Written by: Katharine Hegarty
NOMA Architects have the pleasure of working with both United Communities and Autograph Homes (in association with Curo Places) to deliver their projects in the Old Market Quarter of the City. The two sites sit side by side along Midland Road and together will deliver 2 no. flexible units and 82no. apartments and maisonettes to this inner-city area. Both schemes boast a number of socially and sustainably responsible solutions which include:
Affordability
All units meet or exceed national space standards
100% affordable housing schemes
Accessibility
M4(3) wheelchair units with 2 no. car parking
M4(2) accessible/adaptable units
Sustainability
Connection to BCC district heat network
Solar PV panels
Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR)
Solar shading to southern elevation
Native planting & SUDS
2no. car club spaces,
Ample bicycle spaces
Bus stop on site, train station and shops nearby
Urban Living
Response to social, economic and historic context
Active frontages with shop fronts and entrance doors
Generous private and communal external amenity spaces
Dual aspect units with oversized openings for natural light and ventilation
Old Market Neighbourhood Plan
2no. flexible units to enhance on-site employment
Mix of tenure: 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed units
Vertical emphasis on elevations
High quality design with brick detailing
Continuous street frontage
The planning process for UC’s site was relatively lengthy, as the developments would set a precedent for both scale and density withing the area. NOMA oversaw the planning process of this project and included within their scope:
Presenting the scheme to the Bristol Urban Design Forum;
Holding numerous meetings with stakeholders;
Multiple community consultations and extensive collaborative design work with the City Design Group and Case Officer;
Speaking in support of the committee meeting, where there was a unanimous vote by counsellors to support the project.
Both projects are now gearing up for construction, which is really exciting. NOMA are working closely with the project design teams (including Craddy’s, Box20, Avocet and Morgan Structural) to coordinate construction information and discharging of planning conditions. We’ll be sure to update the FEN team as the projects progress.
These projects will not only be some of the first residential developments to pioneer the district heating network, but they will also prove that achieving 100% affordable in the inner city is achievable. NOMA hopes that by using these two projects as case studies, more developers will follow suit by providing sustainable homes which provide health and wellbeing to future residents, at the same time reducing the number of people on the affordable housing waiting list – currently 14000.