A very successful drop-in session which we helped to organise and staff to promote the Water End Flood Alleviation Scheme in York, currently being undertaken by the Environment Agency.
Previous engagement events where met with little interest so this latest one was moved to St Barnabas School Hall to capture the school pick-up crowd. Over 70 people attended during the 4 hour event and were able to meet the design team for the scheme and discuss other aspects of flood warning and flood-proofing their properties.
We also designed the scheme information boards that were used at the event using our in house Graphic Designer.
The overall response to the scheme was positive and we look forward to working further with the Environment Agency to help mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of flooding and enhance public access and recreation in the Water End local.
Stuart Ryder
Director
Our recently completed pocket park located in Chester City Centre has played host to Chester’s Big Wheel over the festive season. Sadly, today is the last day people will be able to take a trip on the wheel until it’s hopeful return next year.
The park forms an important new public space at a major transport hub within Chester City Centre. The project, completed earlier this year, was designed as an arena space for such events as hosting the wheel and it certainly feels good to see it being used to full effect. I’m told the views over the Welsh mountains from the wheel were impressive, almost as impressive as the views of the planting below!
The design of the park was developed as a ‘meanwhile’ space utilising the land temporarily, although required to deliver maximum flexibility and aesthetic quality for public realm immediately adjacent to Chester’s busy main bus terminal. Designs also had to provide for a new National Express interchange and facilitate pedestrian movement throughout the wider area and involved working with critical archaeological conditions that restricted the depth of excavation to protect known and unknown assets from the Roman town. The use of seating, shrub and tree planting and informal mounding creates a quieter public space in what is otherwise a busy area of the city centre.
We look forward to seeing what events Cheshire West and Chester Council choose to hold in the park in the future!
The RLC team.
Artist impression of potential promenade improvements at Benllech. Proposals include; a widened promenade with new seating, a wet play space, an adventure play area, a terraced lawn with outdoor performance area, a space for local market stalls and beach huts!
Artists impression of potential ‘access for all beach’ at Cemaes Bay
RLC have been working with Isle of Anglesey County Council for nearly a year now to seek out and develop a series of new and exciting schemes on Anglesey which could be developed as part of their continuing programme to maximise the economic impact of Anglesey’s coastline. The project culminated last week in a series of public consultation events taking place on the island to introduce the potential schemes to the general public. The 6 possible schemes were presented to the public by means of a roadshow stopping off in a different place on the island each day. The 6 schemes presented included;
1. Public realm promenade improvements at Benllech.
2. A new pier on the Menai Strait.
3. An ‘access for all beach’ at Cemaes Bay.
4. Jetty refurbishment at the Gazelle Hotel.
5. A Menai Strait water shuttle service.
and perhaps most ambition and exciting….
6. The creation of an artificial dive reef off the coast of the island!
A seventh scheme, the development of a new centralised web based booking system for the many and varied activities available on Anglesey, is also being proposed. Together the schemes could represent a £4 million investment in the island’s economy.
RLC have been leading a small team made up of their own environmental designers and Gwynedd Consultancy, working closely with IACC officers, to identify and develop the schemes listed above. As well as producing outline project development proposals including initial economic impact assessments we are currently developing the schemes in sufficient detail that permissions to deliver them maybe sort if and when funding becomes available.
Around the same time as the consultation events were advertised by IACC the project made it into the local and nation press, see the below links!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15428111
The sketches represent the proposals at Benllech and Cemaes Bay and were used during the public consultation events.
As we work with IACC further and the potential schemes develop we hope to continue to update you on this exciting project!
RLC Base
Well the offices are not actually new but we are new to them!
We thought a photo of our new base would be more useful for finding us than a picture of moving desert rocks.
The building is a Victorian attempt are recreating Gothic splendour and sits in the heart of the City Road Conservation Area on the corner of City Road itself and Queens Road. If you are walking up from the railway station keep to the left hand side of the road and look out for the big, shiny black door with No.42 on it.
Monday, September 12th 2011 saw us move to our new offices. As the moving rocks images shows we have not gone far, just two doors down the road in fact. We are now in Meyer House that was Chester’s first Sorting Office for the Royal Mail. We haven’t seen any ghostly Postmen yet but the building is characterful with lots of nooks and crannies. Our main office and meeting room are up on the second floor.
We are now a little closer to Chester Station as well so we can make it from the office to the ticket barrier in under 45 seconds if we sprint!
There’s a Google map on the Contact Page to help visitors find us.