area, delivery access and through traffic. Detailed footway paving design was developed by both the landscape architects and engineers in both schemes to address sloping and uneven surfaces and a high number of shop front thresholds. Known flooding problems were resolved by increased collection using slot drainage.

  • Suppliers

    Marshalls, Urbis

  • Contractors

    MGWSP

  • WSP

    Registered Practice - (21 + Employees)
    Profile

  • Approximate Map Location

    Location

    Rushden, Northamptonshire

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