Masterplans must not become tick-box exercises, writes TODD Architects’ Seamus Lennon in Place North West

As part of our ongoing promotion of TODD Architects’ thriving Manchester studio, Satellite MPR’s copywriting team were delighted to help Manchester Principal Seamus Lennon compose the latest Analysis column for Place North West, the leading news and information source for the North West property community.

The past few years have seen a number of ambitious town centre renewal proposals brought forward in the North West, says Seamus. While such schemes have often been difficult to get off the ground due to their hugely complex nature and the requirement for significant capital investment, there is now a set of business models emerging that have given the development community the confidence to work in partnership with local authorities to unlock delivery.

However, Seamus warns that prescribed models can often become a tick-box of ingredients to satisfy investors –and that distinctiveness and flexibility can be lost in their application. Creating a real sense of place and giving our towns some meaning is critical to the long-term success of regeneration plans and cannot be achieved if it becomes a mere spreadsheet exercise.

Seamus considers St Petersfield in Ashton where a new vibrant urban quarter is to be developed. The masterplan celebrates Ashton and St Petersfield, reflecting and enhancing their unique history and character using architecture that reflects the local area. The outcome will be a unique place which is distinctive to Ashton and offers something different to the norm.

You can read the full article in Place North West HERE