Rearsby Jubilee Play Park
Introduction
Rearsby Parish Council have nominated as their project in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee the redevelopment of the Under 12’s Play Park in Rearsby. The park is in the Rearsby Conservation Area and in close proximity to neighbouring properties and the Parish Church. The aim is to redevelop ‘Rearsby Park’ into a modern, stimulating and inspiring space for children under 12 to play in Rearsby. The Working Group have asked OPUN to assist in getting the tender out to Playground and Landscape Designers with an interest in tendering for the work.
Objectives
The main objective for the working group is to provide the under 12’s in the village with an inspiring area to play, visit, learn and socialise. The park has been located in Rearsby for over 50 years. In that time, all of the children living in the village and surrounding villages have played here. These groups will continue to benefit from a space that is central and open, a space that is exploding with nature and a space, which is their very own adventure ground that is safe to play in.
The Project
It is hoped to have the play park built by Spring 2013. The requirement is for a playground design that incorporates the following:
• Is suited to children up to the age of 12
• Is suited to a Conservation Area rural village setting
• Uses natural and/or recycled materials
• That encourages ‘free play’ and is freeform in nature
• That is sensitive (in terms of height and massing) to the proximity of neighbouring properties
• That is all inclusive, and accessible to children of all abilities
• That the slope on the site is considered as part of the design
The build is estimated at £45,000 and will require:
• Removal of existing equipment including provision of scrap value
• Earth Works
• Installation
• Maintenance and Warranties
Google maps search: Church Lane, Rearsby
email for more information and to lodge an expression of interest by 20 July to: rjppenquiry@gmail.com
Download the tender pack here.
Community-led Design Review
On 6 March 2012, OPUN held a community-led Design Review in Belper, Derbyshire with the benefit of a small grant from Design Council Cabe.The key difference to a conventional Design Review was through the active participation of community representatives. The Panel was chaired by Chris Twomey, and Panel Members were Heather Emery and Fiona Heron.
The Review focussed directly on exploring the views, aspirations and expectations of the community and was participative in debating the impacts of development options on Land between the A6 and the River Derwent, Belper.The Design Review letter DR2012004 – Belper was submitted as part of a current consultation process on an Issues & Options Report.
This work will also be considered by Design Council Cabe alongside other examples to examine the usefulness of this approach to the wider Neighbourhood Planning agenda.
For more information, or to book a design review, contact Dharmista Patel.
Neighbourhood Design Vision, Sneinton
OPUN and Sneinton Alchemy community group successfully secured £7,000 through Design Council Cabe’s Neighbourhoods Projects Small Grants Scheme to create a Neighbourhood Design Vision for Sneinton (Nottingham).
Over the past few years Sneinton has seen a range of different development proposals put forward in the area including the redevelopment of Sneinton Market and Sneinton Square and the larger Eastside and Waterside Regeneration Zone projects.
The local community has always been active in the many consultations around these schemes and is keen to have more of a say in how the wider area can be enhanced, connected and regenerated. This grant provides an opportunity for OPUN through enabling activity led by Farida Makki to work alongside Sneinton Alchemy to help the community articulate their views in the form of a Neighbourhood Design Vision based on the ideas and vision of the people, groups and businesses of the area.
For more information contact dharmista@opun.org.uk.
Character Appraisal, Belper
On 26 January 2012, Amber Valley Borough Council appointed OPUN Design Enabler Heather Emery to lead on the development of a Character Appraisal for a site in a historic part of Belper, Derbyshire. The Character Appraisal exercise, supported by English Heritage, had the aim of examining how the area has evolved to identify key elements of the quality and character of this historic area to understand the character of this part of Belper Conservation Area and inform the drafting of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) Issues & Options Report.
The final Character Appraisal examines what is positive and what is negative in the area, identify opportunities for beneficial change, highlight where additional protection or restraint might be required, guide the form and content of new development and guide future regeneration and enhancement schemes. The exercise used community involvement and site visits to inform the capture of information on the Buildings, Views, Greenery and landscape features, other senses such as noise, smell and spirit of the place onto a scoring template. After site visits, information was captured to assist in the identification of what is special in the area, and in so doing will help inform what is known about historic development, and help identify the problems, pressures and where change could take place.
The completed report on the Character Appraisal and associated appendices and maps can be downloaded here:
Contact Julie@opun.org.uk for more information.
Design Support in Belper, Derbyshire
OPUN recently appointed by Amber Valley Borough Council and East Midlands Councils planning consultants to support the preparation of a Supplementary Planning Document for a mixed use development site in Belper, Derbyshire. The work involves a strong element of community engagement on a site in a Conservation Area.
Helen Metcalfe led a community consultation event held on 29 November 2011 to gather evidence from community representatives in Belper. Heather Emery, OPUN Design Support Enabler , and Julie Tanner provided expert design advice and guidance.
